Visits with Family & Friends

 

Ruben's monthly photo shows him with his head held high.  You can usually find him trying to sit himself up and participate with anything and everything his older brother is doing these days.  I am having so much fun watching them really start to play together.  Miles' favorite thing to do lately is search for bugs anywhere and everywhere; so it seems fitting that his monthly photo shows him with his magnifying lens!

Miles loves to help me water the garden, and often he pulls a radish to taste while we are working.  He will take a bite and then say, "It's so spicy!!"

Ruben has been enjoying the small piano that was Miles' absolute favorite toy at this age.  We have been enjoying the lazy days of summer.  One of my absolute favorite things about summer is travel, and since we have not been doing much of that on our own lately, I am loving all the friends and family that have been coming to visit.

We were especially thankful for a recent visit from my Aunt Sally!  She got to meet Ruben which was a really special moment.  She quickly became one of his favorite people when she fed him before nap time.

My brother Matt is also in town for work - and play - and his nephews have adored playing with him! We got to go spend some quality time at the lake; another first for Ruben.  I love this picture of Matt and Miles wading into the water.  It was so calm and peaceful that morning, the perfect weather to play!

 

This is as close as Ruben got to the water... it seemed a touch to cool for his first dip, so we will have to go back this summer and let him swim.

Another highlight was building a huge "drippy" castle with Miles.  It reminded me of my childhood visits to Galveston and I love that Miles is making similar memories.

Another way we love to celebrate this time if year is by putting it in jars.  As a friend recently said to me, "Canning season has begun."  We started with strawberry jam!  My brothers came over to visit for the afternoon and entertained my boys while I turned this flat of berries...

into two dozen half pints of jam!

Last weekend we decided to beat the heat playing in the sprinkler.  Our dear friends brought their girls over and joined us.

 

Miles and Sofia took turns spraying each other with water.

Ruben supervised from the shade.

 

It was a perfect summer day. The kind when you put all the lists of things you should do or could do aside, and instead crack open a beer, sit back, and watch your kids play!

And finally!  I managed to get a picture of Ruben's teeth!  His new toothy grin just melts my heart.