Summer Officially Begins!

Yesterday, was my first OFFICIAL day of summer break. The last day of teaching summer school was on Friday. Overall, I'm happy with my choice to teach an extra 4 weeks. I met some of the kiddos that I hadn't had the chance to meet in our school, connected with some co-workers who I usually don't have a chance to connect with, and earned some extra cash - which is always nice! The days were short - I was gone from home from 7am until about 1:30pm. I know it was super hard on Brinnley - she attached herself to me on the weekends, just like she did yesterday, and cried most mornings I left. It was heartbreaking - but loving my job makes it feel a tad bit ok!
I have such a weight lifted off my shoulders - I woke up yesterday with Brinnley and Aaron as he got ready to leave for work, and I was so relaxed. I didn't have a care to worry about! Brinnley and I relaxed a bit and then headed towards Old Navy for their $1.00 flip flop sale! I wasn't planning on going but Aaron mentioned that for only a $1.00 he would like some new flip-flops. You know the saying, 'happy wife happy life?'. There should totally be one for a 'happy husband'. :) I knew he wouldn't care if I didn't go - but I like to do things like that for him, so off we went! We ended up spending almost an hour there - we beat the initial rush and ended up with 2 bags of new flip-flops and clothes! I couldn't resist the sale they were having - new shorts and new tank tops! I bought Brinnley some new tank tops and after washing them and putting one on her, I realized that 18-24 months just isn't going to cut it for her anymore! She can wear some 24 months clothes, but she has a round belly and obviously a HUGE head, so it looks like 24 month and even some 2T would be more comfortable for her!
After some shopping, we came home and Brinnley went down for her nap. I had plans of working out and even running on the treadmill, but the side part of our house was calling my name.
When Aaron and I decided to move into the house that he had bought with his ex-wife, I was just a little hesitant. I had never been inside the house and had only seen pictures relating to it. I knew that there was no way we would be able to buy a house anytime in the near or even distant future because of this house, so I embraced the fact and looked forward to projects and being a home-owner with Aaron. Even though her name is on the mortgage, it is NOT her house anymore and we are making it into our home. It's still hard every so often to think about the house as once being theirs, but it really wasn't for that long. Aaron has lived in this house with Brinnley and I longer than he did before, and the memories he has in the past are not pleasant ones. We are still working on getting rid of some of those 'memories' with little projects here and there - and it will take some time, but we will get this house exactly where we want it! We don't have plans on moving for another few years anyway!
The side of the house, where you exit to walk to the backyard, was such an eyesore. There was a huge piece of plywood laid down and it had started to become the ground - weeds were growing out of it and there were bits of trash everywhere embedded into the dirt and wood. I had had enough of looking at it and wanted it gone. So, while Brinnley was napping I tore it up! I pulled weeds, broke apart that piece of wood, and cleared the area out. Now, it is all ready for Aaron to put down rock to follow the pathway to the backyard! Speaking of backyard, look at what I pulled from my garden! I was very doubtful about my garden and wasn't hopeful of anything coming of my plants, but these were a sweet surprise! I have a few more strawberry plants and 2 pepper plants that have more coming! Yesterday, I bought another watermelon plant (the other one seems to have died...) and a cucumber plant! I am hoping something comes out of it!

After Brinnley woke up and we hung around for awhile watching Frozen, we went outside on the patio under the shade. I watered my garden and Brinnley played with her chalk while we waited for Aaron to get home. Once Aaron got home and changed, we took off. Lately, we have been getting into the car and one of us asks, "Where are we going?" and the reply is - "What? I don't know!". We just laugh about it because we know we were going somewhere for a reason, or we just wanted to get out of the house. We end up figuring out the main reason we left, but sometimes it's just nice to get out of the house together as a family! We went to Target to check out their discounted patio furniture and get some solar lights for the front and then we picked up a firepit, also! I'm excited for some smores tonight! Aaron and I went to see the new Transformers movie while Brinnley stayed home with Grandpa - I put her to bed before we left, so it was easy peasy! It couldn't have been a better first day of summer vacation!
Here's to many more days like today until August 11th! :)