Summer Perfection~Weekend Style

Nothing better than a good party.

Getting together with friends...adults chit chatted away.

While 10 sweaty kidlets raced here and there.

Wonderful array of potluck dinner yummies made the little ones pit stop.

Enter darkness.

The stories got better as the evening wore on.

Only light...campfire.

Every.single.child around the fire....each one sporting smores on cheeks, nose and lips.

The laughter....after each one told a ghost story.

The best ghost story... from a 4 year old:

A lady fell. She died. They took her to the hospital. She was all better. The end.

Big partiers we are...10pm hit...and we traveled back down to our end of the lane.

So, as much as we love a grand party...

the slow, quiet days of summer...

perfection.

And we especially enjoy at home.

Take a peek...

And sometimes we splash it all up a bit.

Here's to our summer weekend...enjoying the love of nature, no electronics....peaceful, beautiful, serene...

yes, summer perfection.

A Bit Brighter

Yes...

Emily Caroline,

Laney Isabelle

and

Henry Oliver...

You make my heart...my world...so much brighter.

Hope you all have a bright Thursday!

Go!

2 seconds on the horse...

1 minute on the horse...

30 seconds later...

and after a few minutes, he even started to look around!

As Henry went by on his horse, Stripes, he even looked at his sisters and me and gave 1/2 a smile and yelled MOMMY in a great way!

(I would have gotten THAT shot, but the girls and I were waving and smiling non-stop...we looked like complete nut jobs!)
But then...

he said it.

It was a little whisper.

Out it came,

a little 2.5 year old whisper to his horse....GO.

And Stripes must have felt Henry's words...because forward they went.

After Henry's session, he came through that door and jumped into my arms.

He was smiling ear to ear once I had him.

As his therapist talked, my sweet boy looked deep into my eyes and smiled.

I heard him loud and clear: He was proud and told me.

Yes, his look...louder than any words.

Oh how proud I am of this amazing guy!

****

After lunch and some celebratory shopping,

my baby was wiped out.

After a nice bath, he was fast asleep.

The girls are such great supporters when it comes to their little brother...

so we did a little girlie project.

And I think Emily and Laney love their new bedroom banners!

And while I took pix, the girls set up baby doll shop in the hallway!

Laney said it was a little behind the scenes look...like a magazine shoot!

Where does she get this stuff?

And my girls were extra great today (their genuine excitement for their little brother was amazing), and these Anthro hair clips were screaming their names.

70% off...no joke.

I think I did a happy dance right there in the store.

Happy dance...today has been full of dancing.

And it all started with a little whisper.

Different Phase Of Summer

Three weeks.

Only 3 official weeks of summer left.

Then...I don't want to even type it...school starts.

Huge bummer.

But for now, our summer days are full.

It's been crazy hot here.

The other day...hottest day in 12 years!

Add humidity and my hair is twice the size of the best fro out there.
Humidity = foggy doors, camera lenses...you name it.

You just drip sweat.

A lot of moisture in the air, so it's really smelling a lot like wet corn around here.

Yep, sweet corn...I think we've been eating it every night!

Fresh from Jon's dad's field.

Every year, he takes his little radio out to the field, turns it on, and hopes that the raccoons don't like the music...and stay away! Guess they didn't like this year's music station. Bet it was country! Ha!

*****

Hot.

So hot here, that the little ones strip down, run inside and change their clothes a few times throughout the day.

Because they just soak through with sweat.

Sweet Laney, showing that her changing session includes crazy fun!

(The joke here: You know it's humid when Laney has curly hair!)

So, we are taking advantage of sporting flip flops every day...

showing off our new OPI crackle polish.

The girls just LOVE it!

Also loving the airplanes that come to spray the fields.

Oh how low they get!

Yesterday: Early morning visit from one nearby.

Nothing better than running out in pjs...especially in this heat!

Like I said, dripping kiddos, foggy lens! But oh so beautiful!

And once the sun sets, we heard the sweaty, smelly, dirty little ones up into the bubble filled tub.

Extreme makeover: child edition.

They come out looking and smelling so wonderful!

Only to settle down for movie night.

So, this weekend Jon has spent so much time landscaping.

He loves OLD BLUE (1978 Ford?)....straight from his dad's farm.

I'm pretty sure that if you lift up the floor mat, you see road!
Landscaping in this heat...tough stuff.

But, hubs was so sweet today...let me go exercise before he started back up.

And he had to start and finish in pouring rain.

And I think he liked it...refreshing rain that took the heat away.

It's coming back though....rain, then heat!

*****

And while it rained, I tried my hand at gluten free/casein free blueberry crisp!

LOVE that it worked!

Love that I'm using our 10 pounds of fresh Michigan blueberries!

I just substituted a few ingredients...

here you go...

and your welcome.

You will want to hug me after you taste this...don't forget a scoop of ice cream!

GFCF BLUEBERRY CRISP

5 cups fresh blueberries

4 T granulated sugar

1/2 c rolled oats (Bob's Red Mill: Gluten Free)

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill: Gluten Free)

1/8 t. (each) cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger

1/4 c margarine (Earth Balance)

1. Place fruit in a 2 qt. dish. Stir in granulated sugar.

2. In med. bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour and spices. Cut in butter until mix resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over blueberries.

3. Bake 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

*****

And just another fun DIY...We've been getting a lot of produce this summer. Bananas especially...attract little unwelcome gnats! YUCK! Pour apple cider vinegar into a little glass. Add some liquid dish soap. Totally works!

*****

Off to go enjoy this break from the heat.

Only a 24 hour break, but I'll take it.

There's a lot of fun to have, and not much time to cram it all in!

Wildlife Wednesday

Hottest day of the year...miserable.

So, I put ice cubes in the outside bowls.

Here's the sight 5 minutes later.

Glad I could help my neighbors cool off!

Hot Day, Vacay & Horse Play

Indiana temps and humidity are on the rise

(if that's possible)!

WHEW!

Here in our shaded woods, the cold sprinkler feels refreshing!

(I know...could I at least put lil' man in a suit...he only has 5 of them! Geez!)

Cousins at play.

Anything to keep cool and happy!

Yay for water play!

Over the weekend, we took a girl vacay up to Michigan!

Jon's sis Suzanne, Aunt Karla, Jon's mom, moi and Jon's grandma!

Oh...what a great time!

Saugatuck is such a fab artsy town!

A chain ferry took us from our hotel to the downtown shops and dining!

I am now inspired....picking up the paint brushes again!

Another love? This town caters to it's animals!

There are water bowls outside almost every shop...

for dogs and squirrels!

And sooo many shops have dogs and kitties!

Bomber for instance.

Sunning in his scarf one day....
(The heat must have flattened his fro!)

Then napping in the store the next day!

Love this little guy!

Loved our little girl getaway!

This was the first time I was away from all three kiddos...

first time Jon stayed with all three kiddos.

He took them out to eat,

bought plants and started on landscaping all around our basketball court,

made a crock pot meal,

took the kiddos swimming

and even made an 8 mile bike trip to our local park and back! (And Laney just went training wheel free last week!).

Did I mention he made beds, mopped the kitchen floor and did some laundry?

I'm soooo going on more vacays! Ha!

*****

And today...Henry's second Hippotherapy session....
went from this....

(he LOVED riding this way...relaxing)

to this....

(sitting up, but unsure)
to this

(sitting up, looking up...pulling down the hands)

to finally this...

(hands down...okay with it all!)

I'm sooo proud of my baby!

Yep, it's quite a happy day!
Congrats Henry!

How Are The Fish In Chicago?

This past week, we've spent a few nights up at our little county fair.

Thought we would venture up to the city after a lot of country life.

We took the children here:

Once inside...the lovely Chicago skyline.
Where else can you have such a fresh view of the Sears Tower?
Hot outside...

the aquarium....soooo cool!

4D movie

dolphin show

lotsa cool animals

Very relaxing just watching the girlies watch the animals.

Not so relaxing trying chasing Henry, then trying to keep him happy in his stroller!

(Jon's the winner...little man was all smiles when daddy showed him the walrus!)

My girls...the refreshing view of Lake Michigan!

It was buzzing with people, boats...you name it!

Emily picked out a "Hairy Otter" shirt (yes, loving Harry Potter these days).

Laney swooned over her Chinese fan.

And Henry squealed with delight over this crazy purple rubber thingamajig the size of a small cat!
Three happy little peeps.

Happy momma.

Happy daddy.

And...wiped out!

GREAT DAY VISITING CHICAGO!

Have a SWIMtastic weekend!!!!!!!!!