Wrapping up the Summer

What a sad title. Say it isn't so! But alas, this is Labor Day weekend--the unofficial end of summer. *sigh* Summer used to be my least favorite season. It's true. I loved the smell of fall and the crispness in the air. I loved back-to-school time, and afternoons spent running cross country races in the cooler air. Winter used to be fun--sledding, skiing, snowman building, and the occasional snow day off from school. Then spring melted all the snow and I was back outside again. The sweet scent of flowers blooming and track practice every day. Oh, it was good! (And even better back then, because I didn't have spring-time allergies!) But then summer would come. And the only good thing I could find about summer was air conditioning. Hot and sticky were not my style.

Now I view the end of summer with some sadness. Fall, which I used to love above all other seasons, is now just a segue to winter, which is currently my least favorite season. A few more hot days would be OK with me right now.

*ducks to avoid any thrown shoes*

Anywho, in an effort to tie up a few loose ends, here's a quick run down of what we've been doing to bring summer to a close:

There was some water painting. Do you recognize the subject of their masterpiece?


Maybe the words at the top will help. See? An amazing likeness, don't you think? ;)


And then there was camping in the backyard. (It was just the girls and Dakota. Josiah and I had enough sense to sleep in our own beds. I mean, really. When my options are the hard, rocky ground, or my comfy bed, the bed wins hands down. And Josiah agreed. He's such a good boy.)


Since it was Ashlyn's first time camping, Dakota and Emma decided to initiate her into the backyard camping club. The conversation went something like this:

Emma: "Dad, I think we need to tell Ashlyn about the giant camping moose."

Ashlyn: "The what?"

Dad: "The giant camping moose? Oh, you mean the giant moose that comes around and nibbles on the toes of little girls when it's their first time camping?

Ashlyn: "A giant is going to eat my toes??!!"

Emma: "Yeah! A giant moose! He looks like this!"


Ashlyn: (the look says it all)


I'm just kidding. That didn't really happen. But the pictures were funny! :D

And finally, Emma recently celebrated her half birthday. To celebrate the occasion, we walked to TCBY after dinner, and Chuck E. Cheese sent her a coupon for 20 tokens. That's a good day in the life of a six year old. She looked ahead to her next birthday--the one she's been waiting for since she was three--and told us about some of the things she thought she'd finally be able to do six month from now. The list included being able to wash the dishes, and making doll-sized cookies (because she thinks normal sized ones might still be a bit too advanced for a seven year old). When asked what kind of cookies she would make, she replied, "regular ones." Oh yes... those "regular" cookies... Um, which recipe is that again? :)

Well, that about does it for us. I'm still going to enjoy the last couple official weeks of summer and hope for a few more warm days to be sprinkled in before fall really sets in.