On the lake

My dad worked his boat magic and the boat was good as new, and the trip went off without a hitch.  The day was beautiful -- warm, but not too hot.  We stayed out all day snacking, swimming, hanging out and enjoying the view.  I think my favorite part is driving around and exploring all the little coves around the lake.  When we decided to leave the kids were sufficiently exhausted, although Charlie spent most of the day on the boat snacking rather than swimming.  That kid, I tell you.

After we left the lake we went back to my dad's house to have some dinner and unload the boat.  Leaving there (much later), with full tummies and sleeping kids, I fell and busted my knee, wrist and hand on his driveway... typical, right?  A ridiculous ending to an otherwise fabulous day.

Gearing up

We've been visiting the river at the end of our street just about every other day, in preparation for our trip to the lake.  There was some problem with the boat motor, so my dad's been working on it and just got it fixed.  We're going out tomorrow, all day, and I'm SO EXCITED.

I'm a little worried about Charlie -- she doesn't want to go into the water down by the river, so we'll see how she does on the boat.  She was such a waterbug last year, it cracks me up thinking about the difference from last year to this year.  All she'll do now is stick her feet in, and throw rocks.  Phoebe and Marissa, of course, jump right in, and Phoebe can almost swim without her floaties -- she's getting very bold.

I'm looking forward to hanging out all day, swimming, eating, relaxing, and throwing the random child in the water.  Depending on how things go I just may never come back -- I wonder if I can get WiFi on the boat....

Phoebe the animal lover

We found two praying mantis (mantises? manti?) in the shrubs at the side of our house this afternoon.  Charlie was a little freaked out, especially when they swiveled their alien heads to look at us, but Phoebe was trying to be the Mantis Whisperer.  She's totally going to be that crazy pet lady when she grows up, just watch.

Can it just be summer forever?

Seeing lots of progress with the garden, I go out there once or twice or eleven times a day to check on things. A little obsessed? Maybe. Hopefully we'll see some actual veggies here in the next few weeks, but there isn't much for me to really, you know, DO. Except poke around a bunch.

The neighbor ladies showed Phoebe and Charlie how to do hopscotch the other day, so Bryan drew them a crazy-ass Dr. Suess type hopscotch course.  With flames, because we're just hip like that.

LOVING this summer, I think it's our best ever.

Cheap ass present

One of Phoebe's birthday presents was an old toy of Marissa's.  We lugged this damn Barbie Jeep out from SoCal, expecting that we would one day replace the battery and let the girls play with it.  One day turned into a couple of years later, and Phoebe found it in the shed and bugged the crap out of us to ride it.

I had the bright idea to just buy the replacement battery and charger (all it needed for a happy second life) and give her the damn thing as a present.  Bryan was skeptical since it was, literally, dusting off her sister's cast-off, but I didn't think she'd care.

She couldn't care less that it was second-hand, she just wanted to hop in that thing --the battery and charger came today (finally!) and I didn't think we'd survive the day if she didn't get a chance to try it out.  Luckily it charged quickly, so Phoebe took her little sis out for a spin or twelve.  They had a blast -- Phoebe loves it so much I think she'll run away and drive it to Vegas if we turn our backs on her.