Going, going, going

Here's what we've been up to these last few weeks of July:

Pitchfork music fest with Uncle Jon and the Brandis! This was the first night -- Wilco headlined. Jason and Jon went all 3 days...they even brought Molly on Sunday. She loved it.

First trip to the Skokie pool, which has a huge pool and 2 sets of water slides

The Little Mermaid on stage at Navy Pier with friends from school

Back porch BBQ with Lainey

Our favorite face fountains at Millennium Park 

Maggie Daley Park. Unfortunately, it was 90 degrees and we couldn't go down any of the metal slides. It looked like fun though...

Burning off some energy with Cousin James during our photo shoot with Ford Photography

We're having a pretty awesome summer so far. The past three or four weekends have been glorious, and I've also taken a couple of mid-week days off, which have allowed us to do a few extra fun things, like go to the pool. It's starting to feel like the clock is ticking on our summertime fun though... We had our first Kindergarten playdate last weekend and school starts in less than a month!

Party on, Molls

Since we've been to what seems like a million birthday parties for Molly's school friends, we decided to return the favor this year and have one too. It felt a little stressful at first, planning it in a hurry before we left for Spain. Venue #1, the pavilion at our favorite park, fell through, so we basically ended up copying another kid's party and having it at Little Beans, an indoor playground in Evanston. I'm so happy it worked out that way because the party couldn't have been easier. We pretty much just checked a few boxes on their website, picked up a cake, and then showed up on party day.  

The party was a lot of fun, but also bittersweet -- it will be one of the last get-togethers for this group of friends (and their parents). Molly has been in the same class with some of these kids since she was 2 years old! I'm going to miss their little faces.

Birthday girl

Cake! Cake! Cake!  The class loves to chant -- it's their thing

Too loud Molls?

Fabulous five!

Molly turned five yesterday...how did that happen? She woke up in the morning and said she didn't feel any different. Then she went and looked at herself in the mirror and asked if she was taller. Ha!

I LOVED age four. If I'm being honest, I'll admit that I'm a little nervous for age five. Kindergarten. New school. New friends. New parents! But so far, every year has been better than the last, so let's hope the good times keep coming :)

My five-year-old

Getting ready for her party :)

Princess Leia cake (and trick candles) courtesy of Grandma

Ripping into her birthday gifts. Barbie! Barbie! Barbie!

Thumbs up from a happy birthday girl

Just the two of us

Jason left Thursday morning for a brothers weekend at Joe's in Roanoke, VA, so Molly and I had the long holiday weekend all to ourselves. The weather could not have been nicer, so we took full advantage -- 3 trips to the beach, 2 nights of fireworks, 1 festival, 1 parade, more park trips than I can count, and hardly any TV. Even though we were home all weekend, it almost felt like a vacation!

Girls weekend

Evanston parade with buddy Grace

Cousins at the beach...making goo

Molly with a moostache. Waiting for the fireworks

Slide time

Ready to do it again

Learning to pump. Almost there!

We had a blast and now we're both exhausted. I have about 2 episodes of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in me and then I think I'm going to pass out. Happy 3rd, 4th, and 5th!