what we're up to...

This summer I am determined, one way or another, to take the days I have with my children and do fun, relaxing and enjoyable things.  Of course, it's not like summer is really just one long vacation away from the world, obviously all the normalcies of life continue one, so these times must be intentionally taken and sometimes planned for.   And, while I want the kids to have fond memories as they look back on their childhood summers, I also realize that the reality of life is that they must also learn responsibilities along with the fun.  So, I am trying to find a balance of keeping up with chores, doing some extra work projects, and just having plenty of time for play.  Thus far, our first few weeks of summer have been busy...including one of the weeks off being spent away at Grammy's for a week of Summer Bible School and swimming, and generally being spoiled.  ;o)  I'm planning to share our Summer List with you, but wanted to actually make something creative with the kids to display our list (and check things off as we do them), so I will save that for another post.

But, so far, we have taken a 'creek day', which the boys didn't find quite as thrilling as they had hoped...our creek was rather shallow and VERY buggy the day we were there.  (And yes, Kate was there too...but she's the photographer...)

 
We still had a lovely and relaxing time along the creek bank on our blanket, as I read aloud to them all.  We started and book about the famous Shoeless Joe Jackson and the 'Black Sox' scandal of 1919.

 



Along those lines, today we watched the movie "Eight Men Out".

(There's some less-than-desirable language in the film, but, unfortunately, as I have learned this year, it's nothing they aren't hearing their coaches yelling on an almost daily basis...  Otherwise it's clean and a good, true story with a lesson.)

By the way, if you are local, maybe you'd be interested to know that tomorrow and Saturday Glick's Greenhouse in Oley is having a clearance sale, AND there's a daylily sale directly across the road at Manatawny Creek Farm (where they are giving away a free ice cream cone too!).  AAAAAND...my family (along with my sister and her family) will be running a food stand to raise money for the upcoming mission trip to Kenya that Todd and Bryce will be going on in January!!  So...come on out, get some great plants and a good lunch...and help support us!! (Shameless plug, I know...)  :o)