Five For Friday: Summertime Is Upon Us

Okay, six photos.... You get one freebie. 

So we've officially been in summer vacation mode for three weeks now. The first week was a lot of fun, but not a lot of routine, since we were hosting Joe's parents and doing little projects, field trips, etc. 

But these past two weeks, we've settled into a new normal, and it's been really, shockingly nice. I think some of the reasons it's been pretty easy/fun to get used to having all three of my yahoos, all of the time, are as follows:

1. They've done a pretty good job of figuring out how to sleep past 7:30 am. Hooray for me! 

2. We've maintained the sacred Quiet Time even with Noah home. Lucy naps 75% of the time, Quinn naps hard every day, and Noah gets one hour of quiet reading time alone... all synchronized so that for one hour a day, guaranteed, I can just sit and not answer any questions, fulfill any demands, listen to any bickering, etc. 

3. Noah has had a one-hour summer school class for the past two weeks... Not long enough to really go DO anything, but long enough that we don't want to just sit around the parking lot to wait. So we happened upon a pretty little green space in a nearby neighborhood, and dubbed it "the meadow", and quite by accident, this 45-minute daily picnic blanket, shade-tree, birds-chirping play time with Lucy and Quinn has been AMAZING for my soul. Theirs, too, I suspect. In fact, I plan to go back there a few more times this summer with all three of my kiddos, even though the "need" is now over. 

4. Joe is going into work earlier so he can come home earlier, so I get almost one full extra hour with him home, being my co-parent and co-referee... right about the time I really am running out of "parent juice". Perfect!! 

So for today's set of Friday photos, some VERY ordinary (but simple and lovely) moments from our summer so far. (no meadow photos yet... That will probably need a whole post of its' own!)

1. Lucy has been sleeping later than the boys. So I share my breakfast with these two. See Quinn in a booster? Big changes here: he's out of the high chair for good, and loving it. 

2. Lucy, sleeping late.... Cute Sleeping Beauty.

3. Stack of stuff to pack for swim lessons. We are signed up for T/Th mornings, all of June. Yes, even Quinn, with me in the water with him. It was the only way to make it work to get the other two in lessons. The boys are LOVING lessons. Lucy: utterly traumatized. Sobbing and wailing at least 75% of each lesson so far. ACK. Its hard for her and for me. 

4a. and 4b. Backyard sprinkler fun. Does it get any more classic than this?

5. This very morning, Quinn wanders over to me causally, smelling of peanut butter. AND HOLDING A JAR OF IT, OPEN, WITH PEANUT-BUTTERY FINGERS. Whaaa??!  He'd managed to yoink it from the counter without even dragging his usual chair. Managed to unscrew the lid. And was happily dipping his paws into it and eating fingerfuls of peanut butter. When he knew he was in trouble, he started crying--- so pitiful. This is him on the counter, waiting for me to wipe him down, getting a few more teary licks in. This kid. Exasperating, darling, cute little devil. Also, note his new haircut. He was dripping sweat from his longer locks almost daily, so though it was hard for me, I cut it all off to see if he'd be more comfy for summer. Cutie. I miss his hair, but he's still so handsome. 

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So summer is here for you, too, yes? What has changed in your routines? Good changes? Bad ones? And have you yet indulged in some classic summerness, like sprinklers, pools, or popcicles? 

I think we're going to wade in the river next week, maybe visit the zoo... go back to the library to refresh our stacks of books.... And keep having Quiet Time. For ALL of our sanity's sakes!