The summer I turned 40

Blog Project 3.0 has been going on for about three years, even though one of the group members changed after a few months. I love blogging with this group and I hope we can continue to inspire each other.

We're finally back after summer break, but will be posting bi-weekly as life keeps getting in the way.

This week, Froggie chose the topic: My summer

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic. I will be only posting links to posts on this same topic from my group. So check back if you were hoping to read their blogs and don't see a link yet.
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

This summer went by in a blur. At least it feels that way! I can’t even remember most of what I did in June. It started off with “Will” visiting during Memorial weekend. He stayed with us for a couple of days and we got to do some exploring in DC. I even had a reunion for him and “Jack” at our house. Like the good old days!

The big thing in June was my daughter graduating from Pre-K. She narrated a story during the performance part of the ceremony and spoke so well. I was verklempt! At the end of the month, we all saw Finding Dory. I enjoyed it a lot.

July was the month of the big 4-0. It started out with Fourth of July weekend. We had one of my online friends and her family over for a BBQ that Sunday. On the actual holiday, it was raining a lot, so we went to an indoor pool nearby. They had a shallow splash pool for the kids that included a little water slide. The kids had a lot of fun and the water was the perfect temperature.

A few days before my birthday, my husband threw me a little party for our friends in the neighborhood to attend during Shabbat. We had a great turnout and he even made this “time machine” for me.

The next day, I saw a community theater production of Rent with two of my close friends. It was decent, but the rhythms were off a lot of the time. And Angel’s makeup made him look like one of the Golden Girls going for a night on the town.

My actual birthday was…interesting. It started out with a trip to the pediatrician because my younger son wasn’t feeling well. Turns out, he had strep. I spent most of the day with him and we watched The Karate Kid (the original version). My in-laws were in town, so they stayed home with him for a little while so that I could get my hair cut. (They also stayed with the kids that evening.)

At night, my husband and I went out for dinner and frozen yogurt, and then saw Evita at a local professional theater. It was a different kind of production in comparison with the movie version, but they did a nice job with it. The dancing was kind of strange though. The next day, he and I went to a Nats game with my office. It was fun, but too hot to stay out the whole time. When we got home that evening, I got a manicure and pedicure. It was really nice! I enjoyed all the Facebook posts I received on my birthday, as well.

The weekend following my birthday, we went to our cousin’s Bat Mitzvah. It was nice to see some family that we don’t normally get to see. There was also a brunch at their house and we spent some time at their pool too. The Bat Mitzvah reception was a lot of fun and my older son had a blast dancing with the other kids. My parents were there too, even though it’s on my husband’s side. They’re best friends with my husband’s cousins, through whom we originally got connected to more cousins. The Bat Mitzvah was for their granddaughter.

At the end of July, we went to a really nice water park by Chesapeake Beach. There were a lot of slides, including a cool one that you go down on a raft. They had a lazy river, as well. We had a great time there and I am glad I got the Certifikid deal when it was available.

August was more low-key in the beginning of the month. We took the kids to a butterfly exhibit at a nearby nature center. The butterflies seemed to like my younger son. My daughter kept telling me to take a lot of random butterfly pictures. It was really hot in the exhibit though.

The exciting part of August was when we took the kids to NYC for a few days to spend time with my in-laws and tour around the city. It was more for them to really experience NYC, as the last time they were there, my older son was three and doesn’t remember anything about it. He’s wanted to go for a while, so he was really excited. The days were filled with visits to museums, Ground Zero, seeing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, going up the Empire State Building, and eating at some delicious Kosher meat restaurants. We also saw Matilda. It was cute, but sometimes I had trouble understanding what they were saying since they used thick British accents. I was verklempt from the ending though.

I didn’t tell a lot of friends I was going to be in NYC because the focus was on spending time with family and exploring. However, we got to meet up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. And the last time she saw my kids, my daughter was a toddler. And we also had a random meet-up with another friend who just happened to be at the Museum of Natural History at the same time we were. Only in New York, right?!?

Random meet up with my friend from HS

Planned meet up 

We didn't get to see the show,
but we couldn't resist stopping by!

At NY Historical Society, which had a Hamilton
exhibit, as well as a cool kid's museum and a
Mo Willems exhibit.

We ended the summer (as in right before the kids went back to school) by taking my cousin out to dinner, as she moved across the country to study at University of Maryland. It was nice to spend time with her and I hope to see her again soon!

Labor Day weekend was pretty uneventful, but a friend from Chicago was in town, so we got to see her and meet her new baby.

As for TV shows...I watched Orange is the New Black, Odd Mom Out, The Goldbergs, Orphan Black, Stranger Things, and am now getting into Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I didn't see a lot of movies. Just one in the theater and a couple on DVD (Room and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2).

I obviously read a ton of books! One of my favorites from this summer is Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale. I also got into audio books for the first time. I started off with In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume and am now almost finished listening to The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg.

That’s about it for my summer. I’m not into hot weather at all and am glad that autumn is almost here.