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August Fun: Family Time, Charlotte Adventures & New England

08/31/26 | life lately, Life Update, New Hampshire

Kelly and Meme at Brunch

August, that was fun. I celebrated 14 years of Sparkles and Shoes, had quality time with both of my grandmas (90 and 96 years young!), spent nearly every weekend at the pool, and explored lots of new places in Charlotte, including the science museum and a handful of new playgrounds.

It really felt like a month packed with little adventures, family time, and lots of reasons to get outside. We are still very much getting to know our new city, and one of my favorite parts of this season has been discovering new places with Lily and Henry. From concerts and playgrounds to museums and neighborhood events, there was no shortage of August fun.

Now I am posting from New Hampshire, where we are lucky enough to spend a week with Mimi & Papa enjoying lake time, farm visits, boat rides, and a much slower pace. There was a recap on Instagram, but keep scrolling to see some enhanced highlights!

______
Henry riding a tractor during a farm day at Muster Field Farm in Sutton, NH

Sunday brunch with special guest, Spiderman!

Brunch with Spiderman
Bunco night with new friends in our Charlotte neighboorhood
Bunco Night with New Friends in Charlotte
Henry Enjoying his first concert, a Fleetwood Mac cover band at the Ballantyne Bowl
August Fun -  Henry Enjoying his first concert at the Ballantyne Bowl
Exploring the Lego Exhibit at the Discovery Place Charlotte Science Musuem
Lego Exhibit at the Discovery Place Charlotte Science Musuem
Lily and my grandma, Meme, making banana bread
August Fun - Lily and Meme making banana bread
While Henry was not into cooking he did request more than a dozen books be read to him during her stay!
Story Time
We have enjoyed exploring Charlotte and are on a mission to find our favorite park – this one was a contender!
New Playground
Enjoying the wind in our hair during a boat day on Lake Sunapee!
Boat Day on Lake Sunapee
Lily inside a fire truck during a farm day at Muster Field Farm
______

Looking back, August had such a good mix of ordinary summer days and really special memories. I know the kids will not remember every single outing, but I love having these little snapshots of this stage of life — especially all of the family time.

I can’t wait to see what September has in store!

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Hi, I am Kelly and welcome to Sparkles and Shoes, a fashion, travel, and lifestyle blog founded in 2012.  After six years of living in London I am back in New York with my husband and two littles! 

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