And the Livin' Is Easy

I never saw Porgy and Bess but I know the song (don't we all?) and I love love love this time of year. It's such a wonderful opportunity to be home with my kids.

Saturday after we fixed the toilet successfully, the girls and I went blackberry picking. I was thinking of blackberry stories; the first one that comes to mind being




Also, for berry picking you can't forget




And




Then I went on to think, hmmm, if I was still writing newsletters I could do one called "Berry Berry Quite Contrary" and all these other titles popped into my head.


Strawberries






Blueberries




Gooseberries






Anyone think of any others? I know there's one about a native Alaskan berry (cloud berries, maybe) but I can't think of it now...

Sunday morning we went to church, then hosted a playdate. We had a friend come over and the girls all ran through the sprinkler, got out the sidewalk chalk, had snack (yogurt, pears, grapes) and sat and read stories. My friend and I were chatting and her little one brought over a book and Karen immediately gave that squeal of excitement that you make when you recognize a book from your childhood. You know that feeling of seeing a really good friend all of a sudden? The illustrations are so familiar and so right. The book was One Kitten for Kimby Adelaide Holl and so I promptly gave it to her. I know that feeling all too well and we had never read the book (I got it from the used book store) so I knew the girls wouldn't miss it one jot.

Monday we went to a playdate hosted by someone else. They had one of the those gigantic blow-up water slides, a trampoline, several playhouses and swing sets, etc. Amazing. Plus they have lambs. The girls and I hadn't brought bathing suits because their suits will still wet and cold from the sprinkler-running the day before so I let them go on the water slide fully dressed and then we just stuck their clothes in the dryer and draped them in towels during lunch. I had told my daughters that they couldn't go on the water slide and they were exceedingly polite about it and didn't complain and only after an hour came to me and charmingly asked permission to stick their feet in the wading pool at the bottom of the slide. I gave my permission and then decided, what the heck. When children are polite about things it makes such a difference. If I had had to listen to an hour of whining, there would have been no way I'd reward that kind of behavior with a special treat. Anyway, it all worked out in the end and they absolutely had a ball. Then we had lunch (chicken nuggets, apple chunks with cinnamon, cantaloupe slices, black bean and corn salad, quinoa salad). What a spread. Delicious! From there it was the pediatrician for Natalie's 7 year checkup, since the health insurance has finally been sorted out, and then VBS last night. I am a team leader, taking the 5 year old team around to their stations. This team consists of three boys and Leah. It's quite a nice little group.

Today we are going to Water Day at the Community House.

I love summer!