A Pictoral Guide to June Summer Fun

Summer "started" a little late for us this year due to our wonderfully cold/icy/floodingly long winter.  Finally though, school was finished.  We started off with our "tradition" of going to What's the Scoop? with Joey and Patty for lunch.  The kids love the ice cream and crane machine, and it's fun to walk downtown from school to start the summer.  The first official day of summer was a rainy, chilly day (par for the course this year).  We canceled our plans for the White Sox game and instead had a fun day hanging out with Lynn, Celeste and Patty and their boys followed by running some errands.   We were thinking we should be looking for a new house to fit the new baby and all, so we started out looking at houses.  We are currently in the mindset that we like our house, neighbors and location much too much to move, so we are purging, cleaning and rearranging with the idea of eventually adding-on (someday :))…

The next week was beautiful. Swimming lessons started and summer reading and the craziness of summer :). 

On that first HOT Saturday of the summer, we made a trip to Brookfield Zoo.  It was really fun, and we all took SO MANY pictures :).  

Lunchtime/nap time

Trying to cool off 

  Then came Vacation Bible School during the second week of swimming.  It made for a hectic week – swimming at 8AM then VBS from 12-3.  We were all exhausted in the evenings.  Patty and I did the story time section again this year, but Mary stole the show each day.  The kids would come into the church and immediately call for her to sit by them.  She obliged some days, and others she teased by dancing in the aisles.  She had a wonderful time with all the attention.  The theme was, “Building the Kingdom of God” with service projects every day.  The children had a great time and learned so much about the ways they can help, no matter how little they are.

Jack and Grace both celebrated their birthdays the week of VBS.  Celeste made their absolutely delicious cake and cupcakes :).  Hard to believe they are 8 and 6!!!  They both wanted *big* things this year.  Grace has entered the realm of American Girl dolls, and Jack has wanted a camera of his own for years now.  Well, my aunt and cousin gave Grace my cousin’s AG doll, Kirsten, which was so wonderful, along with a bunch of clothes, a bed and BEAUTIFUL chest.  She just loves it!  Jack got an older camera of ours.  Believe me, he takes better pictures than I ever did with it!

Summer has been terrific so far – it is beautiful and relaxing and going by way too quickly!!!  We are so blessed and are thanking God every day for the gift of being together!