I apologize ahead of time. I am pretty sure that this will be a long post with lots of pictures. But this past month has been a busy one for us, but it's also been a TON of fun! We've done swim lessons, traveled to Chicago, had a roommate reunion and started setting up my classroom! With that being said here are some pictures along with short stories about the end of our summer.
We did 2 weeks of swim lessons this summer. It was a lot of fun! Payton freaked out the first day (I also attempted potty training that morning.....we're waiting to potty train) and cried the whole time, but the rest of the time she did great (only a few meltdowns). Payton's least favorite things to do were the back float and front float. Her version of swimming is more walking around the pool blowing bubbles, and pushing the limits as to how far she really can go in the water.
Getting ready to get in the pool
We missed the last day of swim lessons to head out to Chicago to visit everyone out there. Bessers was there as well, which made it extra special! It was a blast! We went to a splash pad, the zoo, swimming, children's museum and much more! It was also the first time we flew where Payton got her own seat. The extra space was WONDERFUL, and Payton did a great job on the flights!
Just hanging out on the plane
Playing at the splash pad
This was Payton's FAVORITE slide at the park (literally went down it 100 times). She had a BLAST going down it with Deli too!
this video is just a snippet of their cuteness together
Just playing outside
Ice cream social after church. Payton is the daintiest ice cream eater ever! She just took a couple of licks and was done.
I love this picture of her with her arm around her baby
Face painting at the zoo
Riding the carousel
Playing at the Children's museum in downtown Naperville.
Swimming (this girl would live in water if she could!)
Part of the gang on our walk in downtown Naperville. Thank you Lindsay and Josh for being great hosts, and thank you Michael and Marie for hanging out with us!!
After we got home Payton was so used to going out everyday that she was dying to go out all the time once we got home.
Right after we got home from Chicago my roommates from college, Mel and Katherine, came into town! The last time Tamaron, Katherine, Melissa and I have all been together was five years ago, and that is definitely too long! It was a BLAST hanging out with them! Lots of stories, laughs and memories were shared, and it was the perfect way to spend my last weekend before school starts!
Us five years ago!
Now :)
We went to a YUMMY gelato place
Katherine "documented" the trip. This is her documenting us walking around the mall
Hanging out
Friday night we had a girls night and went out to eat. It was a lot of fun.
For our last night we were all able to stay together which was awesome! Katherine's sister, Lisa, lives in Tempe. Her and her husband were out of town but offered to have us stay at their place so we could all be together. It was a TON of fun to spend our last night all together. We went swimming, played games, made kettle corn and just enjoyed each others company.
The gang swimming :)
I love this picture
We took tons of pictures of us jumping in the pool. The best part was after every time we jumped in Payton (who had been sitting in a chair relaxing) would always run to the side and say "My turn!" and jump in to one of us. It was cute.
Eating lunch and doing what we do best....take weird pictures
Group hug
Just brushing our teeth together. (We made those t-shirts!)
Our next reunion will be before 2018!
It's been a busy/crazy last month, but it's been SO much fun! I'm so grateful for wonderful friends and family and for the opportunities to get together with them often! Seriously, I'm so blessed to have so wonderful people in my life (this is not limited to the people pictured or mentioned in this post. If you're reading this I'm so lucky to have you in my life as well!)
This last picture is to show you that I finally made it into school (hard to get back to reality after a wonderful weekend), but I did it. Payton was a HUGE help (along with Kristina) and I was able to get all my furniture set up in my room.
Bring on another school year!
