July

Even in the best of years, this July would have been considered above average. During this year of Covid, our July was an exceptionally great breath of fresh air and adventure. Our first weekend was spent celebrating the Fourth at the Anderson farm with the Brown's in Grants.

We spent the second weekend building the pavilion in the back yard. It has become a hammock haven and a space we all love to enjoy.

We went on our first family backpacking trip over the third weekend. We hiked 3.5 miles up to Serpent Lake in the Pecos Wilderness. It was hard and everyone struggled, but we all did it and felt a great sense of accomplishment. We learned a lot for next time and were grateful for a weekend in the mountains.

Grandma and Grandpa Kress came at the beginning of the fourth weekend and stayed with us for a week. We got some projects done, but mostly just enjoyed being together.

Mabel hit the 12 week mark and got all her puppy vaccinations, so we were able to start taking her out on walks. She especially loves grassy fields and going to the Brown's with us on Wednesday evenings for archery. We are sadly down a pet, as Tortuga met an unfortunate end in a rolled-up piece of plastic. The kids and I had our semi-annual dentist appointment and were all given a clean bill of dental health. Things at work and with his calling have weighed on Matthew more heavily this month, but he was also able to get a new bow and his archery skills are improving each week. The kids enjoyed a break from math and music for two weeks, and have spent hours and hours playing happily together. I sewed masks, rode my bike, and did all kinds of planning and preparation. On the whole, July was a shining rainbow in the figuratively cloudy skies of summer 2020.

Mission prep:

I started counting calories for real in the middle of the month and lost five pounds. I was in a bit of denial, thinking I was making healthy choices but not actually paying that much attention. As soon as I decided to be deliberate, I saw results. Matthew and I have also been wearing weighted backpacking packs on our two mile evening walks. Family and individual scripture study continues to go well. I've had a lot on my mind this month, thinking about homeschooling and other plans for the future. Matthew gave me a blessing and my main take away was that there are so many things going on and Satan is using them all to distract me from what is truly important. As long as I am mindful of the big picture and keep my eye focused on the eternal goals I have, the other less important things will weigh less on me.

Meals:

Grilled hamburgers

7 layer dip

Halal chicken

Oatmeal

Breakfast bowls

Lasagna

Costco potstickers

Pancakes and sausage

Chicken tikka masala

Chicken enchilada soup

Clam chowder

Grilled cheese (at Jeb's)

Shepherd's pie

German pancakes

Pasta alfredo

Hot dogs over the fire

Salad bar and carrot soup

Pizza

Tacos

Chicken and waffles

Shrimp scampi

Leftovers