Catching Up! Our Back to School Tradition and 21st Anniversary!!!

I've been trying to get this post published all month long...and now it's October!!! Several years ago, my husband started taking the first day of school off of work, and we'd spend the day doing fun stuff. It's also kind of an anniversary day date, too, because that's always the first or second week back as well. It seems all our fun day trips this summer had the same thing in common: HEAT! This day was no exception, so we didn't walk through town like we normally do, but it was lots of fun. And no, I don't mind having our little third wheel along at all, because I KNOW how soon he won't be anymore.

We started off on Pierce Island in Portsmouth. Such a beautiful place to explore and visit.

Although, there was a group of women and kids in this area, extended family I think, and they were all smoking like chimneys and so, so loud. They were scattered...and in nearly every shot I tried to take, ha, so this is the best I got that morning.

Picnic by the harbor -
Levi was thrilled with the fact that he could step up and down, up and down, as much as he wanted, ha. It's the little things, I guess. ;)

Cutest little pink-cheeked boy I ever laid eyes on!

We braved the humidity and walked over to Prescott Park. I'm not entirely sure, because of the sweat stinging in my eyes, but I think it was as beautiful as ever. ha ha ha

The water you see in the background is the same as from the park, it's simply around the corner. Normally we walk all along the edge of the harbor and walk out onto the docks, but again, HEAT.

Mr. Rocket Scientist got himself some new anti-glare glasses, and we laugh because these are the first pair that seem to glow purple in natural light. :)

My favorite part!

I don't have one single picture from the second part of our day because I was sandy and my hands were full, ha. We went straight to the beach and got clam strip sandwiches from the boardwalk- they were good! It was super hard dragging the stroller through the soft sand, and the tide was in, so insanely crowded and not much sandy real estate. We finally found a spot and let Levi play in the shade cast by the stroller- he was pretty overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd, so one of us took turns playing with him while the other jumped into the ocean to cool off. Eventually he let me carry him out into the water and we jumped waves for a long time. Then my feet started to get tingly because the air was SO hot and the water SO frigid, so we packed up and headed for home.

Levi watched some Cars until he passed out cold. :)

I've read for years about decorating the door for the first day of school, and this year, I finally got around to it! Thank goodness for Prime! Ryder knows someone's coming!!

She loved it! I don't think the boys cared as much. Or maybe they really did and they just kept their excitement hidden inside. :)

I almost wrote Happy Monday since I tried to get this done yesterday, so... Happy Tuesday! ;)

Touches of Fall in our Home

Two posts in one week! Who dis??? Since I just love getting a glimpse of other people's homes and how they decorate, etc, I thought I'd share a few pics of our home with you. I mentioned in IG earlier that I don't normally decorate for fall before September, but this year, it's like I wanted everything festive and inviting- not summer worn out and tired- for when Ethan left for college. Kind of hard to explain, and lots more emotion all wrapped up in that than I'm going to post right now, but it just felt like the right way to send him off on his own. For a little while anyway. :)

This first picture makes me smile. You know I have a zero tolerance policy for nakey or undies pics online, but this has enough blur that I'm good. This captured moment represents such sweetness and joy to me. I love it.

Here is a better view of the fireplace. Mantel is arriving shortly...I hope! This is the first year I've put things up there, and even without the mantel, I really like it.

That little Target shelf getting some fall attention...thinking about adding a couple more things... Also, the Keurig is gone, since it was technically Ethan's, so that space got filled in with something pretty, but I miss what was there because it represents change. And change is so hard!

 Flowers from our backyard!!

I got the tobacco basket at Hobby Lobby for half off and have loved the texture it adds. I think that wall needs a little something else, but I haven't settled on anything just yet.

I just realized I forgot about the kitchen pics, but I've got to get going.... Happy Thursday! It's almost the weekend!

Our Visit to the Sunflower Fields at Colby Farm, MA

Hey friends! I just keep falling more and more behind, and life just keeps moving on and on. So much to catch up about! Today I'm posting about our very last summer hurrah. I missed the chance to visit one of NH's best sunflower fields with a dear friend this summer, and it had been on my wish list since forever...okay, since two summers ago when I first started seeing pics on Insta, ha ha... so the day before school started, we took a little road trip to get this things checked off my list. :)

Aside from the fact that we were legit melting, it was such a fun day. The field did not disappoint- it was incredible. While seeking out some shade, we lucked out and a tractor drove past, which thrilled little Levi. The driver was friendly and waved back at him too, always a plus in my book. Then we visited the store/shop, which was really cute, but we were so hot and sweaty, we didn't really look around very much. We settled on a cinnamon bread from a local bakery that smelled like heaven. It was still warm! But then again, that just made me sweat more, ugh. ha ha

The plan was to grab a little lunch somewhere in downtown Newburyport, so we headed out after I blasted the AC for several minutes. The town is so pretty, gorgeous, really. But as the temp gauge kept inching up near 100, I just couldn't do it. I decided we'd try again in a few weeks when we have the chance to walk around, explore the parks, and enjoy it. Maybe this weekend... :)

Back to School - Middle, High School...and College, gulp!

Some years just feel longer and harder than others, especially the older they get. Sorry if that's not very comforting, but sadly I think it's true. More to worry about! Regardless, they sure do go by in a blink. Ethan leaves in two days, though he's currently up at our family cabin in Maine with my Dad, and these turkeys had their first day of 10th, 6th, and 12th grade yesterday. Good days all around! :)

Ah these two. Formerly best buddies and then arch enemies and now maaaaybe rounding the corner to friends again. I'll take it!!

I shared a cute little story in IG (bethanylivs_life )if you want see what this little turkey thought about everything. He's so funny! And as tradition stands, it was our annual back to school day date. We headed to the seacoast, sweated our fannies off because #HEATWAVE, and had a great day. With our third wheel in tow, of course. ;) Now if today would dip below the 90's, this girl will be real happy!