It is the first day of September at the end of Labor Day weekend on the eve of the first day of school. I guess this means the party is over, right? Summer 2025 is just about complete and it seems like the only thing left is to write the blog post about it 😂.

The summer was highlighted by many activities and events but as you will see, it also brought much needed rest. As I have done in years past, I will break down the past few months into 12 themes. Thanks for reading…

Beau smiles with his cousins, Johnny and Mik, at the Concerts Under the Pines series at Audubon Park in Spokane. Going to this park on Thursday evenings for live music was one of the favorite things I did this summer with the kids. Read on for 12 themes from the past 2.5 months.

Relaxation – As you read the below nine themes, you might think how did they even get a minute to relax? Well, I assure you, we did. No matter how busy summer is, the break from school and activities changes the pace of life. Our weekday mornings were less stressful and our evenings were so refreshing. Instead of attending a full slate of after school/after work obligations, we came home and just hung out. We ate dinner, watched shows, and went to bed early. Awww…summer is so sweet.

Although we did a lot, we also had many relaxing summer nights where we didn’t do much.

Colorful Beginning – On a Saturday at the beginning of summer, Sloan and I found ourselves covered in colored powder. We completed the Color Me Rad race in Liberty Lake, Washington, and truly enjoyed the experience. Although it was on the cooler side that morning, Sloan was captivated by the camaraderie that exists when people come together for a race. It was a RAD way to start the summer.

A selfie after we crossed the Color Me Rad selfie. It was a great way to kick off the summer.

Fests – But when the work week ended and the weekend arrived, we forgot about relaxation. Different festivals and community events drew us to different parks and spots all around Spokane. From Kids Fest to Unity in the Community to Cops & Kids to Millwood Daze to farmers markets to many more (literally), we had a lot of fun interacting with the community.

A look at the foam madness at Harmon Park in Hillyard. This was one of the most unique experiences we had at a community event this summer.

Thanks Be To God – At the last day of school in June, Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski told the kids we can’t take a vacation from God during summer because he doesn’t take one from us. Did I do a good job turning Fr. Mike’s preaching into practice? Well, I could do a lot better. Still, during this summer some cool things did happen. Sloan and Beau attended Catholic Summer Camp. I worshipped at a sunrise mass with a small hiking group led by Fr. Jeff. Sid and I became godparents again. Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible In A Year podcast took us through the prophetic books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and more. And, we continued to attend mass at St. Mary throughout the summer while also visiting the parishes of St. Louise (Bellevue) and St. Pat’s (Walla Walla).

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

Water Is it even summer if you aren’t swimming? If you ask us, we would probably say “no.” From pools to water parks to splash pads to rivers, we had our swimsuits on a lot over the past few months. Sloan continued to be a fish while Beau’s anxiety around the water lessened. My favorite memory was racing Sloan down the water slides at Spokane County’s Northside Aquatics Center.

Rivers, pools, water parks…we did them all during Summer 2025.

Independence Day – It might have been just a day, but our Fourth of July receives its entire spot on our summer recap. We started the day in Coeur d’Alene at its American Heroes Parade. After an all-American lunch at one of the town’s drive-ins, we ended up at my parents’ house for their annual Independence Day celebration/cookout. From there, we went to Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake for the fireworks show.

Our 2025 Fourth of July was spectacular.

Picnics/Cookouts – Over the past few months, we never let a chance to eat outside slip by. Whether it was with friends, family, our Engaged Encounter group, or in a couple instances the general public, we enjoyed nature while eating meals. From pizza to fried chicken to hamburgers, it all tasted better in the great outdoors. Perhaps the most meaningful cookout of the summer was just this past week when we welcomed Sid’s Uncle Steve and Aunt Sharon to our home for burgers in our backyard.

This is a photo from one of our early summer picnics. We met my sister, Mik, and John in Browns Park and ate pizza.

Hoopfest – My family returned to the streets of downtown Spokane once again to volunteer at Hoopfest. I assumed my usual spot as court monitor while Sidney kept the books and Sloan/Beau helped keep score. It was another fulfilling experience that allowed us to give back while placing ourselves right in the middle of Spokane’s signature event.

My special 2025 Hoopfest crew.

Watching Sports – Nothing says “America” like baseball during the summer. When it came to Summer 2025, my family took this seriously. I took the kids to three Spokane Indians games where we had a blast at each one. What’s not to like about ballpark food, fireworks, running around the bases, and mascot fun? I also had the chance to go with my dad and brother to Seattle for a Mariners game. Don’t worry, we did branch out. In July, I took Sloan and Beau to a Spokane Velocity soccer match where they had just as much fun as they did at the baseball games.

It was Family Feast Night at the last Spokane Indians game we attended this summer! From the Indians to the Mariners to the Velocity, it was a lot of fun!

Weddings and Birthdays – In June, Sidney and I traveled to Brewster, Washington, to watch a couple we mentored—Katie and Tristan—enter into holy matrimony. Then, in August, the whole family drove north to Deer Park, Washington, where we attended the wedding of my niece, Zella, and her now-husband, Thomas. In July, we celebrated my nephew’s 8th birthday by attending his dog-themed party and then just a couple weeks ago we traveled to Walla Walla to attend the birthday bash of my cousin’s daughter who turned 1.

Weddings and birthdays played big roles during Summer 2025.

Parks Parks Parks – We lived it up at green spaces across the area this summer. Balfour, Browns, Discovery, Orchard, Q’emlin, Pavillion, and Riverfront are just a few of the parks where we climbed on the playgrounds and cooled down in the splash pads. We even watched outdoor movies in them! However, my fondest park memories from this summer took place at Audubon Park. It was here where we attended the “Concerts Under the Pines” series. On two different Thursdays in July, we enjoyed live music on perfect summer evenings.

How can an outdoor movie not be pleasant when the scenery is like this? This photo is of Beau sitting in his chair at Balfour Park on July 11, 2025.

Leavenworth Vacation – As you can tell, staying in Spokane all summer offers more than enough to do. However, we made a quick trip to Leavenworth for an end-of-summer vacation. The affordable, wholesome, and sunny adventure was just what we needed before preparing for the start of school.

This photo of my family epitomizes Leavenworth. We took a photo of us all at the exact same place last year and if we return again we will make sure to take another one,

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When summer ends in the Inland Northwest, we don’t get too upset. Autumn is gorgeous in this area of the country and with an exciting new school year on the horizon we are ready to transition. However, that’s not to say that we aren’t a little sad to see Summer 2025 pass by. However, In the words of a middle school cliché, we won’t cry because it is over but we will smile because it happened. Don’t Blink.