{Summering}

It seemed like we got a slow start to summer this year since the first two weeks were 'short' because of school ending on a Monday and then our trip to Michigan which spanned parts of both the first and second week of our summer vacation.  But, now we have two full weeks of summer under our belts, our schedule has REALLY lightened up, and we are getting into the swing of things.  I have not implemented a daily schedule like I thought I might, but we are pretty routine people and seem to have fallen into a kind of organic 'schedule'.  It definitely ebbs and flows day to day though depending on what everyone needs on any particular day, whether or not I'm babysitting, if we have anything on the social calendar, etc.  Some days the girls are happy to play together for hours on end (the past two days they've been playing 'little legos' almost non-stop).  When this happens, I really try to just let them be and don't try to impose any other agenda on them.  I read in a parenting book once that, like a sleeping baby, happy sibling playtime is something you don't interrupt :).   Not only that, but I really value free-play and the skills that develop out of it.  So, on those days, we forgo any learning activities or structured reading time and I'm okay with that.  On days when the girls have had enough of each other or are just struggling finding something to do, well, then I pull out the 'learning' books and we work on 'school' skills or we run errands, or read a book together -- in general I try to lead the day a little more.  And Teddy?  Most of the time he is content to play with his trucks and trains, or the little kitchen or to read books with me and he still takes a mid-day nap.  Sometimes, like today, he helps me clean or cook.  He's my newest little side-kick. We go to the gym a few mornings a week and the girls have been doing swim lessons in the late morning when Teddy goes down for his nap four days a week.  We haven't done any big outings yet, though the girls did go to Grant's Farm one day with friends and they also did a short craft camp that an old friend of mine ran out of her home last week for three afternoons.  You might say it's been a bit of a lazy summer.  And honestly, I'm okay with that.  I am completely on board with celebrating a slower pace of life and not making 'busy' something to strive for.  Sometimes, it's nice to just 'be'.  Here are some glimpses of what we've been up to:

Eating homemade popsicles

 Teddy's first popsicle -- I think it was a little tart ;)

Swimming -- I took the kids to 'tot time' at our community pool last Friday and then we went back to the pool Saturday night after dinner as a whole family.  The first day we went, Teddy sat on my lap in the shallowest part of the pool for about 20 minutes.  He refused to stand up in the water or even sit on his own bottom.  Eventually though he joined me in splashing a bit and then he agreed to walk around with me and then he was hooked!  He loved it.  When we went back Saturday night he was ready to jump right in.  We also went on the Lazy River that night and he really enjoyed that too.  

 wait for it...

 This is the first year Merrill isn't scared of the big bucket.  She used to not even want to come to the pool when it was on.  This time, Millie talked her into standing under it!  Amazing!

Teddy got his first 'big boy' haircut

We've loved watching our garden grow.  It has been such a great summer so far for the plants -- lots of rain, but not too much, mixed with warm and sunny days.  Such an improvement over the drought-ridden summers of the past couple of years where everything was burned up by mid June!

Doing our part to save the bees -- LOTS of bee balm blooming

Riding bikes -- the girls have also loved being on their bikes this summer.  My parents let Millie bring home my old bike and Millie passed hers on to Merrill (and Teddy is riding Scott's old bike...).  Millie starting working with Scott last weekend on riding without training wheels.  She switched to the smaller bike for that since it's a little easier for her to manage and a lot easier for Scott to get the training wheels off and on.  Scott and I purchased new bikes for ourselves with some birthday money, so hopefully soon we'll be able to take some family bike rides.  I'm a bit of a nervous Nelly when it comes to riding on streets (even just in town) but we have a really nice paved trail near us (Grant's Trail) that I would love to try out.

I try not to rely on 'screentime' too much for entertainment, but, like I said above, there are some days when that is just what is needed.  I at least try to make it somewhat educational some of the time.  Here they are on a website called "starfall" and they are all listening to classical music.  Millie has decided that she really likes classical music and has been asking for more.  It's nice now that she can read as she can get a lot more out of these programs.

bringing flowers in from the garden -- so nice to have fresh cut flowers in the house and even nicer to know they came from our yard!  Our hydrangea bush that we moved from the side of the house to the back when we first start landscaping the backyard is having it's best year yet.  I love it!

Watching the garbage and recycling trucks on Wednesday mornings is always a favorite activity for Teddy.

The girls have just finished their first session of swim lessons.  They get a week off next week for the 4th (how is it almost the 4th already?!) and then I think we'll sign up for the next session.  

We are looking forward to July as it will be filled with lots of celebrations -- the 4th, Merrill's birthday, my brother's birthday (and he'll actually be home for it), Charlie's birthday, my 20th high school reunion ...  Then we'll head back up to Michigan as a whole family to spend time with Scott's folks and see his brother and family and before we know it, it will be August and we'll be getting ready for another school year (and Kindergarten for Merrill!) and Teddy's birthday!  Whew, I'm getting a little panicked just thinking about it all.  I think our 'lazy' summer is about to end...