I know what I did last summer

Dear Mom,
My summer is easily divided into chapters. Chapters I and II were the post op recovery and building Sweet Haven - a room of my own- chapters which I have documented on this blog.

Chapter III: A relaxing long weekend in Northern Michigan celebrating our Young Lady's 19th birthday.

Chapter IV: Early August had us prepping and organizing a Milestone Event. Moving our Young Lady our baby! off to The University of Southern Indiana, where she is studying Art and Illustration.

She is doing really well.

Our nest is empty-ish.

Olive tells me she misses her sister in the only way she can. I keep finding Olive on the Young Lady's bed. This squeezes my heart a little.

Chapter V:  About five years ago some friends and I hatched a plan. No empty nest issues for us. When the last 2 of us took our youngest off to college we were going to Scotland. And we did.

We departed on September 8. 

And arrived to the land of Kilts and Castles, Mist and Moors on Sept 9. 

It was a grand adventure. Everything I'd imagined and more. I'll share more in the days to come.

Love, 

Kim

Champions

Dear Mom,

After a long swim season, swim team has come to an end. The teenager, the diva and pipsqueak are in hibernation this week. Yesterday we were in our pajamas until 4:30 in the afternoon (only changing into our clothes before David got home)!!

This past weekend, we spent 23 hours at Miami University for swim championships. The kids swam for about 7 minutes of those 23 hours!! It was the most exciting championships -- ever. The lead changes were back and forth and the point spread was as few as 3 points ahead and as much as over 100 points behind!! Our team was not favored to win. The team has won 14 years in a row but as swim leagues and summer swim teams change and get larger, the margin for winning got narrower. The teenager placed 15th in all of the Tri-County Swim League in the butterfly! Woo hoo! The diva won her heat in backstroke and got to see her name in lights on the Miami University scoreboard! Woo hoo! Pipsqueak?! She's just so darn cute!! Woo hoo! The teenager, the diva and pipsqueak all swam their best times for the meet; the entire team fought hard to WIN--15 YEARS IN A ROW!!!!!!

It was a fabulous year. Swimming is always my favorite time of year. It is hectic and busy but at the same time, it is a time to sit on pool chairs spending time with friends, renewing friendships from previous swim seasons, cheering our kids on toward personal victories. The championships are the highlight of our summer. Our swim coach designs special championship shirts each year and our kids can't wait to see the new shirt! We wear our shirts with pride!! We nervous moms cluster together in the University stands and wring our hands. We celebrate when our children win their heats, we comfort each other when our child "DQs" an event. We whoop and holler when our children break and make new meet records.

When swimming ends, it is a reminder that fall is right around the corner. School and homework will replace the easy-ness of summer. Crisp air will replace the humidity of summer. Alarm clocks will need to be set. We will have to wake up in the dark and we will have to wear real clothes.

Until then, enjoy every moment of the rest of your summer!

Love, Wendy

Country Livin' in the Summer

Dear Mom,

Summer is just flying by! So much to do and see. The county fair is always a highlight of my summer...to see the proud 4-Hers displaying their projects and the community coming together to appreciate and support them is heartwarming. The "Small Animal Barn" is my favorite place to visit at the fair. It houses the poultry, pygmy goats and rabbits.

These are Sarah's pygmy goats--Jolly, Yeager and Bud. They just wouldn't hold still! Here are two adorable Jersey Wooly rabbits.
This is a beautiful Belgian Bearded D'Uccle rooster--Meg's male counterpart. Looks like he needed a special warning sign against poking fingers...poor little guy.

The weather has been superb and my little garden is producing some wonderful veggies. I really thought my beans were finished once the rabbits discovered them. I covered them with bird netting to keep the rabbits out and quickly learned that bean plants do not actually need their leaves to blossom and produce fruit. There are so many beans now that I don't mind sharing them with the rabbits.

This is my first big harvest...green beans, green peppers, Early Girl tomato and zucchini.

I'm eager to try out this sweet corn, but I'm not quite sure how to know when it's ready to be harvested...The 16-foot tall Sunzilla sunflowers....didn't quite make it much past 5 feet!! Oh well, they are still pretty along the fence line. These sunflowers turned out to be HIGH MAINTENANCE! The rabbits, bugs and shade are their enemies.

The hummingbirds are plentiful this year. Summer just wouldn't be summer without them, don't you agree?! Benny is certainly enjoying his warm summer days...on my clean tablecloth! Love, Bonnie Jo

A Rare Glimpse Into The Highly Unorganized Life of . . . Me

Dear Mom,

Unlike Kim, I will never be caught up. Not on daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly chores. I do have good intentions. My dryer does have dry towels. But that's only out of necessity because the kids need to dry off after swim team practice and meets. And the kids don't go to the "towel closet", they go straight to the dryer. Yeah, don't ask about the other dirty laundry that ISN'T in the dryer, or the washing machine for that matter.

My pantry did just get restocked this afternoon. I had to fit the grocery store in between swim team practice this morning, stroke clinics this afternoon and working a special event at the yarn store tonight. While the food was literally thrown into my pantry, the kids and husband will be fed. Of course, is there ever "anything good to eat" anyway?!

And books?! I have been reading several books. In bed. At night. So I've only been able to manage a few pages before nodding off. And then I forget what I've just read. So I usually have to start over. A lot. I've read several pages from several books, though.

I have also done several photography jobs. I have been the swim team photographer for several years.

I have also been talking to a high profile hotel and have earned the job to take photos of the hotel for an updated website and brochure! When that job is finished, I will let all of you "see" the website! I have also had a smattering of children turning a year older, smiling their biggest birthday smiles and looking equally smug and sweet in new birthday clothes!

No. I will never be caught up. I think I like it this way. I have been spending my "lazy summer days" with my kids, my family, my neighbors and friends. Time we don't normally have during school hours. In the summer, we have long cookouts. The kids have friends spend the night. We solve world problems over s'mores with neighbors. We stay out too late watching fireworks. We love. We laugh. Ahhhhhh. Life's so sweet.

Love, Wendy

Summer Evenings

Dear Mom,

Now that summer is unofficially here and I am with children all day (I know, I only have 3 but they have morphed into many more and they bring their friends along, too), it is time for campfires, s'mores and tent sleeping. Activities all begging for Daddy while I am in the air conditioned house enjoying my "refreshments" too!

Enjoy your summer evenings!

Love, Wendy