Summer is coming

After several crazy weeks and busy weekends, things have finally started to slow down and this week I've had the chance to enjoy the longer days and the warmer weather.  I always look forward to this time of year.  With more daylight hours and nice weather, I can spend more time outside with the girls every day of the week.  And I take full advantage of it!

Peaches loves to be outside and is especially enjoying the beautiful weather.  She'd spend hours just lounging in the sun with occasional breaks to bark at a passerby or to stalk a bird or squirrel.  Imke has also been enjoying much more outside time this year, now that she has a friend to hang out with her.  She'll happily stay outside sniffing every inch of the yard as long as someone is out there with her so Peaches is her perfect friend.  Maddie prefers to be outside only if mom is out there with her, so while the other two are outside, I have a little shadow following my every move.  But once I head out the door, Maddie is happy to follow and spend time watching the world go by.  She also loves a good nap in the sun.

So this week, I've spent some time out with the girls every night, working on finishing up this year's mulching, adding new flowers to the landscape, weeding, fixing the garden and laying down my annual layer of straw(although there will be now plants in the garden this year due to our upcoming travels); I even made time to just sit back and relax a bit.

 We've made sure to get out for some nice walks around the neighborhood, trying to vary our routes regularly so that the girls can experience new smells along the way.  And we even splurged and had a little ice cream one night, which was the cause of much excitement and an audience of beggars watching my every bite.

But my favorite night this week was the night I decided to have our first bonfire of the year.  It was a beautiful night with no mosquitoes and I had the first lightning bug sighting of the Summer.  It was so relaxing and enjoyable sitting in the yard and enjoying the sound of the wood cracking and the smell of the smoke. It is really beginning to feel like Summer now.  

Over the next couple of weeks, I am hoping to have more time to just sit back, relax, and enjoy all our Michigan Summer has to offer. I'm looking forward to all of the quality time with the girls enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and bare feet in the grass.  I've got to make the most of it while we can because Summer goes by way too quickly and before you know it, we'll be heading into Fall.

Now we're off to enjoy some time with my parents for Father's Day on this very humid and hot day.  I'm sure that we'll find some fun adventures along the way.  Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, but especially to mine!