Mommy's Blog: Home, family, friends...

It's always hard to leave the lake, but this summer has been so busy and is going so fast-- being at home feels a bit like the real vacation! We slowed things down a bit this week and soaked up time with people we care about...

Gathering "wish seeds" on our drive home from New York. Both kids got so into it. Its easy to forget how little they still are.

Home again just in time for another swim meet!

Jack "The Dominator" Morehouse went 4/4 again. ( He gets VERY upset at us if we suggest writing "The Dominator" on his swim cap...)

Sim meets aren't all action. Sometimes you hide out in the shade of an umbrella. For hours...

Ivy girl had the excitement of her first relay, her first 50, and swimming with the 9-10 year olds so they would have enough swimmers to make a team. Look how little she is next to them... She did a great job!

Saturday night we ended up having a rather spontaneous and completely wonderful picnic at the lake.

We met up with cousin Steve and his family to welcome them to Cleveland.

We moved a picnic table to find a spot out both out of the gale force winds and with a great view.

Nailed it.

After eating all the things and having a few beers we trekked to the dog beach, where Ivy, Gavin and Jack body surfed for a good hour and a half.

They had so much fun, and got so much sand in their bathing suits.

Sunlight glinting on the sand, cool breezes, just-right crowds at our end of the beach-- and music drifting over from the "Taste at the lake" festival on the other end...

Not so bad.

Winter had an amazing time with Steve and Eileen's new dog Trudy. They are fast friends.

It was great to see all these kids together again (so big now!) and to catch up with my cousin. I am just so happy that they will be close by for the next 4 years! We plan to spend lots of time together.

Sunday: Lavender Festival! Apparently this is now a "Second week in July" tradition. Jack was not outwardly very excited about the event... but did participate in picking lavender and crafting (painting a wine glass) with concentration and intent. It's hard to know sometimes with him, what he is actually enjoying...

Not so with Ivy. She was enthusiastic about every part of the event, from painting the wine glass to hearing the dulcimers to oh-so-carefully cutting about 7 stems of lavender in the field, to making a lavender heart craft. Flowers and crafting together? Just her thing.

Monday, Jack started his week at Techie Camp and we gained an extra little girl for the day. It was delightful to have our neighbor friend here for the day. Ivy is much more likely to be on her best behavior with friends around, so I'll take an extra kiddo anytime. We brought Andy home from swimming with us and took off for the Natural History Museum for the morning. No pictures because I forgot my phone at home-- but we had the BEST time. Maybe it was because I didn't have my phone? Had to be a bit more present to all the magic? The animals in the wildlife exhibit were perky and entertaining, the keepers were at work feeding and giving attention to them... we spent an hour outside wandering the walkway, following the girls' lead. Had lunch in the cafe then wandered the museum inside. Andy loved the dioramas, and they both had an amazing time on the earthquake simulator, pressing buttons and dramatically preparing for each quake. As we were leaving they found a small play ship in the Blossom Expedition exhibit, and spent a good 20 minutes having a very involved seafaring voyage....

Back at home, some TV and fairy eggs and more creative play in the backyard. These two make a great pair.

Tuesday we spent the day with our cousins again! They were getting their furniture delivered so we helped Eileen get the kids and dog out of the house and met up at Crocker Park. We discovered lovely Adirondack chairs in the shade by the splash park and camped out there for about 4 hours.

The kids had a great time together again...

And the dogs too! Alternately wrestling, resting under chairs, and receiving gobs of attention from tiny children, Winter and Trudy had a very stimulating day.

Its hard to see in this picture, but there are two little 8 year olds heading back from a shopping trip at Bath and Body Works, where they went on their own, in their swimsuits (it was just across the little fake street from the splash pad). They were so very pleased with themselves, and their purchases of hand sanitizer and holders. They were in the store a total of 4 times, crossing the street so carefully, heading off out into the world... These two girls get along famously and Eileen and I noted they would be friends even if they weren't cousins. I love it.

And yesterday-- another playdate for Ivy, some tutoring in Solon for me, then a most delightful evening of cooking and grilling and drinking mojitos with friends...