Closing out the Summer

The days of summer are beginning to draw to an end.

It is beginning to get dark earlier in the evening,

a few leaves have begun dropping from the cherry tree outside my bedroom window

and, contrary to the South, evenings are beginning to get cooler.

This summer has had a different feel from summers in the past.

It was shorter, for one thing, from all the heavy snow last winter.

The kids are getting older and I don't feel like I need to "entertain" them as much.

Our trips this year were all about spending time with family

and investing in those we love most.

When the kids got out of school, they went right to Rob's parents.

Rob and I enjoyed a lovely week in Seattle- an area I had not spent time visiting before.

I was entranced by the scenery and the lovely cool temperatures,

which were a welcome break from what would be the hottest temps on record

for our area this summer.

Meanwhile, Rob's parents took the kids on all manner of fun excursions and adventures,

including a trip to King's Dominion.

They were exceptional with them!

Upon our return, we enjoyed a lovely Fourth of July with Rob's family.

Very few things bring me as much joy as seeing my children romp, laugh and play

with their cousins.

I hope with all my heart that they remain close as they grow up and become adults.

I also got the big surprise of finding out that my brother and his wife Michelle

are expecting their second child!

What a thrill!

There will be almost exactly two years between Nathaniel and their new baby.

Soon after, Kate and Chris left for a week of sleep-away camp.

This was Kate's second year to go and Chris's first.

Trey did a morning camp in which he learned to create a computer game on a PC

and then we did some cool adventure type things in the afternoons.

It was nice to have some time with Trey alone and I was reminded of the days

when it was just he and I.

I think he enjoyed it a lot too.

However, he's not my baby so much any more and he's making a lot of noise

about wanting to go to sleep-away camp next year too.

Guess it is not only summer that is passing quickly!

A week after the kids' return, we packed up and headed out to Martha's Vineyard.

More about that in my next post!