Weekend Fun: July & August

I’m meandering from the usual topics today to update our virtual family album (which this blog in so many ways is) with the latest summer installment. July and August were full of busy adventures… including biking across Iowa with RAGBRAI, relaxing by the creek in Sedona, Arizona and several weekend trips full of family and friends in San Diego or nearby.

First up, a week in Sedona, Arizona enjoying red rock country with Kevin’s family:

Liv is getting so big! While in Sedona, we spent plenty of time swimming in the cool creek and wandering around the little downtown boutiques and ice cream shops.

Towards the beginning of summer I had mentioned that we were preparing for a big trip biking across Iowa! Those crazy Iowans invite over 10,000 people to the state in the sweltering heat and humidity of late July, but it sounded like loads of fun for our family so Kevin signed us up!

Kevin and I both have family from Iowa so it was a great opportunity to see grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, great aunts twice removed… from both sides. It was so neat to see everyone.

And as for the biking?

What a blast we had!

My brother took a series of still images throughout a single day’s ride, and then we sped it up super fast for an ultimate Day of RABGRAI tour:

Every town we passed through warmly opened their doors to the oncoming visitors, offering up delicious homemade pie, freshly brewed beer and sweet roasted corn as far as the eye could see. I spent a fair amount of time in the air conditioned transport vehicle with Olivia but my time on the road was awesome – even in the crazy heat.

I’m happy to report that my in-laws and parents – and all of our brothers – left the trip unscathed after spending seven days in an RV all together. We might just have to do it again!

In other wonderful news, we welcomed two new babies in our little group of San Diego friends! Exciting, so exciting. How glowing are these moms.

Beautiful showers were hosted for both of these adorable babes – but believe it or not I lost the camera card for one and completely forgot to take pictures from the other. So. frustrating.

But these cute photos celebrating the 1st birthday of two handsome fellas might make up for it:

Plus the 2nd birthday of this little princess!

Earlier in the summer we met my parents half way between Santa Cruz and San Diego to enjoy some sun and pool time! They needed a ‘Liv fix’ and it’s really nice that we’re each about a four hour drive away from a meet-up point.

In August, Liv and I visited my old collage roommates, and while in the city made a detour to the infamous Rose Bowl Swap Meet. Pure bliss.

And there you have it, a round up of our summer. One day I’ll have to create a large coffee table book out of all of our digital family album updates so that we (and Liv + future siblings) have something neat to check out in future years. Hope your summer was as equally special.