Almost Summer

A hummingbird just whirred past my window - I can't see it, but there is no mistaking that characteristic sound of summer.  We just got back from a Memorial Day barbecue with some friends from church, the first day this year that I've actually felt like we needed some sunscreen.  There is a rhythmic beating sound outside my window and laughter as the kids practice their fledgling basketball skills.  I have a La Croix next to me, coconut of course, as I sit on my couch in a messy room, but it can wait because I haven't written an update post in forever.

We finished the homeschool year a couple weeks ago, and the last couple weeks have been about catching up on all the house projects that have fallen by the wayside.  I switched out all the kids' clothes last week (a full day project, if you include laundering time), I cleaned out all the school cabinets and packed away curriculum that we won't need for next year, and I've washed all the linens, which was overdue.  The kids cleaned out their toy boxes and closets, I dropped off a bunch of stuff at goodwill, we bought flowers and vegetables and got most of them in the ground.  We brought out all the summer outdoor cushions for the chairs, put up the umbrella over our porch table, and hung up the hummingbird feeders.  I've been making lists of items that need to be bought for summer crafts and summer treats, freezing Koolaid cubes for those hot summer days, overseeding the lawn, and putting together a "summer binder" (full of 'I'm bored' lists, chore lists, etc).  

It's been a busy couple of weeks!

In between all that, I've been carving out a little time for fun projects that I haven't had time to do during the school year.  I finished a couple books that I've been working on for a while, I tried a scone recipe (fail), I've gotten back to the gym after a months-long break, and I made some clay earrings (just for fun, and to give to family and friends).  These little watermelons and flowers were fun to make, and I think clay earrings may be an interesting creative outlet for me in the months to come.

I'm looking forward to the summer, but to be honest the real relaxation of summer doesn't truly start until June is over.  The next two weeks will be full of homeschool planning and window shopping before the homeschool conference we have every year in June.  The homeschool conference is exhausting but worth it - you can read some reasons why I think you should attend a homeschool conference, if you get the chance, here.  We've also got a couple weekend trips in there, a whole week of VBS, and a library book sale, and several playdates in June.  And oh, my birthday.  I'm not sure why, but everything always gets scheduled in June, and July is the time for kiddie pools and serious summer reading.

Speaking of reading, I made a whole stack of books I want to read in the next couple months, and it's a little out of control, as always.  There are several summer releases that I'm hoping come in from the library soon, a friend and I are reading The Hiding Place together, and I'm planning to read Everyone Brave Is Forgiven with my penpal and friend, Felicia.  Then I want to participate in a Youtube read-along (on this channel) of Moby Dick.  Ever since I found out that R. C. Sproul's favorite book was Moby Dick, I've wanted to read it, but it's a doorstop for sure.  I'm hoping to find a copy at the aforementioned library sale.

Other happenings around our house: Derek built an office for himself in a corner of our garage this spring.  Ever since Covid - so THREE YEARS ago now - he has been working in nooks and crannies around our house. He actually started out in our walk-in closet, but that was too cramped, so he moved to a corner of our room, then to the loft.  After three years of us trying to be quiet for him and not quite succeeding, we finally decided this work-at-home thing was hear to stay, and we needed a more permanent solution.  We had some wide shelving in a corner of the garage, and a window, so he just tore down some of the shelving, put up a couple walls, laid down a carpet remnant, and voila - a beautiful, perfect little office.  I honestly don't know why we didn't think of this sooner!  The kids don't have to be as quiet (or not) anymore, and the whole family still gets to benefit from Derek's two-second commute.  Win, win.

For the next six weeks or so, Derek is going to do weekly basketball lessons with the kids.  My sister is going to bring her kids over for lessons too, and I think everyone is looking forward to it.  I'm also hoping we have time for some swimming lessons for the younger kids this summer, which we mostly do ourselves because it's more cost-effective that way.  Our oldest is attempting to grow some vegetables in straw bales this summer.  I never knew this could be done, but he discovered it in a book he found at the library, and we decided this may be a way that we can actually grow some things in our rather arid corner of the mountains.  I'm optimistic!  My dad reports that his mom grew green beans and carrots up here back in the day, but she had a significantly greener thumb than me.

It feels like I'm cutting this post short, but it's nearly dinner time and I think I need to wrap this up so we can enjoy the last bit of this long weekend as a family. I have plans to pop on here more often this summer, but no promises for June! June is the same as December around here, chock full of exhausting fun.

Hope you all are having a lovely start to the summer too, and my there be ore summer relaxation in your near future than mine!