July was another wild and crazy month in the Harper house. It started with a trip to Lubbock, Texas. This was the kids’ first time to Texas, so we were able to add it to our map! While we were there, we were able to meet up with an old friend of mine. Rhonda and I went to middle school together over in Germany about a hundred years ago, or so it seems. We both came back to the US in the summer after 8th grade, and had not seen each other since. It was great to be able to catch up and for our families to finally meet.
Liam’s long-awaited football camp finally came, only for him to be sick from a vaccination and miss almost the whole thing. I felt so terrible. Nathan ended up participating by himself while the rest of us watched from the bleachers. He had fun, but I knew it was killing Liam not to be out there with him. Nathan then participated in a week-long British soccer camp, which he really enjoyed. We also made it down to the Santa Fe Opera, which was amazing! We saw La Fanciulla del West, or The Girl of the Golden West. It was in Italian, of course, but we were able to read the English subtitles on the back of the seat in front of us. It was our very first open-air opera! Well, technically our first opera period!
Let’s see, what else? Regular days were filled with library visits, trips to the farmer’s market, swimming, small day hikes, that sort of thing. We started our back-to-school shopping and began keeping an eye on upcoming school events. The kids started getting excited to see who would be in their classes and who their new teachers would be.
And just like that, July was over. Sigh… Only a few short weeks of summer left…
Great Follies 
I recognize that ladder! 🙂
I love the climb up to the Alcove House. 🙂
Beautiful!
Thank you!
I hope your young,uns realise what amazing parents they have..not many parents would have bucked the system like you two did and gave their children such a wonderful grounding for adventure and discovery…you may well be proud of all that you have achieved..and l am mighty proud to know you,albeit via cyberspace….love you all
I often wonder what they will think of their childhoods once they reach adulthood. I guess all we can do is our best, and hope they still love us in the end. 🙂