August 2020: Semi back to normal, Jimmy 44th Birthday, and Back to School

We have wrapped up summer and enjoyed some final weekends in the pool, grilling and resting.     We have played games, enjoyed Bela snuggles, and time with friends.    

Our favorite dessert this summer... custom s'more cones on the grill.   

We have spent the summer resting and focusing on better health, but what we put in our bodies and using our bodies.   Gracie and I have enjoyed strength training a few days a week and Maggie enjoys CrossFit and is not back to swimming.   Now that Jimmy is settled into the new role he is joining in and often takes Gracie as a workout buddy!

We have loved games and porch time! 

We have been eating at home and enjoying cooking, but the occasional night out to dinner is an event.   I love it!   We have all lived in casual athletic clothes for months, so when the girls have the opportunity to get dressed up they do!  And Mama wants pics! 

1885 Ooltewah! 

Public House Downtown 

As much as Bella sometimes creates great stress for me, she brings us so much joy and snuggles.  She defiantly misses the girls being home now that they are back in school. 

We decided to update the eat in kitchen and the keeping room this year.  We have been in the house 13 years and it was time to refresh the space and create more seating as the girls are getting older additional space to entertain and be together as a family is important.  The ottoman when we ordered it we did not know it would have hidden wheels.   Jimmy likes to move ottoman's around to use (I prefer they are pretty and stay in one place) and was thrilled when it arrived that it did have wheels! 

Happy 44th Birthday my love!    I did not know I got candles that were relighting! It was fun! 

We celebrated back to school- masks and all!  I am not sure how it is possible we have a freshman in high school and the baby is in her last year of elementary!  Regardless we are enjoying these years and all the memories they bring.   

These kiddos have been together since they were babies at daycare!   We are so thankful for their friendship through the years and the ability to watch them grow up together! 

One of our prayers for the girls is that they will continue to develop lasting friendships.  Real friendships that see the best and worst in us and love us through it all, ones that you laugh so hard you cry, ones that love your chidden well, ones that you make memories for a lifetime, you know...those friends? 

We are so blessed to have different groups of friends that fit all that for us and this crew is that!   We get together often, although would love to more often than we do given schedules.   We annually have a Mulpottin day during the summer where we spend the day together, usually outside tubing.   This year provided so many great memories from a sleepover at a cabin (12 of us in a cabin that sleeps 5), breakfast and games in the morning, tubing down the river before the bottom fell out and stormed, a late night waiting for keys to a locked Tahoe, and two other water soaked vehicles the next day once home.   We laugh about it all now! 

And we ended the first full week of school with Mommy picking up and a Chick Fil A treat!   It was a good week!  (and a tender ankle with a boot over the weekend!).   

As well as some good study time!  She is getting this high school thing figured out!