The First Half of Summer 2018

We are going with big chunks to chronicle our summer.  Summer has been FLYING by.  It always does.  I hate that.  I so enjoy my time with my sidekick.  We have wandered, we have wondered, we have done "big stuff" and "little stuff".  Eyes wide open.  Always.

Instead of cake this kid requested a root beer float for his birthday!  Love!

My brother used to make potholders like this for our mom when he was a kid.  Now I proudly display and use my very own. 

My little bookworm on a summer afternoon. 

Summer basketball 

A GREAT group of kids! 

Easy like Sunday mornings

Keepin' that brain active!  Thank you, Melanie for all the "real science equipment!"

Scratching Jasper's belly with eye protection from the falling fur.  This photo CRACKS. ME. UP.  This is when I am thankful for a camera that fits in my pocket and is ready on short notice.  Ha!  

Fourth of July with the neighborhood gang!  All boy, all the time  :-)

Summer learnin'!  Delicious moon phases. 

Luke and Jed went to camp!  A three night overnight camp on a lake in the middle of nowhere!  They had a great time!  I have such fond memories of summer camp and I am thankful that he got to have a taste of camp life.  

Afternoons at the pool!

Blueberry picking!  We had a great time picking blueberries at a bluegrass festival on a private blueberry farm of one of L's colleagues.  We came home with 6 pounds of organic blueberries!  Yum!  Our neighbors have never loved us more....blueberries for everyone! 

It was HOT!  Luckily we got a ride back to our car. 

Summer days at home...a homemade car, a giant frog, and ketchup and peanut butter for weight.  Creative play for the win! 

Food pyramid lunch with the boys.  Independence and an education all rolled into one! 

This guy showed up at our doorstep!  What in the world?!

This is actually a pretty regular occurrence! 

Lake day at Aunt Daney and Uncle James' 

The 2nd annual Kids Cook day with B!!  They both had been looking forward to this and it was a great way to kick off summer.  I supply the cookbooks, I do the dishes, and I pay for the groceries.  That's it!  They need to decide on a menu, shop, prep, prepare, cook, and serve a dinner and dessert for 6.  It was a huge success and they did a FANTASTIC job!  Shrimp and bacon were key ingredients this year and we all enjoyed it!  

"Why are there so many different cheeses?"  

Good question.  

Teamwork

Making place cards

Job well done! 

Tiki toss in the clubhouse.  Summer play

Laundry day...my "helper"

Luke and the twins!  Enjoying a non-sweltering morning at the park

Micro-invertebrate lab.  His results supported his hypothesis.  Hooray!  

Working on his piano skills

Dog sitting Buddy.  These two play HARD and rest hard.  

Me.  Very tired at the end of a summer day but Oh So HAPPY!