Not yet!

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Let it be known that it is officially STILL SUMMER!!  We are protesting the near end of the season.  Today we spent some good quality time at the "secret beach".  It is not really secret- but we like to think that it is our special place (it is a rare day when we must share it with others who happen to come along).  So often during the summer we retreat here.  There is usually a nice breeze coming off the river and the water is refreshingly cool. 

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The younger girls dig and dump sand, seemingly content with such a monotonous chore.  We listen to the birds sing and watch the ducks float by.  Short breaks are taken to munch on snacks (lots of sand in every bite).

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Emma spends much of her time searching for shells.  She has taken to "collecting" things.  I dutifully save each tiny little thing that she deems worthy of saving (not really).  She organizes and catagorizes them, looking carefully at the qualities of each shell.  Often times making up stories about the creatures that once lived inside.  Such a deep thinker.

Yes indeed, for two more weeks (until school starts) it is still summer. The girls and I intend soak up every minute left.  We will swim, we will nap, we will eat watermelon for dinner, we will play and play and...

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enjoy!!

happy days

Our garden has been such a great teaching tool.  It has amazed the girls (and me too) that with a little dirt, some warm sun, and a lot of water- things grow!  It has afforded us opportunities to talk about hard work, reaping what you sew, planning ahead, sharing with neighbors, and things of the like.  Each one of the girls has their own work ethic.  Emma loves to harvest. She digs the glory of brining in the biggest cucumber or ripest tomatoes. Hannah likes to go behind me and find the green beans that I have missed or the tomatoes I couldn't reach. Laurel loves it all.  She is perfectly content eating the leaves off the sunflowers or the blossoms on our squash.

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I was talking with my Dad today about how there are different times during the day when I wish I could just freeze a moment- so that I could enjoy it a little longer. Wouldn't that be great?

For example:

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Popsicles on the deck after dinner (and before bath- messy... note to self)

Or:

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Reading books before bedtime.

As the children get older, I have begun to realize that they are growing so quickly.  I look around me and wonder where the time has gone?  Part of this blog, I guess, is in effort to document our days.  Our happy happy days!