Summer

We had a grand summer.  So many fun-filled outings and park days.  So much carefree play and freedom of strict schedule.  Time to enjoy nature, explore, create, and just be a kid.  I love getting to create wonderful memories with my children.  I hope they grow up feeling that they had a good, happy childhood, and forget the times their mom was cranky and how often the house was messy.

I can't remember if I posted this video of them at the beginning of the summer, making veggie soup outside:

Since I am so far behind on the blog, I am putting together a smorgasbord of photos.  Take a look back on our summer!

Founders Park

The kiddos were hard at work digging some big holes in the sand and filling them up with water.

He seemed so captivated by the rake he found.  :)  And these swings are so relaxing to him!

Quaker Park

West Park

My little escapee!

There was plenty of time spent at home as well, so it was good when the kids could get creative when coming up with things to do!

Playing with rice.  They were actually making a garbage dump spot with it.  :)

Always lots of book-reading!  I love that Eli's laughing at the picture in his book.  :)  We joined the Summer Reading Program at two different prizes, so the kids enjoyed winning prizes for the amount of hours they spent reading, as well as time spent on other literacy activities.

Clara was pretty sick so I had to come up with more ideas for Eli.  I remembered this one from a long time ago.  Place baking soda in a pan, fill vinegar in ice cube tray, dispensing food coloring in different sections.  Use a dropper to place the vinegar in the baking soda.  Fizz!  They loved it!

They both love getting the board games out.  Here they were playing Boggle Jr.

At one of our trips to the library they were having a Discovery Day, with lots of different activities to play.  Eli spent forever in this room building a ginormous fort.  He had the best time and was the very last kid left!

Playing 'Chef' with pretend food.  He asked if he could put it in the real oven.  I shouldn't have let him because OF COURSE the next time I heated up the oven I completely forgot that his play food was still in there.  Thankfully they just browned a little at the top.  Could have been so much worse!

Cool Creek Park

We have a couple of different locations we play at at this park.  One area has the playground and a bridge close by with a small area that sometimes has water if there's been enough rain.  The first pictures here are from that spot.  The second spot we visit is just a creek to swim in, with some sand and clay mud there as well.  We visited that swimming creek several times over the summer.  It's just 5 minutes from our house and the perfect spot.  One day we were around a group of older kids while they caught crawdads, so Eli and Clara got to see them and help catch them, too.  We've caught a few little fish (just for fun).  Eli discovered a "hideout" down further in the creek.  He is so happy at the creek he says, "I could live here!"  One day when we were all there David noticed a rather big snake perched out on a tree branch right above the water.  The kids had walked right past it without realizing it!  Eeek!  That certainly made me a little more nervous wading through the creek!

Ezra plays in the creek when we visit our swimming spot.  This day was just a playground trip but then the kids hopped over to the bridge.  He had to stay in the stroller because he wasn't dressed properly.

They love to completely cover themselves with the clay mud and pretend they're statues!

Had fun playing with Eli's friend, Brylie.

Clara's statue pose!

These GORGEOUS pictures are David's handiwork.  Love how he captured the beautiful light and the kids' joy in their play!

Holliday Park & Nature Center

The day we went there was sooo crazy hot and humid.  Yuck!  But then a big storm struck so we ran into the nature center to play just in time!

Eli was talking some lady's ear off about the bees.  I overheard him ask her, "Do you know why bees are so important to me?  Because I love peanut butter and honey sandwiches!"  :)

Flowing Well Creek

The day we went here was right after we had had many days of heavy rain and storms.  The creek was very high and moving very fast (I totally spaced the rough weather previous or I wouldn't have planned to go there).  There was so much debris everywhere and so much thick yucky mud.  The kids didn't even play in the water because it was too high and fast.  Ezra made me so nervous because he always tried to eat the rocks!  But boy did he love our creek visits!

Clara being silly and pretending to eat the rocks, too.

Eli, my archaeologist, discovered a buried golf ball.

We don't have many trees to climb in our yard but they like to get up owhat they can!

 

Conner Prairie

One of our most favorite places to go.  Love, love, love having a membership here, and that it's so close to our house.

Canoeing in the Lenape Indian Village.

Building a house in the Treetop Outpost.

Grammie and Ezra admiring the view from the top of the Treehouse.

Running across the bumpy bridge!

Riding the tram is always a highlight!

Getting wet at River Crossing--

Another Conner Prairie trip with Dad, always a special treat.

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Inlow Park

This is my favorite splash park!  The water's not as freezing as the other ones and the kids always get soaked!

Coxhall Gardens

Ringing the bell as we walk in.

Kids and statues!  They always love seeing little statues.  Thought it so sweet how Clara treated this statue girl as if they were best friends.  :)  

This park is often pretty sparse of children, but one day there were a ton of kids there together.  Eli joined in playing a rousing game of hide-and-seek tag with them.

Eli dabbing for letter 'E.'

And 'E for Ezra', too!

Clara on her 'C!"

For some reason Eli looks like he wants to throw his shovel full of dirt on someone in anger, ha!

Some of David's film pictures when he took them to a couple of different parks--

LOVE this one!  It looks so perfectly staged, though just happenstance how each one is placed.

It's funny how old-timey our photos look on film.

We stayed home in the afternoons for Ezra to nap and then for me to make dinner/clean up.  Perfect time for backyard play!  We enjoy using the sprinkler, water table, sandbox, and kiddie pool.  Occasionally I'll play some soccer, frisbee, or baseball with the kids.  Or sometimes we'll do bubbles or chalk if I can remember.  ;)

Here's a crazy video of them playing outside--

Oh, summer, you were good to us.  'Til we meet again!