Summer Randoms

This summer has been filled with very few "scheduled items," and instead, the kids have been simply taking one day at a time (and me too!).  I have been teaching two courses online and keeping up on my usual business bookkeeping, and the rest of the time, I make sure that we have a few other fun things planned (crafts, swimming at the beach, going to the movies and outside fun).

Celebrating Papa's 74th birthday at our house with a big meal (shish kabobs, rice and fruit) and his favorite requested dessert -- raspberry cheesecake.

********************

One of Jack's gifts from us for his birthday was a ninja course which Steve and Jack put together and set up in the front yard.  This thing has gotten A LOT of use this summer and Jack has successfully mastered it many times.

********************

Firepit s'mores are the best.  We use our portable firepit (Steve put it up on wheels shortly after we bought it) and it makes it nice to wheel it around whenever we would like.

And those chairs in the background?  They seem to be about "circa 1990," but we acquired them when a neighbor was planning to simply throw them away, and they are the most comfortable ones that we own.

Perfectly roasted.

********************

Front yard baseball practice as the sun is starting to set? ... Yes, please.

********************

We have the most wonderful neighbors where we live, and while I certainly realize that as an adult, I hope that my kids have already started to realize that too.  Growing up in the country, we didn't have the same comradery and sense of community that I have found with this group of people in our subdivision.  There are always people out walking, out on the lake, both impromptu and planned parties, people stopping to visit and kids hanging out at all times.  

One of our neighbors stopped by one day with a gallon bucket of ice cream and a bunch of toppings for ice cream sundaes.  Bless her heart.

The weather was gorgeous so I set up an ice cream bar on the back deck and the kids got to enjoy an afternoon dessert.

Miss Nancy sure puts a smile on the kids' faces on a regular basis.

********************

Sophia will be starting 6th grade band this Fall and Steve took her to pick out an instrument.  We were secretly hoping that she chose a trumpet because it would be nice to have her older sister (who also plays trumpet) work with her, but we wanted it to be her choice.  Ultimately, she chose the trumpet all on her own and she has already begun practicing!

********************

Fresh Michigan sweet corn!

These boys are certainly great at shucking the corn!

They put the husks directly into a wheelbarrow and then when they are done, they just wheel it out into our back woods and dump it.

********************

And it wouldn't be summer without fresh zucchini muffins!

We made a couple of batches and I had a different helper each time.

********************

The girls and I LOVE doing puzzles and we had the opportunity to set one up in the Family Room and work on it for a few days.  

********************

We surprised Sophia with a new bike!  The one that she was using was too small for her and we really wanted her to be able to go on some bike rides over the summer with Samantha and Ainsley.  So far, they have gone on regular 8-mile bike rides to a nearby alpaca farm and around our backroads.

********************

Rock painting!  I washed some nice rocks that we had gathered over the last couple of weeks and brought out my container of paintbrushes and lots of acrylic paints.  

This little project occupied everyone for a couple of hours as they did more and more creative designs.

Sam's patience and attention to detail was stellar that afternoon.

Sophia turned one of her rocks into a nose!

Later, once the rocks had dried in the sun, the kids took turns placing them around the front of my house (in my flower garden) and I find myself smiling every time I walk by and see them.

********************