28th birthday party!

Last week Jeff text me while he was at work to ask if I wanted to camp out at my parents with my niece over the weekend. She was unable to come to our wedding reception (where everyone camped out). She was sad to have missed it but had the opportunity to travel that weekend with friends and Jeff and I encouraged her to use any opportunity ever given to travel.  We promised her that later in the summer we’d meet her out at my parents to hammock, and hang out. I had really been looking forward to it too. Hammocking with the kids is so much fun. So, anyway, I said yes and we made plans to head out to my parents on Saturday to meet up with two of my nieces and my nephew. I thought absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary.

We arrive at my parents, and I start to head over to tie Klaus up since he’s a bit of a wanderer when we’re out there. Then I hear “Kaylah!” Thinking it’s one of my nieces I turn around to look back at the pavillion but instead I spot Elycia and her family. If you’re thinking ‘I bet you cried.’ You’d be right. I did! It was such a surprise! A funny one too since I had spent the whole morning going on and on about how much I missed Elycia and how I wish she lived closer. Jeff actually said he thought I knew that I’d be seeing her later because I brought her up so much that morning.

Slowly, one by one, more friends showed up throughout the day. It was such a wonderful surprise. I honestly had no idea, and didn’t expect anything! We ate, we shot off fireworks, we ziplined. It was great. I’m so thankful to have such awesome friends and family. I feel so loved.

A few highlights of the weekend…

▴ That picture of Olive above. COME ON. Is that pure summer joy or what?!

▴ The zip line! If you follow me on instagram, you already got a small peek at the zip line that Jeff and my dad built earlier this summer. It’s basically my favorite thing ever. I love going down it over and over but I also get a lot of joy from watching others on it. I’m just tickled pink to have such a fun family.

▴ My parent’s dog, Ellie May, is hilarious in the pond. She doesn’t drink from it like a regular animal, she has to get completely in to get a drink. I’ve seen her do it a million times but it still makes me laugh.

▴ Hammock party. We had six hammocks hanging together between a few trees. It’s so cozy and such a fun way to sleep under the stars. (Get one! They’re under $20. Mine has lasted four summers so far!)

▴ After it got dark, we rode the zipline while holding roman candles. It was SO MUCH FUN. Zipping into total darkness is really strange. I’m looking forward to doing it again!

▴ Sitting around the fire with my mom, Jeff, Elycia, my nephew, and niece after everyone else went to bed was so much fun. We did lots of laughing, and gained more than a few new inside jokes.

▴ I hate seeing them grow up but I am really excited to actually become friends with my nieces and nephew. They’re such cool kids!

▴ You guys, this was my fourth time seeing my best friend, Elycia, and her family in just as many months!!! That’s really good for us. We were both a little too lax about making plans for a while. I love her so much, and her children are just perfect. I’m so happy blogging brought us together.

▴ Olive really liked wearing helmets. Tiny children in huge helmets is a very, very cute sight. After stripping herself down to a diaper a bit earlier, she insisted on wearing a helmet before going on a fourwheeler ride with Jeff. A fashionista, for sure!

28 is off to a pretty rad start!
xoxo