July flew right past! It’s already time to join in with EmmyMom and share 10 Things to Smile About from July.
1. Fireworks with friends. Watched from a parking lot near the fireworks so we didn’t actually have to deal with the crowds. It’s become a tradition.
2. Hubs started a new job that he’s very excited about and will be better for our family. So very proud of him!
3. Getting a little pampering in the form of my first visit to The Dry Bar, during my first trip to NYC in 23 years! Even better that I did this trip with Kristen, one of my very favorite people ever.
4. Birthday cheers! Julia‘s birthday is July 16th, mine is the 18th, we did a birthday cheers with very tasty vodka drinks on the 17th, during an Angry Birds Party at Blogger Bash.
5. Getting a birthday card from my boys that said “Coolest Mom Ever,” which I think is because I texted them this picture from Sweet Suite at Blogger Bash:
6. Spending IRL time with some of my favorite bloggers.
With Ellen from Love that Max and Jill from Scarymommy
With Jyl from Mom It Forward
7. Being told “You can’t have bar food on your birthday!” and being treated to the most amazing meal ever with Kristen. And bonus smile: this picture, where I think we were actually turned into fairies, since WHERE ARE OUR LEGS?
8. A big box of toys sent to our house from Sweet Suite. I know it definitely made my boys smile, too.
9. Play on a giant slip ‘n’ slide with the neighbors. Watching the adults take their turns was hilarious. Hubs took his turn:
I think the grown ups are having more fun with this than the kids. #summer
10. The Soccer Moms launches tomorrow! It’s my new site that I’ve been working on for quite a while. I’m thrilled to finally get to show it to you. I think you’ll love the site and all the writers who will be sharing our tips on how to juggle parenting on and off the field(whatever field your child plays on, even if it’s not soccer).
What a pleasant post. I hope the rest of July is just as fantastic! 🙂
July did go by so fast, didn’t it?! Seeing you and Kristen was definitely something to smile about.Â
Best part of the trip was getting to hang out with friends!Â
I’m bummed that I missed you at the Blogger Bash in NYC. I had a ticket and was supposed to go, but ended up having a medical issue and had to stay home.
I hope you’re okay! I would have loved to get to meet you!Â
Oh happy, all of it! So glad to see you smiling 🙂
Looks like you have had a great time and been really busy.My month has flown past I have forgotten half of it lol.
Being able to look back at pics helps jog the memory. 😉Â
Great things to smile about!!
The Dry Bar is my FAVORITE!!! I go way too often.
There isn’t one close to me, which is probably for the best. I could see it becoming an addiction.Â
I was going to BB until an LA trip dragged me out of NY. Looks like a great time, and I know a lot of the same gals!
Mitch
LA looked like an amazing time, though! Will you be at Family Forward?Â
YES! See you at Family Forward! Looking forward to that and Harry Potter especially!
We went last year and the Harry Potter event was definitely the highlight. Though, the whole trip was amazing- we knew before the event was even over that we’d definitely go back again!Â
What a happy month! Yay!
I am so excited to check out your soccer moms site. Can’t wait! My 8yo is starting travel soccer this year and my baby is going to kindergarten, so this will be our first year of after-school craziness for two kids. I’m going to need all the help I can get!
It does get crazy. And thanks- I’m so happy to have finally launched The Soccer Moms. I bought the domain over 2 years ago and kept putting it off.Â
July went by too fast! Getting to see friends IRL and going to a dinner without kids is a huge reason to smile.Â
You definitely have a lot to smile about! Thanks for sharing these pictures. July was a fast month!
Great smiles. July did fly by. Summer is almost gone.
You had a busy month! Â So fun that you got to spend time with so many bloggers, especially to help celebrate your birthday. Â That slide looks like so much fun! Always more fun when the adults actually play too. Â
 Excited to see your new site
Our neighbors came over to get the kids to go on the slide b/c they said it wasn’t fun without kids. Though it was the adults who ended up taking it over! And thanks- I’m so happy to have launched finally!Â
Super amazing month! I miss NYC. It’s been two years since I’ve been back to visit. Happy belated birthday! (And, for real, where are you legs in that photo??)
It had been 23 years since I’d been to NYC, so it was a little intimidating. But it ended up being fun! Seriously- I have no idea what happened to our legs! That pic cracks me up.Â
Congrats on the new job! I was following some of those photos on INstagram! And being in the parking lot for fireworks means you can tailgate at the same time!
The tailgating is definitely a bonus! Blogger Bash was a ton of fun. Don’t you just love instagram? It’s my favorite to just scroll through.Â
Sounds like you’ve had a great July. I want to visit a dry bar so bad. My hair really needs it. Hope you have a just as fun August.
I love this post. It’s so easy to get caught up in what irks us that we forget to be happy about the good things. On a side note. SKYLANDERS! They’re really cool.
I try to make it a point to join in every month- it’s definitely easier to just complain! My boys thought it was awesome that I got to play the new Skylanders game, though they were a little bummed I wasn’t allowed to take it home.Â
I love all the pictures!! You have LOTS of things to smile about! Life looks good!
Wow, it looks like you had an amazing time at Blogger Bash! I love meeting my blogger friends in person. Happy belated birthday!
I want to wish you the best of luck with your new site. Â Exciting to start a new blog – but also scary! Â Enjoy!
It is scary. It helps that I have some great writers for it, too, so it’s not just me!Â
You certainly do have a lot to smile about. We always watch fireworks from a parking lot too.
You had a fun month! I’d love to go back to NYC.Â
I felt like such a southern hick when I was there. “This doesn’t happen in NC…” LOL
I cannot believe July is almost over, as well! Â Time just seems to be going faster and faster each year. Â It looks like you had a wonderful July! Â Congratulations to your husband on his new job!
This post made me smile. 🙂
I love that picture with you and your friend dressed like fairies. How cool is that!!
And you met Jill, from Scary Mommy…I love her. Totally jealous. 🙂
It was a lot of fun at that conference! And yes, I love Jill. I met her years ago but this was the first time I’d seen her in a while.Â
So many awesome things this month!
Also, you look GREAT.
Thanks so much, Alison!Â
Great pictures! The water slide looks amazing!Â
Congrats to your hubby!Â
Wow happy late birthday and  all the picture look amazing you guys had such an amazing July!
July looks like it was a fabulous month. Happy belated birthday!
That looks like so much fun. And how cool that you got to mingle w/other bloggers (and attend an Angry Birds Party, woot!).  Happy belated birthday to you. 🙂
Love keeping track of ten things to smile about! I heard Blogger Bash was a lot of fun.
It was a lot of fun! I couldn’t make BlogHer this year, so it was nice that Blogger Bash was east coast.Â
I remember the summer days of sitting on the car hoods. Good times.
I would be smiling too! What a great round up and loved your dry bar hair!
Where did July go? The time surly went by within a blink of an eye. Looks like you had a great time.Â
I love the picture of you with that giant orange guy! You look so sweet and innocent beside this mammoth cartoon guy!
That’s a Skylander. My boys love that game, so they thought it was cool that I got my pic taken with one!Â
These are definitely things to smile about!  Looks like you have wonderful things happening for you 🙂
Those are some pretty awesome reason to smile! Looks like Blogger Bash was a lot of fun – sad I couldn’t make it this year!
It was a great event! I hope to go again next year.Â
That slide looks fun! My daughter got to watch the fireworks on the beach this year at Myrtle Beach with a friend!
How fun! And yes- the slide was a blast!Â
Those are definitely great things to smile about. Sounds like you had a blast at blogger bash.
Blogger Bash was a great time! I’m glad I got to go.
Those are some great things to smile about. But I agree. Where are your legs? Such a trippy pic lol.
I can smile since I saw you twice in the month of July. So very awesome. I hope the rest of your summer is just as great!
So glad to get to see you! And will you be at Family Forward, too?Â
Love this post! I was at Blogger Bash too! It was amazing!
Such a fun time, wasn’t it?Â
Looks like it was a really fun month! Thank you for sharing. And for the great idea to remember to find the things we can smile about 🙂
Yes! I get hung on the things to complain about. I like doing this each month to remind myself that it’s not all doom and gloom!Â
Great post. This made me smile 🙂
Aww, that’s awesome! Thanks for the reminder to smile! You have many reasons too it seems.Â
Great list, looks like you have been having an awesome summer! We can all use reminders like these of good things in our lives. 🙂
Congrats to the hubs for his new job. That giant slip-n-slide looks like a blast!!
Congrats on Soccer Moms! How exciting!! I will have to check it out for sure.Â
Congrats on your husbands new job and your new blog! Lots to smile about that is for sure!
My wedding anniversary made me smile this month! I’m sure  there were many more things, but that stands out the most.Â
I’m so glad you had fun at the conferences and happy belated birthday! Looks like it was a pretty good one!
All great things to smile about! Happy to read posts like this, because we both know life can be TOUGH, but taking time to find our happy moments makes all the rough times worth it! >3