Summer is my season. I've said that here before, I know. In fact, I said it in my very last post! Our days have been filled, filled to the brim, with all sorts of good things. Someone gave us one of those large blue pools that are now a ubiquitous part of neighborhood backyard life. Setting the thing up and learning how to keep the water clean was a LOT more work than I anticipated, but it has been really worth it. Sami learned to swim within one day of getting the thing, and Oliver couldn't be happier than when he is in the water. Also, it has been a great magnet for neighborhood kids, making our house THE place to hang out when the mercury is hovering around ninety -- which is most of the time this summer. That has been great for all of us, including yours truly, who now can actually sit pool-side and chat with the other mothers.
And then there is the biking. A new bike rack for the car plus hot, hot temperatures have pushed us towards the woods, exploring local mountain bike trails. And the only thing that Oliver loves more than the water is riding his bike. Combine the two? Perfect!
And then there is the garden. I know, I'm a total dork to take pictures of our garden -- and even more so since I'm posting them on my blog -- but, but, check out these grapes!
And these beets? I didn't even plant them! Seriously, I don't know how they got there. Maybe they were in the packet of mixed greens seeds?
And the big mystery plant that sprouted from the compost is a mystery no more!
Can you see what I see?
A nearly ripe pumpkin. In July!! How amazing is that? I see pumpkin bread in our very near future.
And speaking of food, if you aren't yet tired of hearing about my garden and the foods we get from it, I have a new post up over at (Never) Too Many Cooks. Pop on over and check it out.
Next post: back to our regularly scheduled programing with a tale of the most awesome grilled cheese sandwich ever made. Stay tuned!
Summer is my season. I love these long days, nights with the windows open, crickets singing, fans blowing. I love sticky feeling of sweaty boy skin and feet green from fresh cut grass. All of it. I love all of it. And at this moment in time, this day, this week -- life is just so, so sweet. I know: you could just gag, right? Well, maybe it is the vitamin D talking (or the Newcastle) but summer makes me feel so downright hopeful. Optimistic. Joyful.
Anyway, between the homeschooling, the garden, and the other outdoor stuff, it is shaping up to be quite a summer. Most days end with a bike ride. After dinner, when it has cooled off a bit, we head to a nearby park and ride the mountain bike trials. This is a relatively new thing for us and it has me feeling both thrilled, apprehensive, and old. You see, Oliver is a shining star on the mountain bike trails. He so deftly and athletically picks his way over the obstacles that he totally leaves the rest of us in the dust. It is amazing to behold. That's the part that has me thrilled. I'm apprehensive because none of us can keep up with the boy and the paths have many twists and turns so that he could easily become lost. Luckily he has had the charity to wait for us before making any turns thus far. And Old? Well, did I mention that I can't keep up? This is not an exaggeration. Granted, I'm the only one not riding a mountain bike (I have a hybrid), but I can't blame it all on the bike. I've become cautious. It won't be long now before Nik and the boys start suggesting that I stay home in the evenings.
How did it come to this?
On the homeschooling front, we made these cool sensory writing bag things today:
You just fill a gallon-sized ziplock bag with a mixture of tempra and finger paint and use it to trace letters and numbers with your fingers. The paint is solid enough that it holds the shape of whatever you draw. All was well and good until I heard Sami shrieking from the playroom as I was cooking dinner. When I went to investigate I initially had a heart attack as it looked like he was covered in blood. Then I discovered that he had only been writing too energetically and the ziplock had split open, covering him in red paint. I quickly then sealed Oliver's bag with plastic tape, knowing that he would do the opposite of scream if his "accidentally" split open.
We also had a bit of impromptu phys ed when the kids tried to break out of rest time. Behold:
It has been hot, hot, hot in our little corner of Virginia, so the boys and I are spending a lot of time finding ways to keep our cool. I'm blogging today over at (Never) Too Many Cooks and sharing one of our favorite summer treats -- a delicious recipe with ingredients that you probably have in your very own kitchen right this very moment!
Today was one of those days when it really felt like summer vacation -- and not just because the calendar says it is the middle of June, but because our attitude says so. We're busy finding our groove and trying to beat the heat. We don't have air-conditioning and with a week of temperatures in the mid-nineties, it has been a challenge to keep myself the kids from being too cranky. Lucky for us, we live within just a few miles of some gorgeous swimming holes, which is where we spent a few hours today ignoring the heat. Unfortunately I remembered my camera but forgot the memory card. The heat will make you think you're losing your mind like that. So you'll just have to picture two giddy boys and their mama frolicking in the ice-cold river. And trust me, it was all that and more!
Once home again the kids and I engineered this awesome pirate/space ship by hanging all the sheets, blankets and towels from the clothesline.
Sami dragged his sleeping bag out there, declaring that he was going to sleep under the stars. Then the two kids spent a few hours lounging out there with books while I tried to figure out what to do with a staggering amount of laundry that had somehow spontaneously generated in my laundry room and which I now could not dare to hang on the clothesline. At bedtime tonight Sami lasted about three and a half minutes out there before throwing open the back door and indignantly telling us that the rabbits were making too much noise. Then he went upstairs, dragging his sleeping bag behind him, and climbed into bed with his brother.
Also in some weird twist of events, Oliver has taken a sudden liking to a basket of Little People that has been sitting in the corner of his room. I just don't even know what to say about it, really. Oliver has never much been one to play with toys and suddenly I find him zooming cars back and forth.
And, as if all that weren't enough to make this a really great summer vacation kind of day? Just look at the broccoli we had for dinner tonight:
