The Simplicity of Summer

     I don't know what it is about summer that just simplifies things.  Everything just becomes easier.  Non complicated.  Days spent reading in the porch swing or swimming in the water until your fingers and toes prune.  Dinners eaten out on the patio, either at the table or heck, why not a picnic in the grass?  Laughter and smiles are everywhere.  Bedtime creeps back a few hours so we can enjoy that last precious bit of daylight.  Fireflies are being caught between chubby fingers that try ever so hard not to squish them.  Baths may or may not happen every day for the little ones.  "Foot baths" are utilized more often than not.  By the time our heads hit the pillow, we fall right to sleep out of sheer exhaustion, only to wake up bright and early the next day to do it all again.

Summer's Winding Down

     So I heard on the radio the other day that we have 53 days of summer left.  Well now it's more like 47 or 48 days.  Wow, it sure is flying by isn't it?  Thanks to the stellar weather here in Ohio, there have been very few weekends that have consisted of good swimming weather.  But... I am determined to make the most of my remaining summer days.

     Because of my work schedule and the fact that we don't actually own a swimming pool, our swim time is reserved for weekends only.  That is when the hubby and I schlep 5 (or sometimes 6!) kids over to his parents house to take over lounge at their pool.  We are a sight to behold, let me just tell you.  Any parent of small children and/or a big family knows exactly when I'm talking about.  Between juggling an XL beach bag (full of necessities!), a cooler with enough food to feed a small army, grasping at all of the various pool floats, toys, and noodles, AND making sure all of the kids are accounted for, I usually leave the house without something.  My sanity.  But once we've made the 40 minute drive and arrive at the in-laws in one piece, it's a glorious feeling.  While the kids are splashing and playing, I get to relax and float in the water.  Yep, it's worth every second of the pandemonium.

     Once the sun goes down, bonfires are something we love to do on summer nights.  Our crew seems to get really pumped over a good fire.  Maybe it's the contest to see who can char the blackest marshmallow without losing it to the fire.  Or the sticking of the uncooked marshmallow to the forehead and seeing how long the stick.  Either way, it's a pretty good time.  See what I mean?

     I still have a pretty good list of things I want to do this summer but with the days dwindling fast, there may be a few that don't make the cut this year:

• Camping - looks like it won't happen until fall.  Plus we own no gear so it looks like we will be renting a cabin.  
• Farmer's Market - Made it nearly every week last year.  The work schedule just doesn't agree)
• Picnic at the park
• Zoo - Happening in Sept so at least it's planned!
• Summer Road Trip - May or may not spend a weekend at Lake Cumberland
• Fair - County Fair is this weekend.  Woohoo!
• Hiking
• Play some tennis - rackets haven't been picked up yet.  I'll work on that.
• More cookouts - I've used my grill twice this year.  Twice.  

     No matter what, I'm going to enjoy this time.  Even though  my days are spent working, I still have my evenings and weekends free.  I cherish the sunsets I get to witness while sitting on the front porch with my big girls, watching the little ones catch fireflies.  Sometimes, I even slip off my shoes and join them.

How are you spending your summer moments?

*Kel*

My First Love

     If you were to know me for only 5 minutes, you would know about my intense love affair with books.  All books.  Good books, bad books, fat books, skinny books.  Old books, new books.  Real books vs. e-books, makes no difference to me.  I love them all.  Maybe I just have an overall obsession with the written word.  I love newspapers and magazines as well.    I have overwhelming piles of both.  I read, and re-read and then re-read all of them again.  I've even been known to sit and read a dictionary and a thesaurus.  Surely it's a sickness at this point.  I can read a book in no time flat and have been known to read the same books over and over again.  Some of them close to 20 times!  For me, it's like watching the same movie 2 or 3 times.  You pick up bits and pieces you missed the first (or second.  or third!) time around.  Happens the exact same way in a book!

     I'm also becoming quite the book collector.  I adore children's books.  The old ones, from back when I was a child.  Hands down my favorite book as a kid (and still today) is Corduroy.  I have 3 copies so far.  Every time I'm out and find an old, battered and worn copy, I snatch it up.  I'm on the hunt to replace of my childhood books and still have a ways to go.  I was an avid book lover even 30 years ago!  There's one book out there that I'm looking for that I have no idea the name of or who the author is but I know what it looks like.  Red hardcover.  And it's about elephants.  A circus maybe?  I have no doubt that I'll find it eventually.

     Even though my kids are barely teenagers and some even younger, I'm already working on a collection to give to my future grandchildren.  Does that make me crazy?  Probably so.  But boy, do I have a ton of Dr. Seuss books!

     

Sunday Wrap Up

     Another weekend over.  Another weekend of Summer is done.  I hope you all had a wonderful one!! Mine was pretty great, despite the fact that we've had pouring rain for a solid week now.  Our holiday was a total rain out, Friday was more of the same and Saturday the weather was just downright miserable.  As in, I had to drive 40 mph down the highway for miles to get to my in-laws for a cookout.  Scary stuff!  The good food and great company more than made up for our bad weather.  I swear, 4 kinds of dessert can lift anyone's spirits!

     Aside from filling up on dessert, the highlight of my weekend was the midnight coloring session I had with my girls last night.  We had the best time laughing and giggling together and fighting over the crayons.  Here's a peak at what we created:

     I just love, love, love these coloring pages.  You can find them here: http://www.chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/

She is fabulously talented and her blog is just amazing.  She posts a new coloring page or art idea to do with kids each week, usually on Monday.  My girls are loving each one so far.  And it's becoming great bonding time for us.

     I'm off to wrap up my evening with a bonfire with the kids!  Momma's all about some Smores!!!!


Have a Fabulous Week!


-Kel

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful celebration today! Despite terrible weather outside all day long, we managed to have some good food and good times with close family. I just adore days like this.  I truly couldn't have asked for more.


  We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it. ~William Faulkner