Becuase in January, I'll need to remember this

Ah, I love this lake. It's impossible not to feel alive sitting on the shore. Sometimes the waves come tumbling in on top of one another, fighting for their way. Other times they seem to sneak in,  whispering secrets that silence the chatter within, begging you to listen, commanding you to stop everything else and just be still.

Beautiful colors of summer... Sweet and fresh.

Mmm... Nap, anyone? If I can burrow in quietly maaayyybe no one will know where I am.

My kids are getting older. Lydia, especially, wants to pick berries wherever we go lately. I wish we could say we've picked enough for jam or even just a single pie. And in truth, I suppose we have. But we eat them as fast as we pick them so all we have to show are red stained fingers and bellies full of berries.

 We've been doing a lot of touring around our area this summer, and even though we're seeing places we've grown up knowing as well as our own neighborhoods, I never fail to be amazed. Such beauty sits all around us. Summer moves so quickly (we even have a countdown going on courtesy of our anxious kindergartner), but we're taking the time to enjoy each moment we can.

The laundry needs folding, the floor needs scrubbing. But, the sun is shining and the lake is calling. And, everything else can wait.

Go Fish!

When we woke up to rain this morning, I kind of hoped Lydia & Jack might decide to forgo the kid's fishing derby I promised them earlier this week. When I asked what they wanted to do (you know, because of the drizzly rain and all) they looked at me like I was suggesting they just curl right up and go back to bed when I gave them the option of not going. They were most definitely still interested. Good little fishermen- not scared of a little rain like their mom.

The rain came down steadily at first, but the fish were being pulled out of the pond at great speeds. In fact, as I sat in the warmth of the vehicle with a sleeping baby and a toddler who was content- for the moment- to watch through the rain-streaked window, I assumed they would continue that rate all day. Which was why I must admit I did not hop out to capture Lydia's two 6 and 7 inchers on camera. Those were the biggest she caught- the rest were itty-bitties. I did manage to take a picture of Jack's "big one"- albeit, a blurry picture. Sigh. So wasn't in the picture taking mood today. Sometimes I really am just too content to watch life unfold rather than catching each moment. And then again, sometimes I should really make more of an effort to catch a few of those moments. Ah, well.

Anyways. Ryan and I both agreed on the way over (around 10 a.m.) the kids would be bored and ready to leave after a half hour or so. Again, we heavily underestimated their enthusiasm for fishing. At noon, they were still going strong and we had lunch there. The local sportsman's club puts on this annual fishing derby each summer and they gave out free lunch, ice cream sandwiches, freezies, and a bag of candy and a couple little prizes to each kid that shows up. Then, there's prizes for the biggest catch, littlest catch, and a large array of runner ups. They also do several random drawings in which Jack scored a fishing pole.

Overall, it was quite the fun experience for the kids. Lydia was hoping we could go back and fish some more this evening... I think their Dad's got a couple of good fishing partners coming up!

It's All Greek To Her! (Hah! I crack myself up)

I really have to quit using idioms around my oh-so-literal children. I don't think of myself as someone who goes around spouting out these types of comparisons on a regular basis, but a couple of times in the past few days I've been called out on phrases such as "happy as a clam" or "hungry as a horse" by my ever-questioning, can't-hardly-wait-for-school five year old.

Well, tonight I was settling the kids in bed when Jack decided (shocker!) he needed to run for one more drink of water. No fail, every night this kid has to jump back out of bed right after he's tucked in- which inevitably starts the whole process of tucking the blanket under the chin, tight bear hug, and a round of "love yous" all over.

Hurry, I told him. So he tears out f the room on a mission for that much-needed glass of water (and oh, how this kid reminds me of myself sometimes!) he runs right into the kiddy kitchen set in the hallway and crash! down come the plastic pots and colorful cups. Unfazed, he hops over them and continues the dash to the bathroom.

"He's like a bull in a china shop," I commented absently.

"Like a what?" asked Lydia curious at this verbal image I'd suddenly presented.

I set about trying to explain myself with very little success. I tried to explain what a bull was first of all- did my best impression of one stomping across her room. And then I tried to explain what a china shop might be- It's um... It's a place where fancy dishes are sold? Hello. That's what I would imagine it to be, but I guess I never really pictured one until that moment.

So there I am painting it all together for her- delicate dishes teetering on glass shelves and all- and imitating a bull crashing through that. And so that brings up the questions of why a bull would be in a china shop and what else does a china shop sell anyways? So I try to explain that statements such as this one are sometimes spoken to compare one thing to another which, uh (sorry, can't help myself) flies right over her head and out the window.

Well, by then Jack had returned, they were both tucked in, and as I was going out the door Lydia says, "Mom can we go to a china shop someday?"

Oh, sure why not.We'll have a field day. Seeing as china shops are a dime a dozen and all. Should we take Jack the Bull along? And the rest of the herd of elephants as well? Piece of cake, I'm sure.

The Best Days of Summer...

I'm finally home and ooh, does it feel good!

We spent a week at my parent's camp (and practically the two weeks before that when my sisters and their families were there). So to actually be home with no real agenda for the next week or so feels really nice to this self-proclaimed homebody!

I loved our vacation week there as I always do every summer, and once again I found myself declaring last night that the week went by way too fast! Why do we always choose the quickest week of the summer for our stay there? I don't get it.

Yet, after spending the morning packing up and cleaning, and then all afternoon and evening unpacking and washing clothes, I'm beat and content to be in my own home . I wanted to get some pictures up on this post, but that's just going to have to wait for another day when I can catch my breath.

The kids fell asleep swiftly and soundly tonight tucked into their own beds and lulled to sleep, I'm sure, by the memories of a perfect week swirling through their minds: jumping off the dock, running across the beach to the lake, gooey s'mores for bedtime snacks every night, and their first successful fishing expedition. Even the baby turned in at 7 p.m.- all the fresh air caused her to bump up her bedtime by a couple of hours this week.

And by the pleasantly exhausted way I feel right now there's a really good chance I'll be turning in early as well- all those late nights around the bonfire have caught up with me. But, oh... I'm already missing the sweet lullaby of the waves against the shore!