These are a few of our favorite things: June

Dear Em,
FRICK!! Is it really September? How did that happen?! Sigh, where did the summer go? I kinda pretended that we were still in full blown summer while we were down in North Carolina. We had one more amazing week to float in the pool & build castles in the sand. Today your daddy & I go back to work & you start school, but I find myself smiling as I think about our summer.

We never made a bucket list for this summer, but if we did, I feel like we would have crossed almost everything off. Our summer was so full of fun.

These were some of my favorite adventures in June:

Trips to Iggy's:

We did a lot of taste testing this summer & the results are in: Iggy's has the best clam cakes, New England clam chowder, & stuffies. Aunt Carries has the best fish & chips. Monahan's has yummy food overall & the best location. Bay Street Deli & Catering has the best Rhode Island Clam Chowder. We truly are Rhode Islanders & tried to fit in as many trips to all four places as we can during the summer.

A visit from our favorite friends from Germany:

Being elephants.

Sitting on the camel at Roger Williams Zoo.

It was so much fun to have our friends from Germany, Kerstin & Marco, come out to visit us. The last time we saw them I was just a few weeks pregnant, & we were thrilled to introduce you to them this time. Marco lived in Rhode Island for a year when we were in the same MBA program, & we wanted to show him parts of Rhode Island he hadn't seen before. We started with the Roger Williams Zoo. Afterwards, we had lunch at Five Guys (I guess there is nothing like an American-style burger). We went for a walk on the beach & looked for lighthouses. It was so sweet to watch Marco show you how to skip rocks in the water. We also took them for their very first clam cakes & chowder (at Iggy's of course). It was so great to see them again, & we were sad to see them go. We'll just have to start planning your first trip to Germany (& outside of the country) so we can see them again soon.

Trying to Balance Rocks:

I say trying because ours were not as pretty as the balancing rocks along the Narragansett Wall. In fact, you mostly just wanted to push the rock piles over.

BBQs:

We had so many fun BBQs with friends & family this summer. One of my favorites was hosted by one of my best college friends. A bunch of our friends from college were there with their significant others, spouses, & children. In less than ten years since we graduated there have been weddings, first homes, & babies. It was so just so much fun to catch up.

Learning to play horseshoes & ring toss with Grandma:

You're probably going to need a few more years & lots more practice. Still, it was a precious moment.

Chalk Drawing:

Lawn Mower Riding:

You love to watch Daddy mow the lawn from the windows inside our house, but your favorite place to be while he mows the lawn is on his lap.

Dressing Up:

Spending time with some of my extended Fam:

While your daddy's aunts, uncles, & cousins are mostly nearby, mine are all at least a two hour drive away. We had a chance to spend time with lots of my extended family, & it was so nice to catch up with everyone. They all really got a kick out of how much you've grown. Plus, Nonnie we got to soak up some time with Nonnie for 8 amazing weeks & Papi for a couple weeks.

Tour of the Newport Storm Brewery:

You weren't there for this, but trust me, it was a blast taking the Dads on the tour & then sticking around for a beer tasting.

Trampoline Jumping:

Trespassing at Visiting the Point Judith Lighthouse:

There may have been a sign or two saying "Keep Out," but then how would we have gotten this wicked cute picture?

Standing in the huddle with Tom Brady:

So, maybe it wasn't really Tom Brady, but it was still fun to take Papi to Gillette Stadium for the first time, tour the Patriots museum, & stock up on some Patriots gear. The RedSox season has been a total bummer & we're so ready for football season.

Buying Lobsters in Galilee:

Fresh-off-the-boat lobsters. MMMMM. Did you know that they're probably Maine Lobsters even though they're caught off the coast of Rhode Island?

Painting:

Fun at the Park:

Walks on the Beach:

The ocean was still pretty freezing in June. Daddy, Nonnie & I mostly just put our toes in & went for walks, but you splashed & played until you were soaked.

Celebrating the big 2.5:

Your Luau was the perfect way to celebrate you & the end of June before continuing our summer fun into July.

I loved our June. I could relive it all over again. Sigh, for now we have to get ready for school & work, but tomorrow we'll spend some time thinking about July. It was another amazing month of adventures.

I love you so,

Mommy