Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Life Lately

Life lately has been a whirlwind. The summer is flying by at a frightening pace, and it's hard for me to keep track of the days. We moved into a new home at the end of June and while moving was something we were not expecting to do, our new house is awesome and our new street is full of really fun neighbors.
Our summer days have been spent doing things to make the new house our own, hanging out at the pool, and trying to get together with friends while they pop in and out of town on various vacations. Life is especially hectic right now, but it is full of things for which we are thankful.
Here are a boatload of pictures from the last month or so...
We celebrated Daddy (and Uncle Tate's) birthday toward the end of June.
This trio of Hepper girls is happiest when at the pool.
Caroline joined the swim team...here she is super excited to be at her first meet.
Ready to dive in!
And lo and behold...she won!!
Julia in a tree at camp.
Margaret in a tree at camp :) 
Frances in her new perch at the new house. 
The summer has been exhausting for Julia.
One of the first things to do at the new house was to take down a very large magnolia tree. 
It was blocking a large portion of our backyard, and we needed a place to put...
Fort Hepper!
This is Julia's crazy happy grin.
Margaret makes a phone call from atop the slide.

Paul and I celebrated 10 years of marriage this month.
I'm so grateful to be married to someone who still makes me laugh.
Caroline lost her first tooth this month! I was so excited for her, but it is bittersweet to see her growing up...sniff, sniff.
The tooth fairy was very generous this time around.

Olive fingered Julia (and that crazy grin again!)
Funny faces on a log.
3 sisters heading out to explore their new street. 
We went to the zoo, and Julia went nuts over the budgie bird exhibit.
Caroline was a more skittish fan.
This is one of the only smiles we got out of Margaret at the zoo...the animals made her very nervous. Here she had just fed a baby goat.

Trying to get a closer look at some penguins.
We were very excited to learn that the ice cream truck visits our street every Wednesday evening.
Decisions, decisions...

Hepper Family Reunion

In early July we spent time on vacation with nearly all of the Hepper Family in Ocean City, New Jersey. While we were there, we celebrated Great-Grandma Hepper's 90th birthday! We all had a blast! It was nice to get away and enjoy some down time with the family.
Margaret and the beach

Caroline's first day on the beach.
They couldn't be bothered to put on swimsuits for their first dip in the ocean. 
Caroline sampling Dots Donuts for the first time.
Margaret and Julia were big fans too.
Thankfully, this is the closest any of us came to a shark encounter.

Julia and her newly acquired pet hermit crab: Ms. Shelly P. Crab.

Julia and Caroline prepare to go boogie boarding.
Julia chases a seagull.
Caroline riding the waves.
J and Daddy heading out to boogie board.
Cousins Will and Claire and Margaret

Grandma, Caroline, Margaret and Will.
Surrey time!
Putt-putt!


3 sisters cruising the boardwalk. 
Pit stop for ice cream.
Fourth of July accessories 
Caroline and Mommy selfie
Great Grandma blows out her candles in celebration of her 90th birthday.
Margaret + the Hepper Chocolate Cake = true love.
Sunrise during one of my morning runs.
Uncle Paul and Aidan
Our first family picture at the shore!!