Summer: Splashing, Slides, Sailing, Spoons, School Shopping

Three cheers for a fun summer! It has finally arrived here in Oregon - it made its very late appearance in early July. We don't mind the heat because now we are finally getting to all our summer activities! It has been a bit of a challenge with our schedules - the Nerd was out of town all last week, VBS is all this week, and the Drama Queen and I will be headed up to Canada for two weeks in August.

Still, there was time for the Drama Queen and the Beast to take their very first ride on a paddleboat. I am not sure what was more exciting to them - the actual ride or getting to wear a lifevest.

I did not trust the Spud to stay in his seat on the paddleboat; but he amused himself for quite a while with a partially-deflated ball and wading pool. The kid is so crazy he was doing belly-flops into the pool and laughing hysterically!

Our friends ( the cool ones with the pond and paddleboat and big backyard) set up a homemade slip'n'slide complete with little inner tubes and dish soap to make the kiddies (and some grown-ups, ahem) slide faster. The Drama Queen daintily danced her way down the slide on her tippy toes each time. Perhaps she missed the point, but hey, she had a great time!

And who needs expensive plastic toys when a couple of spoons and some food cans will entertain the little hooligans? Traditionally, the kiddos have beat their little hearts out on pots and pans, but to save Momma's sanity, I persuaded them that the coffee can and the oatmeal can were just as fun. As apparently they were, for the kiddos spent over an hour playing their "drums". (Note: Make sure you are using empty cans or at the very least, firmly secure the lids with tape. Mischievous children will be sure to open the cans and distribute their contents liberally. )

And while I have been getting my fair share of the sun too, I have mostly been spending my time on The Framed Frog orders, paperwork for the Beast, and planning for VBS puppet theater.

That, and waiting eagerly by the phone on Friday because my baby sister ( in Canada) had her first baby! Little Delaney Hope is so beautiful, and my sister is already an amazing mom. I am so excited to go see her in August and monopolize the baby. :)

Also, the Drama Queen and I have already been hitting the stores for back-to-school shopping - getting uniform shirts and a lunch box at Old Navy and crayons and glue at Target. (giddy with school excitement!)

Exciting times! And speaking of exciting times, I now need to rally the troops and make a trip to the post office. It will be epic, I'm sure....