Blueberry Picking

Today we were blessed with a great farm-to-table experience with family.

How can you not love a berry patch that sends blessings over you?

 

 

The last days of summer

We have now entered the Twilight Zone, where we have done most of the adventures we have budgeted time and energy for, and are waiting for the new school year to begin. Most of the items on our Summer Fun bucket list are checked, the school supplies are waiting in the new backpacks, and we are staring at the calendar wondering what new to do today.

Today I took all the electronics and hid them so it wouldn't be a boredom buster issue when a babysitter came over while I ran out to a dermatologist yearly exam. I left behind 300 water balloons, and several epic battles ensued throughout the day. One of the biggest accomplishments was the youngest of the kids learning how to tie off his own balloons! That is a lifeskill right up there with brushing your own teeth and tying your own shoes in my book.

 

These innocent looking little balloons soon morphed into "let's run the hose down the slide and make a mudslide". They splashed to their hearts' content and were as dirty as pigs when the game was over.

Nerf battles turned into battles of wits. It always amazes me how quickly one game is dropped for the next spurt of inspiration. Packs of children remind me of schools of fish or flocks of birds that suddenly decide to move elsewhere.

 

In between battles, I spread out some craft-sy materials on the kitchen table and they stopped long enough to listen to Pandora cello music and glue some reused giftbag tissue paper to up-cycle glass cherry juice bottles into vases or candleholders. It was an ah-ha moment for me. If I suggested that they all come in and do crafts, probably no one would have come. But, if I lay out all the materials and start working on an example, their curiosity is piqued and they are drawn in to create for a while.

One ritual of summer for my kids is to not sleep in their beds. They make forts on the couches and even the hardwood floors just for the novelty of being allowed to do something outside of the school-year regimen.

Sweet dreams, young ones. My hardwood floor days are over if I can help it.

 

 

Fitness Adventure

I have a friend who has a summer birthday like I do. She is a kindred spirit and is gracious to accompany me on fitness adventures when the right Groupons roll around for our celebrations. This year we tried out paddle boarding and liked it. We could imagine ourselves in our 60's serenely paddling along the lake catching up on her recent move and our day-to-day lives. We had good balance from Pilates and yoga, but I was surprised to feel my feet go numb after an hour or so of balancing. Those little micro-adjustments were more challenging than I realized.

Next stop, working on our paddle boarding yoga poses like Athleta catalogue models.

 

 

 

Quirky Things and School Supplies

If ever I get the opportunity for an afternoon nap, I always set the timer for one additional minute. Why? It makes me sad to see the hour (or ten minute power nap) change over to increments of 59 seconds as soon as I hit the start button! With my one minute buffer, I can actually lay my head on the pillow without feeling as if I've lost out on golden napping seconds.

We continue to fight for each and every sight word as my new-to-English boy takes on the task of learning to read in English. Mini m&m's sweeten the frustration (for us both).

Those that know how to read are earning their daily stash of mini m&m's by identifying states. I was surprised at how rusty we are in geography as a family, so summer is proving to be a good time to add that information.

Some friends of ours at church had our Sunday School class over to play on their ATV's and eat ice-cream. When my boy asked if we were going to buy him one for Christmas we laughed and gave him an emphatic "NO!". The funny thing is that I remember my parents buying my brother a dirt bike and hearing the engine roar at 6 am in our living room one Christmas morning, but our kid had the luck (or misfortune) of getting parents that are all about "You'll appreciate it more if you help earn it."

 

I just returned from the beautiful land of Target where brand new school supplies glisten on many aisles and end caps. We bought some beautiful things, but there was also weaping and gnashing of teeth as I did not consider locker carpet and chandeliers a necessary school supply item. I am fine with them spending their allowance on whatever they like, but I require them to pay the difference if they want designer Eco-friendly binders instead of a perfectly good regular ones. You want an upgrade? Certainly, but show me the money!

Two of my girls entered a conversation of ingratitude when they returned from the land of stuff-mart, comparing what one got compared to the other. As a consequence they are now constructing a 500 item gratitude list. I know that I can't cause them to actually feel gratitude in their hearts, but they will learn to be a little more wise about vocalizing ingratitude in front of me the next time. Perhaps one day when they are 40, they will understand why their mother went berserk in trying to correct their American preteen sense of entitlement.

One item on my gratitude list is great friends for a lifetime. These boys have enjoyed time together on sports teams, at church, on joint family vacations, and running around shooting each other with Nerf items. Summer is a great time to squeeze in a few sleepovers before the school year's activities kick in.

 

One Step Ahead

This week in our Gideon Bible Study Priscilla Shirer (via DVD) reminded us that at any point in life, we are both the older women of Titus 2, and the younger. We need to both invest in others coming behind us, and have the humility to receive instruction from those ahead of us.

Today I was happy to meet a new friend in my town who is hosting a young Latvian girl through New Horizons. It was a privilege to sit and listen to her experience and give perspective, just as my dear friends had done for me two summers ago. I am thankful to be a part of a network of women who are trying to follow God, and thankful to Him for the gift of each other.

Google images

 

 

Luau

We enjoyed celebrating my Mom's retirement this weekend. Friends and family came to eat dinner and share banana splits. Here are a few pictures of the details.

I loved these tropical straws from the Dollar Tree.

The girls helped me wrap silverware in tropical napkins tied with a piece of raffia.

We added some Hawaiian paper dolls to a pennant banner we already had. 

Party favors for the kids and young at heart

Our invitation included a pun about Mary Ann saying it was "time to split", so we included a banana split bar for dessert. This hit a nostalgic spot with Mom's guests and was a fun first for our kids.

We found some glass banana split boats at Kroger, but asked the kind manager at Baskin Robbins to sell us some of his disposable ones. This was a great save since I didn't need a lot of 500 online. He even threw in the pink spoons!

  

Dodging the rain, we moved the furniture and the party indoors

Happy banana split eaters 

Festive Hawaiian garb 

Some came already dressed for the party, and for those who wanted a little extra tropical flair, we provided leis, hair clips, and various items for a photo booth opportunity.

I love being a team with my brother and sister-in-law who grilled shisk-kabobs for us.

Our "Polynesian" menu:

Fresh fruit: pineapple, mangos, kiwis, grapes, blueberries, cherries, watermelon, oranges

Strawberries and cream cheese dip

Shrimp and chicken kabobs

Pineapple polynesian rice

Shrimp cocktail

Tuna Pasta Salad (made with shell-shaped pasta)

Veggie Tray

Cole slaw

Marinated vegetable salad

Hawaiian rolls

Barbecue sliders

Hawaiian punch, Teas, Lemonade, Water, Coffees

Banana Splits

Cupcakes, Nutter Butter Flip Flops, and Coconut Chews

The kids enjoyed helping add ambiance by being walking decorations.

They helped make Nutter Butters look like flip-flops and decorated beach themed cupcakes.

It was a sweet time for all.

July

Giant lollipops from the Dollar Store that keep kids occupied (and quiet) all rainy week.

Dress like a cow day at Chick-fil-A

Busting up some boredom with the big book of fun

 

Holding our tongues until we remember that tongues are used for kind words

A praise-Jesus moment when the last few remaining Fourth of July tomato seeds sprout after the first round of the 7th grade summer science project got washed away in the deluge.

Watching a rising fourth grader devour 800 page books.

Teaching my ESOL girl not-so-useful British Tolkien words like "flummoxed" when reading The Hobbit together.