Summer? Is that You?

Long-time Washingtonians assure me that summer semi-reliably arrives by the end of July.  But last week my calendar still read "May," so somebody is confused!  

I'm not sure if the week of warm sun happily coincided with nesting-like urges to "get things done," or if it was the cause of said urges, but regardless, it was a productive week for the record books.

We officially kicked things off before the sun arrived, when Mark took Bryce on his long-anticipated train ride on the Snoqualmie Railroad.

 No one would be shocked if I said he loved it, right?

 Once the sun and warmth arrived, we took full advantage of every minute.  We took Graham on his first stroller ride up to the neighborhood park.

There, we ran into a cute friend who generously let my kids take turns driving his jeep.  Scary times, for sure!

 

I signed my kids up for swimming lessons.  REAL swimming lessons this time.  We'll keep at it until at least Aubree and Bryce can actually swim.

I was unsure how they would do in a more focused, serious environment (especially Thane, who has spent almost no time in a pool).  We spent a lot of time talking about "exercising our courage," and how the more we exercise it, the bigger and stronger it gets.  So far, they all love it, though it's definitely pushing each of them out of their comfort zones.

Every afternoon found us outside riding bikes and playing with neighbors (Graham got extra love and attention from our adorable neighbor girls).  That's one thing about Washington... when the sun is out, so is everyone else!

At our Co-op, the preschoolers learned all about insects.  We took advantage of the lovely weather and trudged outside to examine worms and ladybugs and caterpillars.  

The wings on their backs are a result of their metamorphosis from caterpillars into butterflies.  People at the grocery store where we stopped on our way home from the co-op probably didn't get that.

Friends invited us over for a morning swimming in their hot-tub.

And made us smoothies to boot!

Mark packed up Bryce and Thane and took them to our Stake Father/Sons camp-out.  This was Thane's first Father/Sons campout and by all reports, they had a blast.  

While the boys were away, the girls got to play.  Aubree and I (and Graham, of course) went out to eat with a bunch of friends, then stayed up late to watch a movie.  

And the biggest undertaking of the week...we built and started planting a garden!

I've been wanting to do this all Spring, but it always stayed in the "I sure would like to..." stage.  But then our friends asked if they could park their truck at our house for a week while they flew to England.  "Please, use it!" they insisted.

With a truck at our disposal for just one week, suddenly "sometime" turned into "right now."  We hauled lumber and dirt, annoyed our neighbors with incessant hammering, earned some fabulous blisters, and ultimately accomplished our goal!

Inspired by the garden's success, I also planted a Jasmine (to remind me of the home where I grew up), and four blueberry bushes along our back fence.

Oh yeah, and some strawberries too.

It remains to be seen how quickly I can kill off well our plants will do, but it's exciting to look out the back window and see things growing.  

It was a good week.