Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Summer is off to a great start. While it's true that the schedule looks a little intimidating with all the various games, tournaments, camps and such, so far everyone is where they should be when they should be and enjoying it too.

I'm pretty sure that Ted's golf pass has already paid for itself. He averages 18 holes a day and that's a conservative average.

Lily had a fun overnight with Grandma and Grandpa. They went on a boat trip in Lake Geneva, ate out and went shopping. Oh, and this time Catman didn't tear through the screen door to into the woods and away from her.

Lily and I are keeping busy with activities and outings, and slowly checking things off our summer bucket list. We spent a fun morning at one of our favorite places: Shalom, and a rainy day creating in the kitchen putting some of her new skills and techniques learned at cooking camp to use.

We fed all the animals. The raccoons especially loved the marshmallows we smuggled in. The bears too. Shhh.

 The baby arctic fox was the sweetest.

But the baby bobcat was a real close second.

We made her favorite vinaigrette, peasant bread, a roasted chicken and ice cream.

Ted pitched a complete game the other night leading the team to a victory against our arch rival.

Lily made the all star team and she's loving softball. She says yes to every invitation to sub, and pouts when games get rained out, which has been often.

We're getting acquainted with our new ice cream maker. She made a delicious pineapple mint sorbet and then we made an easy chocolate with our Droste cocoa. We're bringing it to the lake this weekend with hopes that there are still berries for picking at the nearby farm because fresh strawberry ice cream sounds perfect.

An extra hour of sleep in the morning without the hustle and bustle of wrangling tired tweens and teens. The morning feels so luxuriously long that I find myself lingering over a few chapters and then driving along the lake to work and then rushing so as not to be late. I'd really like to start working out in the morning to free up the evenings.

A walk with a friend at the start of my day off. We walked along the lake under broody skies that opened up just as we finished.

My goofballs.

A full weekend ahead. Paul Simon tonight and then Windmill Beach for some family fun in the sun.

A week off.