Schooooooooool’s out for summer! Caroline starts camp tomorrow AND she has her dance recital this week. She is going to be one tired girl by Saturday morning. I’m hoping that means she might sleep longer than 6 am.

Sunday:

For her last soccer game, Caroline played with the U8 team. She was half their size!

Swimmers

We all love #lakelife

Monday:

We worked on our Father’s Day presents, which are late because E was SUPPOSED to be at sea. Although we are much happier having him home.

Glitter, the herpes of craft supplies

We put in a chin up bar for wrap swings

Tuesday:

Little explorer

A+ dentist visit

Keeping the healthy baby away from the germs at his check-up

Wednesday:

I cleaned out my purse. That’s just the trash.

I think my cat is plotting to kill me

Ice cream weirdos

Thursday:

He always sleeps like this

He really loves his foot

Hanging out

Friday:

Baby friends!!!

Morning playdates are exhausting

Loooook at my fooooooot

Saturday:

I don’t know why.

Water break

Happy weekend!

E was supposed to be at sea but he is not, so we had a nice Father’s Day at the zoo followed by pulled pork and ice cream cake. The kids announced THEY had the best Father’s Day, so I think it was successful. I really like the kind of family fun day where no one has a giant meltdown and I get to eat ice cream cake.

Off topic: I got a Fitbit this week, and my desire to get to 10,000 steps a day has been GREAT motivation for me to move. I also really love that it’s giving me extra points in my Weight Watchers app, because ice cream cake.

One of the reasons I keep up my photography business, if only on a very very part time basis, is because it gives me a tiny bit of truly disposable income. I can spend that little bit of income on whatever I want, whether it’s new photography equipment or getting my hair done or an investment in something else. That last one is what I did with my first quarter income from 2015 – I invested it in my family in the form of a membership in the Amos Lake Beach Club.

So far, it is proving to be a very worthwhile investment. The lake has shade, so much shade that I don’t have to wear sunscreen. The lake bottom is mostly sand and no rocks. There are picnic tables and grills so we can sit and play cards and stay for dinner. It is approximately 15 minutes from my front door to the parking lot. There are swings and climby things for the kids, fish so plentiful and fearless you can catch them with popcorn and a net, and there are almost always other children there for my children to play with but it is rarely crowded.

To be honest, I was sort of dreading the summer and all the free time we would have to…stare at screens and ignore each other. I am not good at saying no to iPad time when it’s only 10 am and the kids are already whining. The lake solves the “should we pack up and go somewhere or stay home and relax” problem. We can do both! At the lake! And we can bring beer! I enjoy my family the way I imagine people are supposed to enjoy their families when I am at the lake with a beer. I mean, I love my family all the time, because they are my family. But there are definitely moments where all I want in the whole world is the freedom to go do something FUN that doesn’t end up being incredibly stressful. But when you’re relaxing only 15 minutes from home, it’s easy to relax. As long as no one breaks their leg (KNOCK ON ALL THE WOOD) there are no emergencies at the lake.

I feel really really lucky we can live the #lakelife this summer. It’s going to be good for all of us individually and good for all of us together.