Galavanting around

There are so many things I enjoy about the summer. I LOVE that I have the summer off to enjoy with my kids, take time off from teaching so I am fresh for the fall, soak up all the wonderful sights and experiences Michigan has to offer, meet casually with friends (on a whim), and the flexibility to do as we please...every so often! Life is good! I am feeling extra blessed this summer. healthy, happy (for the most part) kids, lovely weather, more sleep filled nights than not, fun times at the lake, great memories made with family and friends, an occasional campfire, oh and that most loved-most wonderful glass of wine!

As many know, I am in the midst of working on my thesis. At the beginning of the summer, I had the worst attitude about it. I saw it as the obstacle that came in between my time with my kids and my free time at night. However, as I am in the downward slope of writing it, I see how much it is stretching me and helping me to grow professionally. I notice now too that I am more present with the kids. It is helping me focus. I'm not reading anything outside of academic literature ok.....so I took my InStyle magazine to Indy this weekend and got a bit carsick in my attempt to enjoy it. Oh well! I'm not as good about keeping my blog updated with all the great stuff the kids are saying and doing. But this is the balance I have struck for this phase in life. Things I am doing:
Seizing the day (this morning we did an art project, read three books, went on a 1.5 mile walk/bike ride, had snack, and had quiet time all by 10:45)
Going to the library
Playing outside
Maintaining our little container garden (so sweet)
Getting plenty of exercise
Having lots of adventures on the lake
Going to the zoo
Attempting to figure out Facebook
WRiting my thesis
Training to run a 1/2 marathon in October

Sometimes I wonder how I have time to work during the school year??

The kids are all at such fun stages right now. Ella is obsessed with her American Girl Doll, Ainsley. She is reading very well, and very interested in learning to draw animals. Carter is hilarious in all he does. He is such an outdoorsman and honestly we should have given him the middle name of "Water". He is attracted to it like a magnetic force. A few weeks ago we had spent a couple of days at my parent's lake, we had bathed the kids, had dinner, and were dressed in pjs for the ride home. Ella had conned everyone into a "bedtime boatride". Upon docking the boat and heading to the van. Carter (fully dressed in jammies and pullup) couldn't resist jumping off the dock into the lake for one last swim! Geeze! Christian is growing and changing so much with all he is learning and saying. He still calls me Daddy! Which I can't understand but I am accepting this name...as it could be much worse.

Many might wonder...where are all my pictures???? Well, it's not that I'm not snapping away, it's just that I haven't taken the time to install the photo software on our new laptop. Last week, Scott almost had to come home to whisk me to the hospital with a heart attack. I was reading email and everything went black. YIKES! Our computer ....died.....and I foolishly hadn't backed up my thesis. Yup, can you say PANIC????Well to make a long story short, Scott in all his technological wisdom retrieved our hard drive and reinstalled everything to our new laptop. WHEW! I just haven't had the time to work on the pics or blog.

In a nutshell, the 4th of July was so fun. The kids were mesmerized by the magic of the fireworks. We've enjoyed a day at the beautiful beach on Lake Michigan, and we just returned from a fun filled weekend in Indianapolis to celebrate our nieces First Birthday! Oh, my word, she is so cute. She and Christian are only 3 months apart and they are so fun. Ella adores the fact that she is the big cousin and constantly wanted to take care of her. We were so lucky to be there while she was just learning to take her first steps. It is so amazing to see that process develop. We even managed to spend Friday at the spectacular Indianapolis Zoo. It was a hot, humid day but the animals were amazing! I am looking forward to posting pictures soon. I should go make some lunch for the kiddos. Christian is sleeping off our busy morning and should be awake SOON.