Just a summer night

Yesterday was one of those Fridays that was just good for the soul.

We fed the Sister Misharies (missionaries), which is always the best.

Then, Danny and I went on a date. We sat on the beach and talked and watched the sun set.

Probably one of our best dates ever. I do love that man. 

Strawberry lemonades in hand, we got home to a little girl who was still awake (thanks, 4:00 nap!) but it was totally okay because she was suddenly beyond adorable and I realized that she had never been awake late enough to see the fireflies. 

And fireflies are magic.

So we sat on the front porch and she? Geeked. Out. about the fireflies. It was one of those moments that, if harnessed correctly, could bring world peace. 

I love summer.

The Fourth

We had a fantastic 4th of July with my parents this year. Gotta say, I'm totally a fan of four day weekends. Let's have some of those more often, K? K.

We had a fun day together and then headed to the beach around 3 with lots of snacks and dinner.

Water fight with GramGrampa ("GramGrampa is how Ava refers to Grandma and Grandpa Brown. It's awesome because it reflects how my parents are each other's besties and are always together.)

Me and my boo:

My kind of sunset:

We met up with some more friends while we were there so Ava had lots of entertainment after it was too cold to be in the water but before the fireworks started. 

 Some of Ava's friends. They were all decked out in facepaint and glowsticks. Good thing other parents were prepared with festive things to occupy the children.....

My sassy kid:

Fireworks in St Joe are lit from a pier so you can hang out on any of the surrounding beaches and watch them. So that was the plan. But we left before they really started because they didn't really start until 11 and my kid was a zombie. But we had fun, nonetheless!

Armstrong Family Reunion 2013

I totally read back through my blog the other day and realized that I am a horrible blogger now-a-days. Horrible. So maybe I should be better. I'll try but I can't make any promises.

ANYHOODLE, we totally had a little family get-together with Danny's side of the family a couple of weeks ago. People flew in and drove in from all over and we got our camping on. Yes. Camping. 25 weeks pregnant. Thankfully my SIL, Mandy, was 27 weeks pregnant at the time so we were all, "solidarity, sister" and, "yeah, we'll go on a hike....for like 3 minutes." I really would not have made it through without her. She is the best.

So once everyone got to our house, we headed up north to Sleeping Bear Dunes and stayed for 3 nights and then went to the Great Wold Lodge and stayed for one more night and then called it good. Ava was in heaven. She's been asking to go camping for quite some time and the fact that she got to go with her cousins alllllllmost made her head explode. Especially Lydie. Ava and Lydie arelikethis. It was really fun to watch but also weird because she had no time for me.

Sleeping Bear, aside from the mosquitos, was beautiful. Lake Michigan is so clear and blue and absolutely freezing up there. And the dunes. Man. I called them dune cliffs. Huge mounds of sand. So, without further ado, here are some pictures (thanks, Mandy!! My husband thinks I don't need a good camera.....or a camera at all.... and maybe these will help him realize that I do! Maybe.)

Regard:

On a huge dune:

 How cute are they??

Allll the Armstrong cousins:

 trying to stay away from the mosquitos (notice the tutu):

sandcastles!

Inseparable the entire time:

Heh heh. I love this one. Nana and Ava:

Burying Ava:

More cute husband:

Lydie and Ava. Heart melty.

Singing with her cousins:

Yeeeeeah. If she stays this beautiful, we're in trouble. Don't mind the s'mores all over her face.

Yes. Pregnant. Wicked sunburn lines. Embracing it.

Washing the "shampoo" our of her hair (handfuls of sand served as a the shampoo):

This is TJ. She is the youngest right now and she is adorable. In her free time she enjoys eating, being sassy, keeping up with the older kids, and yoga. 

The pedicures my sweet broham-in-law treated us ladies to after we got back to civilization. Don't mind the bellies. 

So grateful for my bed and my house and pedicures. And famiry. Heh heh.