The Best of Summer

Abe caught the kids a snake in the backyard.  There was excitement all around.

Greta being brave.  Welcome to the club, Gret!

Summer fun with cousins and friends.

I think this would have been my dream toy as a kid.

This makes me want to host a water party for kids.

The kids had so much fun-- loud and chaotic but mostly just fun.

My adorable and fabulous niece, Aliyah.

I'm so happy for these little cousins to get to live by each other for the first time:)

Jules and Greta.

More!  More!  More pictures of them:)

Bethany and Cannon have been hard at work with play rehearsals for Newsies and set building and painting in their "spare time".  They can't get enough.  This play is going to be the highlight of my summer-- I CANNOT WAIT!  I mean, I have to wait, but I am crazy excited.

Summer slurpees.

Look who is crazy about practicing piano.  The boy loves it.  Begs for it.  I am as surprised as anyone, but he's loving it and let's be honest-- I'm loving it!

He has stretched me and challenged me, but he has also wrapped himself completely around my heart and I love him so much.

My birthday was last week and I had a lovely, lovely evening on my birthday celebrating with much of my extended Cannon family.  The gathering wasn't planned in my honor (no offense taken), rather it happened to fall on my birthday, but there is no group of people on this planet I would rather spend time with.  I've talked about this group before, but it is worthy of mentioning again.  This group-- my dad's siblings and my cousins and their children are the most loving, kind, warm, friendly people I have ever had the pleasure to associate with.  When anyone goes among them they are greeted with genuine smiles and hugs and and exclamations of how happy they are to see you.  They look for the best in everyone.  They have trials and problems, but they look outside of themselves and always look for ways to uplift everyone around them.  THIS is what I hope for for my children and grandchildren.  

Here I am with my beloved Aunt Carolyn. She is roughly ten years older than me and has been very much a mentor to me since I was first pregnant with Clark.  I love her and am so thankful for her wisdom and good judgement-- especially as I enter these exciting young adult years with my children. 

This beautiful, beautiful box was on my porch when we arrived home from Aunt Jennifer's house.  Are. You. Kidding. Me?

So lovely.  Such a treat.  I did get pretty well spoiled with treats for my birthday from friends and family.  My birthdays are always a somewhat uncomfortable reminder that I would like to be more considerate of other people on their birthdays.  No one (especially not me) deserves this special treatment, but I really do appreciate it.  

Now this next picture I share-- not to brag, because I am actually rather disturbed and embarrassed by it-- but rather, it is the truth and it is mostly how I spent birthday.

Elinor usually has access to a car from my brother to drive to work (she is a nanny for his children) and to drive to all her many swim practices.  But a car was being worked on so I had the pleasure of chauffuering her and all the other kids around on my birthday.  It was intense and it was a bit much, but I am not complaining.  Word of wisdom to parents of teenagers:  If you get your kids alone in the car, they have to talk to you:)  Elinor is so busy this summer and I'm not getting as much time to talk with her.  So it wasn't all bad!  Plus I had a great audio book I was listening to, so it was an entertaining day.  

It brings me a lot of joy to watch children develop their talents.  Driving them around is a small price to pay.  George and Cannon are thoroughly enjoying their ballet workshops this summer.