Thursday Thoughts // More Pictures & a Patio

We tore down our deck way back in May (which you can read about in this post), and last week we filled the empty space in our backyard with a beautiful patio. My whole family (including Juniper) gathered at the windows to watch the workmen pour the concrete and smooth it out. They did a great job! We're all very excited to be able to play/eat/read out there again.

These flowers popped up quite unexpectedly in the dirt patch where our deck used to be/our patio is now. 

Before . . . 

. . . after 😁

We celebrated my sister, Marah's, birthday the following weekend. So thankful for her. 🥰 Of course, I insisted she and I do a photo shoot together. 😄

Timber-r-r!
(Yep, our relationship, which this pic essentially managed to capture, is pretty awesome.)

Love this one 💗

I really like both of these, even if my arm pose isn't exactly what I'd envisioned. It's a hot summer's day, but I appear to be trying to keep warm against a bitter wind or something. 😂

We're attempting to make the most of the time we have remaining before Connor leaves for college and we resume school. There was a reception for the graduates at our church, which was nice. And yesterday Mom loaded us all up in the van and took us on a field trip to the river to walk around, feed the ducks, and admire the jellyfish from a safe distance away, and then to a restaurant to pick up burgers, fries, and chicken nuggets for the drive home. 

I am so, so blessed. 💜

Ruby and me 😃

Do you have a deck or patio? What's something you enjoy doing with your sibling(s)? Comment below!

Blessings,

Ellen S.