Julyin' Around.

 Go Science! Thanks Mimi for the microscope!

 We miss you Arise and Rainie!

 RAAAOOAOAOARRRRRR

 Lion Cupcakes!

Okay we are anything but "lyin' around" in July but we did have a Lion' Around birthday party for our sweet 6 yr old lion-obsessed child. I can't even begin to tell you how much our kid loves lions. Once I asked her why she loves them so. Her response: "Because they are so beautiful...And powerful." Well said, kid.

So this year being the "family" year- oh yeah, we are weird in that we believe you shouldn't spoil your kid by throwing INSANE parties for yourself- oh I mean your kid- and we just alternate each year between friends and family. So, this is the family year. We usually have Leelah's bf over who's essentially family anyway and there's always our precious exchange students (whatsup Chengdu, China!!) in town who are family too!

We had a little backyard safari, a silly string fight with a side of tears, lion cupcakes (thanks Baby Cakes Katy!), painted all our nails, and then the big surprise the next day....
We saw The Lion King! We totally didn't tell Leelah until we were pulling up to Hobby Center!!!! She had NO IDEA. She said on the way there that she figured out what her surprise was: "My own shower cleaner?" I don't know what that indicates. That we have done a good job or a terrible job as parents. Remember, we're the jerks that won't let our kid have a lollipop (whatever, she has 3-5 of those a week!).

It reads: "My mom and dad never let me have a lolepop." 

July is my yearly stress test, and I always start failing around the 20th and John has to emotionally slap me in the face old movie style and say, "GETTAHOLDOFYOURSELF!" You can make it!

Our sweet neph, Ryan turned big boy 4!!! In July.

Sorry I don't have pics of this. I have them on my phone, does that count? We were relishing the moment! But he had a fun fire station bday. I love those kinds of parties- fun and educational. The best!

We celebrated 8 years of marriage with a trip to our favorite, Churrascos! They flambed our Tres Leches! In July.

We picked up our exchange students and let the Americanizing process began! In July.

Our kid grew up some more as aforementioned. In July.

I need to talk more about all of these moments.

They were sweet moments.
Right now for me it's all about intentionality. Really living in the moment. Praying for the moment.
We went to Galveston on Saturday and I brought my camera, but never once took it out. I resisted the urge to FB each thing we did. Not hating on people that do, I'm not superior in any way. Faaaaar and away (Do you like my hat??) from it. I just want to remember the time when we didn't need that FB feeling of your spheres of influence knowing all the details.
Some of y'all don't struggle with this at all.
I don't want my kid to be linked in. The students were always iPadding themselves all the time. Yes, so much that I was just redundant.
Remember Wall-E? I feel like that's happening to all of us.

Oh well, she just made a Wall-E reference to society's overuse of technology and disconnect from humanity- she's just rambling now. Anyways, it's good to be back to blogging. Oh and I just read, Seven by Jen Hatmaker. So that might explain some things too...

Currently reading:
6 Ways to Keep the Little in your Girl by Dannah Gresh
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
And yes, my head is exploding with other people's knowledge right now. Sheesh!