Lately

School work is completed. Summer weather has arrived. And we've been enjoying both! Lately...

We've visited the strawberry fields and picked our fair share of berries. A picnic lunch with friends made the morning that much better.

We've given the boys their annual summer buzz cuts. They begin asking for these on the first day the temps are warm enough to produce a mild sweat, and now that they spend almost every day and almost all day outside getting hot and sweaty, we agreed that it was time.

We've been splashing and playing and getting muddy with friends. Seventeen kids in a bubbly creek for two hours meant a lot of laughing and soaking... followed by a lot of showering and laundering.

We've been enjoying this little guy and his easy-going personality amidst the day-to-day craziness. For the most part he rolls with the flow, sleeps on the go, and smiles to anyone that catches his attention.

We've been having tea parties al fresco - complete with dandelion centerpieces and pretzels to munch on with our cups of water.

We've been whittling sticks to make slingshots and are happy to report only one teeny-tiny finger nick. With an arsenal of stones and a pocketful of rubber bands, my boys are targeting unsuspecting "bad guys" roaming the woods outback.

We've had all-out Nerf wars with friends (four hours of nonstop outdoor battles!); we've wheeled the basketball hoop to the end of the driveway to make room for more neighbor kids to come and play; we've enjoyed popsicles and push-ups and freeze pops and ice-cream sandwiches; and mostly... mostly we are simply enjoying a wonderful welcome to summer!