Summer is in full swing.
Leo and Harry are in summer school. Ellie is in camp and Lucy is...yelling at me and eating a lot of Popsicles.
I am struggling to get here, to this place, to this touchstone that has been my little haven for so many years. The irony is not lost on me, that now that I spending so much time with my children, I don't have as much time to write about them. There is little to no time for reflection. It is tote that barge, lift that bail, make that snack, pack that lunch, load three kids in the car to go pick up one more.
I know this season is short. Temporary. It is also hot and sticky and ripe and loud and silly and messy and excruciating and beautiful and brief. The beautiful is sometimes hard to remember when you are in the middle of it and trying to balance so many things and wants and needs and schedules and your email is chiming because you have a deadline to meet and there are also voices saying "MOMMY" and "MOOOOOMMY" and then you remember that you have to ask someone for the twentieth time, "Do you have to go potty?"
With the boys in school in the morning and Ellie in camp, Lucy and I go on little excursions.
In a few weeks Leo will start camp. Ellie will begin her series of week long speciality camps (science, art, gymnastics). Lucy will finally get HER day ("princess" ballet camp--can you stand it? Because I barely can).
Fourth of July outfits (minus Harry) plus a Turtle.
I have always, always wanted to make a Flag Cake. Mission Accomplished.
Stars + Stripes.
"I need to teach them how to run down a hill!" Said Ellie. Meanwhile I was humming the theme to "Little House on the Prairie."
Leo, rightfully proud of his Super Hero watercolors.
Things don't always go swimmingly for Lucy at the playground.
Cuteness. With a potty photo bomb. Because, of course.
