Summer Days

This week is one of our slowest of the summer.  There is just plain not much going on.  So, I grapple with feelings of guilt that I'm not "stimulating" the kids enough and then feelings of nostalgia and sadness of MY memories of summers being able to roam free and explore without the tight leash of today's day and age.  I am constantly trying to convince myself that we are, indeed, producing great memories for our kids.

Take today for example. The kids were in the blow-up pool out back by 8:30am for two hours.  We took a break for haircuts, rented a movie and in the afternoon (while it as storming) they asked if they could watch the movie under blankets with hot chocolate.  Why not?  I overheard Paige to Will: This is the best day!  That one sentence - not even directed towards me - was the most straight forward and truthful "solution" to my self-deprecation I could ask for.

And later was a highlight of the day when grandma and grandpa swung by while out for a cruise in my late grandfather's car that my dad had been working to get back in shape.  The kids each got a ride in our subdivision and the squeals of delight could be heard throughout!

And I almost forgot!  We put training wheels back on the mini bike and Cole practiced riding a real bike for the first time today.  Here he is - yelling at me to stop taking pictures and come push!