Summer Break 2024: Week 3

The Houstons enjoyed being home this week after traveling abroad! It was crazy to get into our car on Monday and travel to our destination without having to calculate travel time using public transportation (train, bus, metro, etc.)  It has taken a few days to acclimate ourselves to the time difference, wanting to go to bed really early and waking up way before needed each day! I am happy to say by today, I feel like I am starting to be back on NC time!  To fill our week at home, we enjoyed three pool days.  On Monday and Tuesday, we met up with the Williams, the Kennedys and some friends from school.  On Friday, we enjoyed a pool day at Carmen and Mia's pool with the Hills and Spotts' families joining us for a day of relaxation! I do love a good pool day!  We made sure to get Zander and Mia's annual pool picture that we have been doing since 2019!  On Wednesday, we set up a lemonade stand, collecting donations for Zander's fifth grade talent project at church and the Ronald McDonald House.  We had multiple neighbors stop by to get a cold beverage and some of our friends and family made the drive to our house for a time of socializing and enjoying the cold lemonade that Zander had prepared.  Grammy was our first customer of the day and Grandpa sent money the day before since he would be golfing during the actual hours of the lemonade stand.  The cousins stuck around and helped out.  After spending 8 days together in England, I thought they would be tired of each other but these four kids spent time together Monday through Wednesday this week and enjoyed every minute of it.  One of their favorite moments might have been the hammock time where Aunt Lindsey provided a turbulent ride as the "blue whale".  On Thursday, we enjoyed all the Fourth of July festivities our small town has to offer:  a local parade and a fireworks show!  There was a rainstorm that came through as we were getting ready to leave for the fireworks so we opted to use our sparklers at home in case the weather got worse as the evening progressed.  Grammy joined the boys and me to see a great display of patriotic pride in the form of "big boomers" as I affectionately called fireworks as a child!;)  It was a great summer break week at home!