On the Book List {July}

There is nothing I love more than basking in the sun lost in the pages of a good book.  At the beginning of the year I picked 4 authors I wanted to read and printed their book lists.  I am slowly making way through them.

Don't judge me because I am reading a Christmas book in July, but The Trouble with Angels by Debbie Macomber (this is the 2nd book in her Angels series) is just a sweet read about three families each facing their own challenges during the holiday season, only connected by the 3 angels sent to answer their holiday prayers.  The first book made me happy cry, so I can only imagine what the end of this one will do to me!

Amazon says:

A Wing and a Prayer

When irrepressible angels Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy set out for the City of Angels to grant three rush Christmas prayer requests, they are sure they can help without resorting to, er, divine intervention. But they soon find it will take more than one miracle to teach their precious lessons of love—as well as make three special holiday dreams come true!

Happy reading y'all!!

xoxo - j

Fri-Yay

Lord knows my family loves a fun-filled day, let alone a fun-filled Friday.  And just because we are on summer break, do not think for a second that we haven't jam packed our days with activity after activity.  Here are our favorites from Friday...

Mini Golf

Wild Island's mini golf is closed for the season, which was extremely disappointing to discover.  However, Magic Carpet Mini Golf did not disappoint.  Every corner of this put-put boasts loads of fun for the kiddos.

Food Truck Friday

Food Truck Friday is a must during the summer with littles.  The food options are amazing, the live music is so fun to dance to and the time together is like none other.  It's a playground of food and fun!  We got lucky to have our cousins and friends join us this past Friday!

West Wind El Rancho Drive-In

Down in one of the oldest parts our Biggest Little City sits a drive-in movie theater that has been there since my dad was in high school!! 

You cannot go through a single summer here without going to the drive-in movies.  It's just not possible!!  There just isn't anything like laying in the bed of the pick-up enjoying a bucket of popcorn, loads of candy and a good-ole Diet Coke!!  As if that's not enough, we had the pleasure of seeing Hotel Transylvania 3 AND Jurassic World.

Clearly we couldn't see what that picture was going to look like before it happened, so it's pretty silly!!  I'll be missing these fun summer days (my wallet on the other hand....)

xoxo - j

Summer Bucket List

It's hard to believe Ethan and Carter will be headed off to fourth and first grade next month.  NEXT MONTH!!! Yikes time is flying!

Around The Nook, we count down to all things we look forward to...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Birthdays...you catching what I'm laying down?!  So it is only fitting we would be counting down to the day the boys step foot back on the playground.  In the vein of schooling and learning our 2018 Summer Bucket List is centered around the alphabet.

We have diligently been crossing things off our list as there is less than 26 days left before our first day of school.  There is no reason not to send the boys back to school with 26 fun-filled memories in the coffer!!

xoxo - j

Nights Like Tonight

Tonight we were faced with a lazy summer evening with nothing to do, so we had a grand ole time doing whatever we wanted.

We celebrated Taco Tuesday...

We watched bits and pieces of the BFG...

Then we decided to decorate animal cookies and watch The Greatest Showman...

Now I have "Rewrite the Stars" stuck in my head!!  And that, my friends, is what lazy summer nights are all about!

xoxo - j

Little Supplies

Time has evidently been ticking by, school starts in 4 Mondays from today!!  FOUR WEEKS?!! Twice last week I told myself I was not going to wait until the last minute to get school shopping done.  Now I can just sigh with relief!!

We thoughtfully wandered through the boys clothing section looking for jeans, t-shirts and a special shirt for the 1st day of school.  I love all the colors and geometric shape patterns they have on the boys' t's...yes please!!  They did not have a huge selection of jeans unfortunately, but I do have remind myself that it's the beginning of July!  It goes without saying that Dax has clothes to match the biggest brother and the middle brother.

The last part of our Target run was my favorite.  Get this...I was able to hand E & C a pen and their shopping lists and off they went picking out their school supplies one aisle at a time.  First grade had a smaller list than I remember from a few years back but man how am I already shopping for FOURTH GRADE school supplies?!  It's just too much!!  At least I got them to agree to use their backpacks two years in a row.

Thanks boys!!  We can check this little task off our summer to do's!!

xoxo - j

Visiting Nonna

My sweet mom was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's 3 years ago.  This diagnosis ended a 30+ year legal career and changed the course of our lives.  In mid-January she made the decision it was time to move into assisted living and sell our childhood home.  As we navigate through this disease we are constantly learning new things, and discovering "new" symptoms. 

We try to visit with her as often as possible because we know time is never guaranteed.  Last night we boot-scooted off to bring her over for dinner and a visit with our wild bunch, in hopes of bringing a little grandchild cheer.  Being in the trenches of this disease, my sister and I are often overwhelmed with the lack of services available in town for both our mom and us as the caregivers.  Someday we will open a foundation in her name for families receiving similar diagnoses so early in their lives.  Enough rambling...last night we played games; discussed superheroes at length; lounged around the house watching baseball; ate homemade lasagna; played and belly laughed until we were out of energy.  Mom and her grandkids are little partners in crime...I'd venture to say that our visit was just as fun for her as it was for us!

As much fun as we had, I just couldn't squash the innately devastating fact that at the end of the night I was driving her home to her new home and she was riddled with anxiety to go back to a place that according to her will never be "home".  And while I pasted a smile on my face and channeled my former cheerleader peppiness as I have done everyday for the past 3  years, inside I wanted to burst into tears at the fact that there is no cure, there is no getting better.  My heart hurts not only for my mom and our family, but for all the other families out there facing this disease.  Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers and be thankful for the time you've been given with your own parents/loved ones.

xoxo - j

Summer Days Like This

Friday evening the kids and I scooted off to the Aces game to watch Dr. Chad throw out the first pitch.  Back when I was a kid we did not have a professional sports team to cheer on, and if we are being honest back in my youth a ball game would have been the last place I'd spend a Friday night.  But these days, I find myself looking for local events to support and immerse the pipsqueaks in.  So, we spent a perfect July evening cheering on the Reno Aces, dining on "gourmet" dogs, loads of candy and a bottomless bucket of Sprite.  It's worth mentioning that not only did all three boys sit through the entire baseball game, they sat through the amazing fireworks show afterward AND still had energy to run around the bases.

As for the rest of their Friday, Trevor let the morning be somewhat lazy and then loaded up the truck for an adventure around Pyramid Lake. 

Oh how I relish summer days like this.

Have a great summer day y'all!!

xoxo - j

Sparks Will Fly

After surviving our fun-filled day yesterday, I headed back to work while Trevor and the boys laid low today!!

With the boys still tuckered out from yesterday, but still sufficiently hopped up on sugar I decided an evening at home was what was in store for tonight.  Now y'all know what they say about best laid plans... all the complaining and whining aside, we managed to have a nice dinner and wrap up our Independence Day week in the company of each other

I can't think of anything much better than that for a Thursday night.  Tomorrow the boys are off on an adventure with Trevor while I finish up my week at the office.  I am sooooooooo looking forward to the weekend!

xoxo - j

Independence Day

We were up and at 'em yesterday morning, kicking off our Independence Day celebrations.  We decked out the boys in patriotic flair and headed up to Virginia City for the parade.  A step back into the wild west, corvettes and dancing horses and lots and lots of candy made up the Virginia City Independent Parade.

After a quick rest, we headed off to our cousin's for hamburgers, watermelon, and lots of treats before we watched the Damonte Ranch Neighborhood fireworks show.

Happy Birthday America!

xoxo - j

Dragon Lights Reno

While we spent our day at work, with a baby-sitter and at school we counted down the minutes until we got to go enjoy the Dragon Lights display at the Wilbur May Arboretum.  Housing all sorts of light displays from animals, to traditional Asian dragons and folklore, the Wilbur May Arboretum is home to one of the most stunning light shows I've seen.  Through a walking trail of lights and displays, Chinese performances and creative activities we explored a whole world.  One thing is for sure, we immensely enjoyed this event!

And would you believe that Sister and I spent memorable days during our childhood summers exploring this very same arboretum and enjoying the Great Basin Adventure Park that no longer exists!  I never imagined that I would be doing this with my very own littles!

And while we are on the subject of Wilbur May, the gorgeous main building - now rotating museum exhibits - houses one of the largest taxidermy collections.  It houses some of Northern Nevada's most unique history.

Just a little slice of Nevada history.  I can never learn enough of our amazing Battle Born State.

This was such a fun evening to lead in to our amazing 4th of July celebrations!!

xoxo - j