This summer has been everything I hoped it would be and more. It's been full of long, lazy days mixed perfectly with fun events, visits with friends and family, and short trips. The hours have been long at times, but they're made up for in the cool evenings when we load the kids into the car and surprise them with a trip to a playground or an ice cream stand. There's been a little bit of work, finishing up home improvement projects, and plenty of creative play. This morning has been one of my favorites. I've chipped away at house work, taking breaks to play and talk to the kids. Meanwhile, they set up chairs around the perimeter of the dining room to make a jail to hold me; decided it made a better hero hideout, and dragged in blankets and play food to sustain them. Next thing I knew, Henry was strolling nonchalantly into the kitchen, sunglasses on, puffing on a K'nex piece. "I'm Mugsy O'Sneer, the no-good crook. I'm smoking a cigar which I light with my matches (
whispering, "I light it with my matchbox, this block, and another K'nex, my match."). Thomas dressed up like a crook too, and we played like that for a while until they whipped off their disguises and shouted, "We aren't really crooks! Tricked you! You're under arrest, Mom." Before long they'd found pillowcases and were busy having a sack race across the living room. That game gave way to snack time. They had pretzel sticks, and all three of them stuck them in their mouths and said, Sandlot-style, "I'm the Great Bambino! I
said, I'm the Great Bambino!" Snack time ended, and it was time to pretend they had a lemonade stand. And on, and on, and on it goes...
If my blog posts are patchy this summer, this is the reason. I am busy soaking up the sun and the moments with my kiddos. Fall will be here all too soon, and with it, long hours with the boys at school. Summer takes on a whole new quality this year with that prospect looming large, and I'm doing my best to live in the moment, and live in it fully.
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| Henry's learned to scale our walls (or doorways, anyway). |
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| Hmmm... Wonder where he learned it? |
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| Picking mulberries in the backyard. |
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| Little Miss Super Girl posing at Thomas' birthday party. |
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| Plenty of sprinkler fun! |
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| Fun at the playground. |
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| Playing ring-around-the-rosey with Cora and her doll, Dana. |
