Good Things, June 2012

Almost every day at some point, I sigh a happy sigh and say, "I love summer." (Often I say it to nobody in particular, and often I have also said other various things at different points during the day, including, "Out! of the hot tub!" and, "How many times a day do you think someone says 'mommy'? A hundred? Two hundred?" and, "Wow, it's hot.") But looking back on this month in photos confirms it: summer is my favorite season, and we've had an exceptionally good start to this one.

Good things:

reading (cozy morning reading, reading standing up, reading with sister, beach reading, ambitious vacation reading material);

Annie playing "Long, Long Ago" at her piano recital;

last day of school;

sisters spontaneously snuggling at the pool (not-as-good: children who get cold and need to snuggle under towels to get warm on hot summer days at the pool);

the constant state of the playroom (breathes deeply, averts eyes);

morning soaks in the hot tub;

the annual making of strawberry jam with my mom;

Jason's happiness at his large, smoked-all-day brisket on Father's Day;

New York City;

the girls successfully buying their first pool treat after amassing enough quarters by doing chores;

celebrating 13 lucky years together a couple nights late with a long ride and dinner at Honey Creek Inn;

one precious quart of Michigan cherries, most of which were gobbled greedily by yours truly, a few of which made it into these smitten kitchen browned butter cherry shortbread bars;

family bike ride to the Reed's Lake Run packet pick-up, which turned into biking to Harmony Brewing, which turned into being filmed for a PBS craft brew documentary ("Hi, I'm Stephanie, and I take my children to bars!"), which turned into eating dinner there, which turned into . . .

Jersey Junction;

 Annie, upside-down:

this conversation today in the car, passing a fireworks stand:

Jason: Did you hear that there have been all kinds of problems with people lighting fireworks lately?
Stephanie: Yes, there was an article about it on Mlive.
J: Sweet.
S: Who are these people who need to celebrate holidays by blowing stuff up, not only on the actual holiday itself, but beginning fully two weeks in advance?
J: Well, people buy the fireworks for the 4th of July, but they are just so excited to have them that they can't wait, so they use some early.
S: And by 'people,' you mean 'boys.'
J: Yes. Want me to stop and get some?