I hardly can these days

as naps are “on hiatus”

and the new bike seat (thank you-Jich) is taken out for a spin.

If it isn’t a pool party full of swimming

then it is trampoline time.

The full swing of summer has arrived.

shiny eyes

chubby cheeks

burnt shoulders that are beginning to blister

babies that are friends

bags of chips

arms coming out of our tadpole 

different lunches to make with friends

girls in this family of five

more days until the weekend

When the evenings are so lovely why stay indoors?

sandwiches and salad

fresh fuit

a little beer

while watching husbands chase barefoot children

and then coming home to enjoy cookies with ice cream.

A wonderful way to start the week.

A free balloon ride

that goes 400 feet up in the sky.

The boys took the ride, while the girls stayed on the ground.

We are sitting in the shade of the white building below, waving and watching.

The boys rode bikes 

and enjoyed the fresh air.

When we came home they were out back splashing around

while there were diaper buns and sunburned backs to air out.

By the early evening Olive was trying to roll over,

Paul read books,

and I have complete sympathy for this girl who is making her teething face.

The pain makes her eventually pass out

four hours at the bay

with a content baby

and children who have preoccupied themselves with digging holes

and water play.

Really, does it get better than this?

I love the summer.

There are little boys bringing in beetles to show momma

that they found while bike riding out back

and they put them in their bug jar (thank you Angela)

for closer examination.

While their papa washes out the multiple fish containers we have

Which I like to admire, only when they are clean

because the fish are elegant in the way they swim.

But I feel like it is almost too much effort to be housing these small pets

and I am not even mentioning the tadpole

except to say he looks like a fish with two legs (creepy).

“You mean the merry go round?” – me to Paul

“Yeah, sure” says Paul.

He so easily shrugs of the constant word play, but it makes me laugh everytime.

He also likes to double check that “we are eating fake chicken, right? because we are vegetarians.”

“Yes we are”, at Native Foods in Costa Mesa (yum!)

Also, you should have seen the grouchy look on his face when my mom’s co-worker suggested we eat lobster or fish for lunch.

She lost her last pig… now she has a smaller wooden pig.

All this drooling has me fearing that she could already be getting teeth.

So I have finally admitted to myself that this little pumpkin is different than her brothers.

She fills a different part of my heart that I didn’t know needed filling until she arrived.

She makes me want to raise up this confident, generous, outspoken, girl who resembles some of my most needed qualities.

I love her 

along with the hairbows, longer eye lashes, chubby cheeks, and big eyes.

The best part of summer is that we get to spend time together.

All five of us.

As we hunt down free fun

around town.

It doesn’t take much to please us these days.

It’s like we have the place (summer) all to ourselves..what a treat!

So the big surprise today was renting a Duffy Boat

and having a sailor papa,

which is right down the street (yay- for local business).

Everyone relaxed as we went

riding around the bay,

going under bridges,

avoiding sailboats,

waving at dragon boats and kayaks,

getting a fish eye’s view.

We even met three little kids (two older brothers and a little sister) that were out kayaking alone.

Fun and Brave!

The boys each took a mini turn at the wheel

before the tour ended.

We may have found a new tradition for this family.