friday favorties || first week of summer

Happy F r I d a y!

It was the first official week of summer break over here, & I think we broke it in well.

I went crazy planning to kind of map out a few of the things I don't want us to miss out on, (even started planning Cam's packed lunches for school- yes, I'm that crazy girl) of course my planner would have ended in May, so now I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of my new one in the mail!  Trying out a new kind... the kind you refill instead of toss.

Am I a nerd if I'm excited over that?

🤓

Until then, there's this chicken scratch on the refrigerator:)

And that chicken scratch helped us have a great week & knock four things off our hope to list. 

 And it didn't feel at all like hustle & bustle. 



Now linking up with the girls of High FIve for Friday + Friday Favorites for some more mumbo jumbo:)

---



One.  Week days at the pool

We have found, that if you hit the pool just right on a weekday, you can find it all to yourself.  Cam was the bravest I've seen this summer, & set aside all his little fears.  He actually jumped off the side of the pool without all that five year old poundage landing on my head!  I'll call that a win!  Conley calls the "kiddie pool" the "kitty cat pool" & it is the most precious thing you've ever seen... until you spend the rest of the time picking up his trail of fruit loops or pray no one seen him spill his Gatorade in the pool after you tell him for the 32,332 time to get it away from the pool.😬
 

Two.  Safety City + snow cones

A girlfriend & I tried to go to this place last year, but came on a day when they were closed.  The hours are SO weird, but if you hit it just right... it is totally worth the planning out to go!  And make sure you make plans for a snowcone or ice cream after... it can be quite toasty & everyone is sure to break a sweat.

 
look at that mini sunsphere!
 
 
mini Tennessee theatre
 
and mini Neyland
 

Basically, at certain times, this sweet little mini Knoxville is a place kids can come to learn skills they need to be "safe citizens" in their communities from policemen and firefighters.  The Police Department of Knoxville offers several programs throughout the year where kids can come to learn & practice what they have been taught in the miniature city.  They learn traffic safety by riding bicycles, miniature cars, and walking through the city as pedestrians.  During the summer months, they open the city twice a week for a few select hours to anyone who wants to bring their bike/battery powered car or scooter.  It truly was the coolest/c u t e s t thing ever.  The boys LOVED it. 

I just wish the pictures did it justice!

Three.  Trying something new

I've been praying about a "side hustle."

Aka anything I can do on the side, without leaving my boys, to earn a little extra money.
I've tried make-up, children's clothing, essential oils... 
I've come to one conclusion through it all.  You can forget ME asking someone if they're interested in buying anything.  I'm just NOT a salesperson.
I still love all of those things... just not my thing.
 I gravitate toward anything creative & this cake decorating class popped up out of nowhere & I thought... why not???  I do have a thing for baking anyway. 
Four weeks of learning & hands on practice...
We shall see where it takes me!

Four.  Popsicle shirts

Can't.  Stand.  The. Cuteness. The boys "need" this for the fourth.

I love Cat & Jack.

 😍

Five.  Top knots are everything

My hair has looked like dried out scarecrow hair ever since the day after I got it done & tried to fix it myself.

Thank the Lord for top knots & hair spray!

Living in this all summer.

 😝

Leaving you with this...

 

I've seen a lot of mom shaming on social media this week & it just makes me so sad.

We are all trying our best, & we all are good at different things.

Nothing makes one mom better than the other.

We are in this to help one another, not to bring each other down.

Perfect doesn't exist! 

Don't let social media fool you.
I admire each & every woman/mama out there... you all rock what you do!❤️

 

 Some of my favorite posts from last weeks link up:

Eurofox || She shares my love for a garden + I loved her insta stories this week about getting up early to workout.  She knows my struggle!  But we do it anyway ;).
And her accent!  Much fancier than my southern drawl:P

Sparkles + Lattés ||. She has great taste in shoes (Natives... cough) and she featured a great video about Dr. Seuss.
 

Simple Purposeful Living || Erin featured 7 cheap water activities to do with your kiddos this summer.  Such a great list... check her out:)