Goodbye July, Hello August!

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. " ~Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

Lots of fun stuff went on here last week as July ended and August began!  Last Wednesday we finally kicked off the weekly family "Etiquette Dinners" that David and I have been wanting to start for a long time.  I finally got organized enough to do it!  We decided that, every Wednesday night, we will eat a nice dinner in our dining room (instead of just at the kitchen table) and have an easy family etiquette lesson.  We know that Joseph is little, but it's never too early to learn politeness (without him having to give up his "carefree kidness" of course), and it's a good review for Mommy and Daddy as well (and who knows, we may even learn a thing or two as we go)!  I am writing out weekly lessons from my Emily Post book, and this first week was a definite success!  We had chicken pot pie, ate on our fine china, and had lots of fun for all of us!

Joseph and David anxiously awaiting dinner to start

Joseph helps me look over the etiquette lesson before I start

Last Thursday (August 1st), I made and decorated sugar cookies in the shape of a watermelon-with-a-bite-taken-out-of-it to celebrate the start of the last full month of summer.  Joseph had fun looking at the fun colors of the cookies, although I don't have a picture of him doing so...

August 1st of every year is also Lammas Day.  Some of you will remember from my previous posts how I love for our family to celebrate all types of celebrations, including ones that our European ancestors would have celebrated.  Building family traditions is important to me, and learning about our heritage is equally important.  Things like this are a good way to do both.  Lammas, in old European times, was the festival of the wheat harvest.  It took place every year at the beginning of August, and was the first of many "harvest festivals" to be held from the end of summer through the end of Autumn.  I love that this took place in early August, because fall is my favorite time of year and to me any type of harvest festival means fall much be right around the corner!  Traditionally women would make loaves of wheat bread from the new crop of wheat to celebrate this day.  So, true to tradition, I baked a fresh loaf of wheat bread!  Yum. :-)  I took a picture of the loaf, and somehow I can't figure out where I saved it.  Bummer.  :-(

On Saturday, my good friend Lisa, her husband Matt, and their children Leah, Molly, and Daniel, came from Raleigh to visit us for the day.  Lisa and I have known each other since we were 5 years old, and her friendship is such a treasure to me!  It has been amazing to watch she and Matt build their beautiful family over the years, and now they are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their fourth child (this time by adoption).  I'm so thrilled with what God has done in their lives!  We visited at our house for a while, then went to Safari Nation (a bounce house near our home) for the kids to play.  Joseph had a ball!


I stole this picture from Lisa's blog...here she and Leah are holding Jojo


 

Joseph loved this big, squishy tooth in the bouncy alligator's mouth






 

Such a look of intense concentration



Happy boy!

 

Jojo and Daddy taking a rest

 

David helps Joseph play the race car game, while Daniel has it on his own!

After some serious play, we went to eat at Yum Yum, across the street from the UNCG campus!  Yum Yum is a true Greensboro institution for hot dogs and ice cream, and, since Lisa hadn't been there in a long time, she was excited to go back.  We finished the visit by walking around on top of the UNCG parking deck.  The kids had a ball!

 

With Lisa at the top of the parking deck.  Leah is having fun running in the background!

Every Sunday evening we eat dinner with my parents and grandmother.  We love the southern tradition of big Sunday family dinners!  Some Sunday nights, we come up with something creative to do afterwards, especially if the weather is nice.  This past Sunday, we decided to take a stroll through Bog Garden, a park/natural area near us.  Joseph rode on the lap of my grandmother and had a ball. 

Joseph riding on Great-Mimi's lap

This will be one of those pictures that will make Joseph say "eeeew" one day

Joseph with Nonie and Papaw

Last week also marked the start of World Breastfeeding Week.  While we didn't do anything specific to celebrate, I was reminded of how thankful I am for the 9 months of breastfeeding Joseph I've had thus far.  I truly love nursing, and Joseph loves nursing.  It has been wonderful, and one of my very favorite parts of motherhood.

Happy August, everyone!!!