Did I Mention....

how wonderful it is to be home for the summer?!?!?!?!?

I have been home with the boys for almost two weeks now, and it is exactly where I'm meant to be. They keep me busy, they keep me laughing, and they make me happy.

We've done a LOT in the short time I've been home. We've gone to the little zoo, the pet store (on rainy days), and many parks. We've had picnics, ran through the sprinkler, and played on the swingset. (The only summer tradition we haven't managed to do is sleep in. But I don't think that will be happening any time soon!)

Last weekend, Andy and I took Spike and Monkey to the Shedd Aquarium for the first time. We all had a blast, and really enjoyed seeing all the fish. We got to watch the dolphins doing tricks, and saw a beluga whale in "person." That was especially exciting because one of Monkey's favorite songs to sing is Baby Beluga!

Monkey and Spike climbing on the step to get a closer look at the fishes.
A family photo outside the Shedd. It also happens to be the same place Andy and I got engaged. What a difference (almost) 6 years makes!



This past weekend was busy too. I participated in the Relay for Life, an overnight walk to raise money for cancer prevention and research. A group of friends that I teach with decided to do this and we had so much fun. We entered a contest for a lap called Road to Recovery, where we had to build a vehicle out of a cardboard box. It was hilarious, and we actually won! Although, I'm still not sure how to split a GPS system with 10 people! Anyway, I ended up walking about 9 hours, and well over 20 miles (by my calculations), but left after midnight. We raised a lot of money for an amazing cause.




The award winning cardboard bus:). I'm the tiny head in the second "seat."

The reason I left the walk early is because the whole family met a bunch of our online friends at the zoo who have, or are in the process of adopting from Korea! It was really special to get to know these families in person. Especially since I feel like I already know them from following along on their blogs and journey's. Of course, it was extra special to see all of the children, and I can't wait to get together with everyone again.




So far my summer is off to a perfect start! Hope everyone else is enjoying theirs too.