Ahh, summer...I love it. I am already thinking about how much I am not looking forward to cold weather. I should stop that and just focus on the here and now.
It really has been wonderful. We started our summer out with a tour of the East Coast...a little stop in Hershey, PA, a weekend in NYC, family in CT, more family in Boston, a wedding weekend in Maine (right on the harbor!), more time in Boston, a day trip to Cape Cod, and a final stop to Niagara Falls on the way home.
But the fun didn't stop there, folks. It just keeps on coming. :) I think the best part of our summer has been hanging out with our neighbors, staying up late, playing hide and seek outside, getting Kona Ice on monday nights, fireworks, chalk all over the driveway and on the kids' clothes, summery treats like frozen yogurt tubes or homemade keifer popsicles, oh and swimming of course! We are sooooo thankful that the ban on swim diaper children has been lifted. We've enjoyed the pool ever since and our girls are loving it.
I've totally let go of the fact that the kids won't be in bed by 8:30, that there might be a tantrum the next day because we stayed up late and had too much sugar the night before. It's cool. We go to bed later and sometimes even Sophie takes a nap during the day. Like today. A trip to the pool in the afternoon means a nap first, and so she goes, willingly.
Oh and did I mention a special anniversary getaway for us 2? No kids. We went to a bed and breakfast in Versailles, KY. The pronunciation of the town here in the midwest just kills me, but we still managed to have a lovely time. Picture a long back porch and patio, vines and branches growing into the awning, twinkling lights overlooking a perfectly landscaped garden with lightening bugs fluttering by (never mind the mosquitos that attacked my body and cut our time short on this lovely patio). But besides for that minor mosquito incident, it was quite charming, relaxing and picturesque! And we slept in till 8:15!!! That may have been one of the highlights of the trip, that and a visit to the mall in Lexington where I bought a few things, and went to different stores all in like 45 minutes. It's amazing what can be accomplished when you don't have to take potty breaks, feed little ones lunch, walk through the build-a-bear store, etc., at the mall.
And summer has also brought a fresh inspiration to do some cooking. Don't get me wrong, I usually like cooking but sometimes it seems so monotonous/boring/same old, same old. Of course it's not so boring when you can get your food from a farm, or a farmer's market, or even dare I say the grocery store when it provides something fresh and new! We have stocked up on some grass fed pork (I didn't even know that pork came grass fed, still need to look into that) but nonetheless it has been delicious as pulled pork in the crock pot. A couple of recipes worth sharing: chicken kebabs with the perfect salsa accompaniment, and a carrot soup recipe that is refreshing every time I make it! Thanks Jane, for that last one!
That's it for now, happy summer to you!
