Wednesday, August 6, 2025

July 2025

 

    "July is the month were the summer truly shines. The days are long and the nights are warm, filled with the magic of starry skies and the promise of adventure." -- Unknown

    I think I have said this no less than a dozen times this summer, and July might have taken the cake: "I could have made a Summer 2025 BINGO card, and filled it with the craziest of things, and I would not have even come close to capturing the insane things that happened to us this summer!"  And August just started, so we are not even done.... 
    July was filled with HAPPPENINGS.  Things moved at lightning speed, and the emotional roller coaster associated with it was quite the ride.  There were highs that can not be matched, and lows as well - lows that have had lasting, widespread effects.  But in true Weaver style, we found ways to love harder, laugh at the situations when needed, and are gaining strength all along the way.  Love can conquer a lot of things, and we have had to LOVE harder this month, too.  And sometimes, that is not a fun thing to do.  And GRACE!  All the grace I have I am willing to share.  I still live by my life motto of "Grace Wins Every Time."  And this month (and in the coming months), I am living it OUT LOUD and BOLDLY!
    (Rustic Cuff contest winner Spring 2017)
     

    I scheduled some self care/mental health vacation days for myself in July (and August) - I took off every Wednesday for 6 weeks.  One - I needed it and TWO - I had so much vacation time stockpiled that I was no longer earning vacation hours!  WHAT!  So, I needed the time off.  None of these Wednesdays were the same, but I was able to have a little bit of down time, and a couple of these days I got to wake up without an alarm.  VERY satisfying!
    First of all, OUR TATTOOS WERE HEALED and ready for the big reveal!
    The Inspo: Elphaba Thropp and Fiyero Tigelaar
    from WICKED (The Musical)
    My interpretation of this inspo for a tattoo

    Forearm Tattoos - Britt (top) and Betsey

    Elphaba and Fiyero's song from Act II


    Next up - Fourth of July!  We had an extra fur baby for a few days, and I was surprised by an extra sister when I  went to pick Evie up.  Everest made herself right at home...

 

    To celebrate the holiday, went to a friend's house for fun and fireworks brought to you by 18 year old boys and their little brothers! LOL!  It was a fun time, and there was a small fire...  No one was harmed and the laughs were plentiful!
 


Found a cool restaurant to have lunch in


 

Finn FINALLY for the expander appliance out
of the top of his mouth after 15 MONTHS!


    AND THEN!
    WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!



 


Then the real fun began.  Closed late Tuesday afternoon.  Moved boxes and "car things" on Wednesday as well as had some appliances/furniture delivered, and Jake and I hung a ceiling fan!  Then,  the BIG STUFF on Thursday!  Lots of moving parts, but we had all 3 cars in the garage by night 3!  And by Sunday, we felt like we were home!


 





front porch vibes

backyard sunrise




On the first morning we woke up in the new house, we had a sweet reminder
of how we got to this point.  Thank you, Grandma Mary!


Saturday, June 11, 7-eleven day.  Jake took me for a free icee!
It was a rough day for our family, but we found some joy.  The
road ahead is long, and rough, but we will face it head on.


 this moment. hard. but worth it. GRACE WINS


    We ended the month by squeezing in all the fun and JAKE TIME that we could.  Once Avery was back in Oklahoma we knew he would want to spend all his free time with her, and then it would be time to leave for Kansas!  There were game nights, sister dates, settling into the house, pool time, prepping for Jake's send off party, and welcoming Avery back to Edmond for a few days!

 



 
(when did Finn grow up so much?!?)

Glad to have Avery close by for a couple weeks!

(Fun fact about the 4th of July shenanigans - the house we were at was empty as they were moving in the next couple days, and our house was also a sea of boxes and we were packing to move at the end of the next week as well.  FUN TIMES!)



I got a little more reading in this month.  Not much!  I didn't commute as much since I took several days off for the move.  And, moving.  so yeah.... Again... slow book month...



"In Pieces" by Sally Field

"The Bones Beneath My Skin" by T.J. Klune




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Sunday, July 6, 2025

June 2025

  

  • "June is the pearl of summer, shining with warmth and joy." -- L.M. Montgomery
  • (I am on a ROLE!  July 6 and I am writing the blog!)
    June has been a month of anticipation.  LOTS of big things on the horizon, and we spent June working towards those goals.  The BIG ONE - Jake moving to college, is a mere 39 days away as I type this.  We went dorm room shopping this month.  That was so different for Jake than it was for Emma or Lara!  He spent like $60 total.  And swears he doesn't need anything else.  There is a walmart in the next town over...  I am taking wagers on how log he is in Hillsboro before the first trek to Newton...
    June was the easiest month of this year so far.  Still taxing, and still things coming along that may become mountains, but as I close this chapter of the year, I can look back and say we embraced this month and made great memories.  Typical Weaver chaos ensued, but ther pace was slightly slower and the goals met were so worth it! Here are some highlights!
    Started off with a BANG!  Jake and his girlfriend Avery were out on the lake tubing with friends.  He took a hard fall (the snap for Avery!), and landed in the ER.  Bruised rib.  (It is July 6 and it still bothers him.)
 
 


    LOTS of basketball games watched - and tornado watches and warnings, the whole month was exhausting for us Okies!


Avery left for Utah....



Finn at Aerospace Camp


Jake's hair had a ... MOMENT





Happy Father's Day!  We love you!

    Remember the weather I mentioned?  Well...  it was rough! Emma and Parker got baseball sized hail - ruined their roof, siding, adn all the windows on both of Parker;s trucks.  Lara was under a warning, and so were we!  All at different times on the same day!
 




    Mom, Dad and Finn had a little Juneteenth adventure to midtown and downtown OKC!











And we did, indeed, THUNDER THE F*CK UP!




There was a parade!  Lara took Finn, but Britt and I couldn't go...


... because we were in VEGAS, BABY!  Britt tagged along for my work conference, and we had a BLAST!  (Finn spent the first few days with Lara in Stillwater while Jake stayed in South Logan County.) He was kid free, dog free, and worry free during the days while I was working, and the rest of the time, we SOAKED IT ALL IN!  (Photo dump!)

    

 

Conference Day 1 and the Night of Fun!:









Britt got to come to the dinner, party and ride the High Roller with the group on the first night.






Conference Day 2

                                                                Good Morning Las Vegas!


 

"Lunching" with the CEO!  ;)

Pool time and dinner!

FINAL DAY!




Exhausted, refueled, and ready for the LAST NIGHT IN VEGAS!

(In the meantime, the boys were now in Kansas with Emma and Parker)
 



Meanwhile... in Vegas....




Later that same night...







And now, we say goodnight for the last time from the Flamingo (12:09am)

Because we were in the lobby waiting for our taxi at 4:16am!


 
Almost back to Stillwater!


HOME SWEET HOME!
South Logan County


And sometimes. things that happen in Vegas, don't stay in Vegas....


My inspiration and my drawing


Right after our tattoo artist Penny finished up

Home and HEALED!







Um.  I was preparing for my conference and a trip to Vegas, sooo... yeah.  #onebook





"Once Upon a Crime" by Brynn Kelly (and it was not good)




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