​It might be the fact that it has been cloudy and in the 60’s all week (month? year? #oregon), but I’m having a hard time believing it’s actually SUMMER.  Like, not early June, but JULY!  It hasn’t felt summery at ALL and so I am having the hardest time getting in the groove of summer.  I’m sure our 4th of July celebration tomorrow will kick it into gear, but I’m just saying, I could really use the steady dry heat of a regular July right now!

Spring was good.  We spent a LOT of time outside.  We go on a lot of hikes with Hike It Baby, which is a super awesome (and national, now) group that started right here in Portland!  They host hikes/nature walks/stroller walks/toddler wanders outside for parents and kids who would rather have their playdates outdoors.  Last month we visited Wildwood Farm Sanctuary for a hike around their property and a chance to visit with their rescued chickens, goats, and cows.  Anyway, we did a lot of hikes with Hike it Baby and some on our own, too.  I got hopelessly lost at Newberg’s Ewing Young Park, which is NOT THAT BIG but I managed it because that’s who I am as a person.  I slogged my kids across a boggy meadow when I could have just gone a little farther and taken a trail like a normal person.  On weekends we hiked as a family at Ewing Young, Gettman Loop in Newberg, Magness Tree Farm, and Stella Olsen in Sherwood.  Nothing far flung but the best memories.

We did some great little day trips around Newberg.  Adelman’s Peony Garden, strawberry U-Pick at Smith Berry Barn, a clover field on Parrett Mountain, Champoeg State Park (of course!), and blueberry U-Pick at Hoffman Farms.

When we weren’t out exploring, we spent a ton of time at home in our backyard.  I’m trying to learn how to be a good gardener and not instantly kill all the plants that I touch.  The struggle is real, friends.  My son loves growing his plants, and he helped me create such a pretty little wildflower garden in the backyard.  It’s blooming and bringing us so much joy.  He’s also got a green bean plant that is allllllmost ready to have its first harvest and he’s so excited!

BUSINESS goals–July:

• Shoot Jenna and Armando’s epic cathedral+The Falls Event Center wedding
• Shoot Shana and Josh’s sweet Quimby Pond wedding
• Blog those weddings ASAP!
• See ALLLLLL of my past wedding couples for a super awesome event!
• Get better at remembering to use Instagram
• Update my Instagram bio from the one that currently says I never use it!

PERSONAL goals–July:

• Enjoy Newberg’s Old Fashioned Festival–we’d only been here a few months last time and were still getting settled from the move so we didn’t go to much.  This time, it’s ON!
• Spend more time meeting other fabulous business owners at the Yamhill County MOB Meetup!  (Mama-owned businesses!  Not, you know, THAT mob!)
• Get through TWO SOLID WEEKS of entertaining my free-spirited one year old in the bleachers while my 5 year old has daily swim lessons (Lord help me)
• Celebrate our EIGHT YEAR wedding anniversary!  We still haven’t decided what to do!  Ideas?