Summer Break Week Four

I spent my mornings sitting with an elderly friend this week. I discovered I like feisty older friends as much as I delight in feisty little friends. She has a twinkle in her eye when she says something ornery and I found myself laughing and co-conspiring to some extent with her mischief. She made for some sweet mornings.

The kids and I knocked a few more items off the summer bucket list. We visited friendly giants, bowled, roller skated and picked black raspberries. 

We also spontaneously freshened up the kids' rooms. Kate needed a serious decluttering of her walls to help clear her head a bit. I appreciated the deep clean each room got as we worked. In the end, Ty chose to hang all the marvel collection in his room, including Kate's art work. And Kate made out at the dollar spot in Target and at TJ Maxx where she went with a soothing color pallette. We refinished a headboard we've stored in the garage for years and added some vines to her twinkle lights. She is thrilled with the results. 

Makenna took Ty to the lake with the kids she babysits so Kate and I were able to spend some time in Louisville, returning a dress and grabbing a dessert together. We both worked on it and left feeling a bit ill. That was a lot of sugar and we didn't consume half of it. It was a sweet afternoon.

Summer Break Week Three

This week, Kate wrapped summer school physical education class with field trips to multiple awesome locations. At one point, she called with a friend, holding adorable ducklings she wanted to bring home. Grateful the coach wasn't going to allow animals on the bus as an additional deterrent, the babies were deposited back along the hiking the trail their momma had expected to discover them once fifty-five rowdy teens vacated the premises. Kate made friends and had a great class. A group of boys gave away trunk loads of chips each of the final days. Teens are strange. 

Ty had a few friends spend time with us this week while Kate was away because other than challenging him to several endless games of basketball in the driveway, I failed to provide enough entertainment for the active boy. 

Ty and I knocked an item off his summer bucket list together Wednesday night. While preparing for the sleeping portion of our "sleep in a tent" agenda, we read a choose your own path book my mom sent him. We never made it to Oregon on the Oregon Trail, but we didn't die either so we are calling it win. Then, around eleven, he casually mentioned how surprised he was that I was still awake. I was tired but I was waiting on him to fall asleep before doing so myself. He admitted he was hoping I'd fall asleep soon so he could get into his own bed where it was warm and more comfortable. There appears to be some misunderstanding as to who actually wanted to sleep in the tent. We had a great night but the tent was abandoned and we both slept well. In our own beds. I love this boy.

Friday, we packed a picnic and headed to Deam Lake for the day. Kate brought a friend and met another there. Ty's friend brought his entire family so we had a great day. It was hot but the shade and breeze offered relief when the water was simply too much after a few hours. Ty, who appears to be part fish, never tired of swimming. I love their summer bucket list and the fun we have completing items. 

 

Tonight we kicked off the weekend appropriately.