and so it begins...

the days when the only footwear requirement is no footwear at all. when you squeak every last second you can out of daylight. when hours are spent lounging on blankets in the yard and on chalk covered driveways. when the inside of the house is forgotten about because it's only a brief stopping point for grabbing more items needed outside. when the sunblock doesn't quite make it back to its rightful place in the cupboard because you know it will be used again tomorrow. when the only cooking that's done is on the grill and whatever cold items you can pull out of the fridge and throw together.

summer.

when the days are just a bowl of cherries.



when the days are filled with tart, pulpy, lemony lemonade in a mason jar.



when watermelon, cherries, strawberries, hot dogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob become regular visitors to the dinner table.



when breakfasts and dinners are shared at the patio table and lunches are picnics on blankets spread in the grass under the shade of trees in the yard.

when midday naps are long and necessary.

when the first site of these beautiful and perfect blooms means not only that it's super close to summer, but also brings me back to our wedding day and the bouquet that i carried when i became a mrs. it will be 6 years for us this june 12th.



summer. ah, sweet summer.

this long 3-day, holiday weekend was a spot on dress rehearsal for the opening night event looming around the corner. while june 21st is officially the first day of summer, june 18th begins our summer vacation. that date means so much this year. it means the culmination of my first year in a school-based position. a job that i took so that i could spend more time with harper. so that i could be done with the work day earlier, allowing a few hours together before bedtime. a job that is closer to home, meaning less time in the car and more time for play dates, more time for running errands well before the dinner time hour when we're at our crankiest, and more time relaxing in our own space. a job that allows me to choose to work summer school, or take the summer months off. i chose the latter this summer. after working full time since 2003 fresh out of graduate school, it's time to take a breather. it's time to soak up the summery moments with harper, and relive those wonderful memories from my childhood. time to enjoy moments with this beautiful little...



...and the way she sticks her tongue out of her mouth when she is proud of herself and is trying to cover up a shy smile. just melts me.



this weekend was absolute perfection. even down to the rainy, thunderstorm afternoon today that forced us to spend time indoors relaxing and napping after the 2 1/2 days of heat and sun and outside chores and fun. the rain also gave me a break from having to water our vegetable garden and freshly planted flower beds.

i started our days with coffee and book reading on the patio before everyone was awake. sitting in the early morning heat, rising with the sun, and making headway on the 550-page novel for my book club on wednesday was a lovely way to start the day. we enjoyed breakfast out there when harper and michael woke up.



we moved on to playing in the yard and spending time in the pool.



planting flowers and watering the blooms. watching daddy complete loads of yard work that needed to be accomplished.



picnicing on blankets in the yard. enjoying dinners on the bbq grill with neighbors.





locating the perfect tree and branch to hang up our borrowed swing and spending oodles of time pushing harper and watching her smile and relish the wind in her hair.









finding this in a tree in our backyard, and getting excited about the prospect of fresh, new little birdies chirping outside harper's bedroom window.



walking uptown to celebrate a memorial day parade. harper was in awe the entire time of the people, the bands, the cars, the flags and the jets flying overhead. we are thankful for those who have served, and are serving, for our freedom.















i couldn't have asked for a better weekend. and it only makes me itch more for the last bell of the school year to come. can't wait for those summertime days.