at the end of summer

I decided at the beginning of the summer that a few day trips to the beach would be good. Well, summer went by faster than I imagined, and we didn't make it until the end. On the Thursday before school started, we went to the beach. We had a picnic, spent a few hours enjoying the sun, sand, and salty water, and then we headed home. I think eating dinner in the car on the way home was almost as good as the fun we had at the beach. They were so good, and I'm so glad we made it there before the end of summer.

jumping in

One evening at the lake, before dinner, they had a jumping contest. They invented jumps - ones named "flying guitar" and "superhero" and "cracked egg" and "blue whale" and then they tried to copy each other's moves. "Let me show you again" and "like this?" along with a lot of laughing and splashing was heard over and over again. I couldn't imagine a better way to pass the time . . .

water play

I was told earlier today that the heat index was 114 degrees. And - just after we learned that lovely fact - I told Sarah and Eric that even my knees felt hot. In the summer heat, water makes life sweet, and this project has saved the day many times already. We modified the design - we didn't feel the need to add all the accessories and a "door" didn't seem necessary either. They've enjoyed it with their friends and without, with their swimsuits and without. (This has become our summertime bath, and thanks to Aunt Christine's suggestion, we don't bother with modesty. However, for the sake of my children's future embarrassment, I won't share their cute little bottoms here.)