I wanted a 4th of July picture. His response, "I just want an American picture of peace." While referring to his peace shirt and flags, he didn't realize how deep that comment hit.
Happy 4th of July.
June, Our Everyday
It wasn't the record breaking temps of May, but it was good.Filled with that sweet smell of a warm rainy day- and late nights and lots of fresh air.
& then one of the hottest days I can recall, with hours in the river.
Summer may be my favorite.
Kids Were Here
'If you must look back,do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present... gratefully.' -Maya Angelou
Remember when we were all packed up and ready to head out to Pasagshak, for what become one of the best weekends of summer, ever.
Remember your very first blueberry cobbler, which was also the very first thing for each of you to bake, 100% on your own. Ry kept exclaiming 'this is so awesome! this is so awesome I'm making this all by myself!'
Remember the blueberry cobbler baking aftermath. 
Remember how good the cobbler tasted. 
Remember the first summer we tried our hand at gardening, and our first little tomato we watched grow; maybe it will turn red.
Remember your 5th birthday, Covey, your incredibly awesome carnival.
Remember your 'real' birthday, Covey; everyone that said 'happy birthday' at your party, was met with a quick response of 'it's not my real birthday, it's my fake birthday.'
Remember our experiments baking bread, Ry. Attempting to make a yeast-free loaf for you, that actually tasted good and resembled bread. We're almost there. 
Remember those gold kitty flats, Ella; you set them so perfectly by my flip flops. You have to wear them, a lot; today, it was swimsuit, raincoat and 'my cats, my cats!'.
Remember practicing your letters, both you boys, feeding off each other's drive to learn to read and write.
Remember those sweet summer days, filled with building, buckets, sandals and chalk, and so much more.
Baking Blueberry Cobbler
'No one is born a great cook,one learns by doing.' -Julia Child
Yesterday, I made a discovery. I need to stop cooking for my children. Instead, I need to cook with them. For possibly the 100th time, I'm making weekly dinner menus. This time, much more organized than before, with bigger hopes for success. I also had the boys each pick a day, when they can choose the dinner and be part of the process. Then I shared one of my childhood cookbooks with them- specifically, the stained, worn pages of blueberry cobbler. They were eager and excited; while making it, my oldest kept exclaiming "this is so awesome! I'm making this! this is so awesome!"...once the cobbler was in the oven, he started organizing our pots and pans, peeling carrots for the salad and setting the table. I think I'm on to something...and the cobbler was pretty tasty, too.
Mud Puddles and Rain Drops
'I find peacein the rain.' - anonymous
Laying in bed, listening to the rain drops hit the windows, offers an unusual kind of peace. Snuggled up inside, warm, watching the rain drops come down, is relaxing. Putting on rubber boots, and heading outside to jump in mud puddles, provides sheer happiness. Smelling the sweet air, after a summertime rain storm, is equal to the scent of freshly mowed grass or the salty ocean air. Perhaps it's a learned appreciation, finding peace in the rain; perhaps it's something you adapt to, living on an island, with record rainfall; or perhaps the rain is more peaceful than we realize.
Today, He is 5
Navigating through childhood; stuck somewhere in between little brother, and being bigger.Doing everything a little bit earlier than his older brother did. Still yearning for long snuggles in mom's lap, cuddled close, saying I love you. Five feels big- it's that milestone, that jump from little kid to kid; Yet still so small in so many ways.
Five is big.
He is ready for it; I'm sifting through photos from the last five years. Reminiscing. Smiling. Laughing. Not crying, somehow.
Because five is big.
