Summer Weekend In The Midwest

This past weekend was everything I LOVE about the Midwest in Summer time(except the humidity, not that, it's never on my list).
It is probably what you would imagine a stereotypical summer in the Midwest in the country would be, and you'd probably be right.
There was a family reunion, fried chicken, homemade peach pie, lots of cousins(first, second, third), a barn, a pond, kittens, swimming, cornfields, a peach tree, a tractor parade... and the list goes on.

We had family visiting from Alabama so we got to reap the benefits of them being entertained by other family members and it was good.
I forgot what a peach tree smelled like in Summer and I am happy I was reminded over the weekend.
We picked a whole bag of peaches to take home and also ate them warm, right off the tree.

The kids swam in a pool surrounded by cornfields under blue skies and just a few puffy white clouds.
The adults sat and watched them swim and talked about family and passed down stories. Sometimes it doesn't matter how long it's been since you've seen family or if the kids have never met, there is definitely a natural connection there. That's a pretty cool thing.

This weekend will be on my list of favorite Summer memories I think.
Simple. Happy. Grateful.
Nothing spectacular, just a really good time with some of my favorite people.

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Summer Vacation Is Here!

At 3:05 on Wednesday, Summer vacation officially began.
We are excited- and freaking out just a bit at the same time- That would be me, not the kids.
Summer vacation just isn't the same when you are working(Boo!), so this Summer is going to be a
little different than those in the past...
It is going to involve a lot more juggling, s few Summer camps and figuring it all out along the way.
My Summer List this year might just be; Keep everyone alive and Mama sane!
That might be the only thing on the list.
I might add "keep guilt at bay", too. Yeah, I'm probably gonna need to add that.

 Wish us luck!

Hello Summer Vacation + 49 Cent Ice Cream Cones

This weekend was hot and humid and pretty relaxed, I even got a few mosquito bites.... Yep, Summer is here all right.
It is June 1 and right now it feels so exciting because we have the whole Summer ahead of us... the whole Summer.
That feels really good.

I'm looking forward to slower days, no homework and no packing lunches for a while.
I am ready to relax a little on bed times and screen time(a little) and to make new memories with my two favorite kids.

I am ready for sunscreen and bathing suits, a ridiculous amount of popsicles and later nights.
I am really, really looking forward to Fridays because Fridays I will be off and hanging out with the kids.
Friday will be for rummage sailing and adventures and just hanging out at home in our pajamas.

I'm looking forward to a little sun tan, homemade milkshakes and McDonald's 49 cent cones.
I'm not even gonna lie.
Getting us all 3 an ice cream cone for under $2.00 ?
Yes please!
I'm looking forward to Summer music and lots of time outside.
I'm ready to clock many, many hours on the front porch and the back patio.
I'm looking forward to twinkly nights and looking at the starts through the trees in the back yard.

I'm looking forward to garden tomatoes and an excuse to wear my hair in a bun on top of my head every day.

Every day(see you in September, curling iron and straightener!).

I'm looking forward to no socks and flip flops and kissing those rubbermaid containers full of coats, hats and gloves goodbye until the Fall.
The thing I think I am looking most forward to is the BLUE Redneck Pool that will be popping up in our backyard next week.
Sure we have plenty of friends and family with pools and a pool close by we could join, but swimming in my own backyard and not worrying about
my bathing suit and thatw hole depressing situation, or remembering to pack stuff for the day,
or if I shaved my legs or not...
BLISS.
I CAN'T WAIT !!!!

Is school out where you are?
Has Summer vacation started yet?
What are you looking most forward to this Summer?

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Happy, Happy Monday.

{Virtual Coffee}

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday.

It is early Tuesday morning and I am on the front porch having my coffee.
I planned to walk early this morning, but instead I am under a blanket, candles lit, listening to Pearl Jam on my laptop.
Life is good.

I am hoping, fingers crossed, to have a little bit of time out here myself before anyone wakes up... 

you know that's really not gonna happen, right?

Well, I certainly do... but a girl can dream.

So, if we were really having Coffee this morning...

We would have to talk about this beautiful Summer weather, my Summer Bucket List,
 our last 2 weeks of Summer vacation... and our quick little day-trip away yesterday.

let's start with the weather--

We have had some beautiful 70* and 80* un-Summer weather
the last week or so, with cool evenings that feel like late Summer, almost early Fall weather.
It has been awesome but I am really hoping for some good swimming weather still, too.

Sunday we had a swimming party to go to so the kids did swim although it was pretty chilly, but they didn't really complain,
 because they're kids-- plus there was an awesome water slide they loved.

I guess I am a fair-weather swimmer, I want it to be HOT if I am getting in the water.

Oh, how I do love seeing towels drying on the fence though...

 just feels like Summer. 

If we were really having coffee this morning on my porch this morning, on the swing
 and in the chairs, under blankets...
We'd have to talk about our Summer Lists, or lack there of...
I talked about my plans to make one for the family here ... and then never did and made one for myself instead,
here is the one I started in June ::

1. See a sunrise
2. Visit the Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
3. Go on a day-long solo photography excursion
4. Make a pie from scratch
5. Get my bicycle serviced and start riding it(and by "serviced" I really mean Eric will do it)
6. Plan a fun, surprise date night
7. See some live music... somewhere, anywhere
8. Lay out by the pool and drink a wine cooler in the middle of the day, just because
9. Have my hand-drawn art printed and listed in my shop
10. Start reading a Classic(Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast is on my list)
11. See a sunset in the country
12. Watch a movie on my Summer Movie List(Jaws, Grease or Bull Durham...)
13. Start the Couch To 5K(again)
::::::::::::::::

So I am making some progress  but there are also a few more things I want to do that
 I have even added yet... I feel like we are running out of time and I am trying not to panic.
School starts 2 weeks from tomorrow... SAY WHAT?
How in the hell did that happen, anyway?
But enough of that for now, I'm still in denial.
::::::::::::::

Eric off all this week so yesterday we took a quick little day trip(just about 40 mins away) and went to a Museum, lunch at Smashburger,
we visited Lincoln's Tomb and then couldn't leave town before we spent an hour at Barnes & Noble so the kids could start working on their Birthday lists.
It was a good day.

{ Charlotte rubbing President Lincoln's nose for good luck }

So that's about it for me this morning... no big plans for today, I have a whole lot of housework
and some major laundry folding + putting away to catch up on.
How about you?
What are you up to today??

Happy Tuesday...  Hope you have a great day!
Join in for coffee today by leaving a comment or linking up below.

The First Week...

This week has gone well so far.

I anticipated a lot more fighting.

A lot more stress.

A lot more adjusting.

A lot more arguing.

A lot more time spent separated in bedrooms.

A lot more cussing under my breath.
But this week I have been pleasantly surprised.

Whether it is Christmas break, summer vacation or snow days- I know that there is an adjustment

 period when the kids are back together every day for the whole day.

There just is, there has to be.

And just knowing this and knowing it will pass very soon and we will have a

 new, summer-normal routine helps me not to lose my mind.
 It's gonna be a good summer.

I can totally do this.

We finally got Charlotte a new bathing suit this week and she wore it all day and then slept in it.

I love that when she picks out the super tacky bathing suits (clothes, etc) I can still say;

"oh darnit honey, they don't have your size! " 

and then make her choose from the two cute ones  I like, that do not have glitter all over them

 or look like a 12-year old should be wearing them.

Not sure what I will do once she can read.

Today we are going to the library to sign up for the Summer Reading Program, Wyatt is begging to 

 go to a few rummage sales and we're going to try and finish our Summer List later.

I'm sure at some point the kids will play in the sprinkler or little pool because it's supposed to

 be in the low 90's today. It's a rough life this Summer Vacation thing, huh?

We have no real plans this weekend, finally, after many weekends in a row of being out of town or just scheduled full. We have lots of things to work on here around the house but I am looking forward to lots of down time together doing whatever we feel like. Don't you just love those weekends?

Happy Friday everyone and hope you have a great weekend!