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!

Summer Days... and the livin' is easy

We've been dashing off to the lakeshore every single day for the past week and a half and I've hardly had a moment to sit down and turn on the computer-- just the way summer should be! My little 7 a.m. risers are still in bed at five minutes to eleven! I think the midnight returns from the camp have finally caught up to them. Yet, we're off again today for another afternoon of visiting, sunshine-soaking, and maybe some swimming if the temps decide to go up a bit. So sad that my sister and her family must return home tomorrow! But, oh how we've enjoyed thier time here!

Hope you are enjoying summer as much as we are!

Swing sets, Sandboxes, & Stripped Pajamas

Right after settling L & J into bed tonight I donned a lovely pair of ultra-baggy (hey, it was a good lunch today) stripped pajamas. I came downstairs, really, truly meant to lock the door, and instead walked right into the living room to put my feet up. A few minutes later when I heard a vehicle running right outside the house I jumped up, scrambled to the window and peaked through the blinds to see someone there checking out the swing set that we parked on the curb for free.

Instantly, I had a vague recollection- something about my husband mentioning he hadn't put the bag of bolt-thing-a-ma-jiggers out there with it and me telling him he should have because anyone that took the time to stop and look at the thing was most definitely not going to take it f there was nothing to put it together with included. I was desperate to get rid of it (and I'm pretty sure my next-door neighbors were too) so not thinking I ran out into the backyard in my stocking feet on a frantic hunt for this supposed bag. Then I reasoned with myself that had it been left outside surely the 4 year old male in the house would've located it with his built in magnet for all things boy and it's contents would be long gone. I dashed back inside right in time to hear someone knock on the door. Uggh. oooohnoo.

Frantically I looked down at my pajamas as I stood glued to the kitchen floor. Now, one thing you must realize about my house- to get upstairs you must go past the front door. From the front door you can see into the entire living room. The only place in the downstairs (okay, besides the bathroom) that you can't see from the front door is the kitchen. (Yes, I counted- that's three things you must know.) Basically, there was no way I was going to get past the front door to dash up the stairs and change without this person seeing me.

So there I stood in my pajamas having a mental war for about 30 seconds- should I pretend I wasn't home? Should I put a bathrobe on? Okay, seriously- how was that going to be any better? But if I didn't answer the door- that would mean he probably wasn't going to take the set. I peaked around the corner and saw a man standing there. Way to lock the outside porch door there, brilliant.

At last, I did the only thing I could and marched into the living room and answered the door. Poor guy. I think he probably thought he got me out of bed cause he started to stammer, "Uh. The swing set. Um, is it free?"

And, because I was standing there in my pajamas in front of complete stranger I started to babble a stream of nervous nonsense... Oh, yeah! Yep. It's all there. Or wait. Was there some bolts out there? I think my husband said he needed to put them out there. I wonder if I could find them. If they're around here somewhere. Do you want to take it? I mean... If I find the bolts? I think there's some swings there- my kids mainly used the swings. Well, and the slide. And the teeter-totter, but that's a little rickety. Besides the rust the frame is good, though. Want me to look for those bolts? Man, I was as cool as a -cucumber.

I did, at that point shut him out in the porch while I ran to change. Then, I actually was able to locate the missing bag- bonus of all bonuses. I was even able to find one of the swings that wasn't there- apparently my kids had hauled it back into the backyard.

But, it wasn't until I went to give him the swing that I saw the girl in the cab of the truck- Hey! I said as she started to get out, Did you come to my garage sale last week over at my parent's house and buy a turtle sandbox that you never picked up? Yep. She had paid for the thing and forgotten to come back and get it. Quite the coincidence. So after they loaded up the swing set I sent her across town to my parent's house to get the sandbox.

Maybe I should have offered them the basketball net that's in the backyard too.

Note to self: lock the door, perhaps?

Do you want to win this?

I know I do! Head on over to Post Road Vintage for your chance at winning this. I can just picture how great this would look on a kitchen wall. While you're there, check out all of Heather's other awesome creations and visit her etsy shop too! As she suggests, I think I will have to grab myself a cup of coffee and meander through her site for a bit!