Welcoming Summer At My House

(Swimming lessons take place at a nearby lake. It's basically AWESOME.)

Good morning! We have been thick in the throws of official summer break since Monday up in here. (In New England, summer doesn't start until like ACTUAL summer starts, which is really weird, and makes it feel like summer is NEVER EVER going to come. But now, the schools are out, the library summer reading program starts today and swimming lessons started on Monday. SUMMER! SUMMER! (What day is it? Is it Wednesday?)
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(Most of my pictures are of Miriam because she doesn't run away from me.)

Anyway, we've matched our summer "break" with the schools here which just makes it easier to keep track of things. Poor POOR Henry declared, "Why do we have to do school in the summer? No one else does?"

(Ezra does not care for swimming lessons. He LOVES playing in the water. But please do not insult his intelligence by trying to TEACH him to SWIM.)



(Swimming lessons makes one hungry.)


I'm mean. I replied, "Because if you don't your brains will rot and drip out your ears."

Spencer was skeptical, "Really, Mom?"




(Swimming lessons!!)


(The brook across our street is basically our second most-favorite place so far.)


So to combat brain-rottage, and general entropy, we've started a STAR CHART complete with prizes (I've become my mother, this is, in this case, a good thing). And it is keeping our summer somewhat organized and myself comfortable in the knowledge that at the very least, I can say that I'm TRYING to raise human beings who are not complete hooligans. WIN WIN.



(STAR CHART!)


 (The brook! So much to try and eat!)

SUMMER! It's SO MUCH FUN!


(He was having a great time, I promise.)


(See? Giant sticks. Great time.)


(Yum, rocks!)