Hummingbirds and Bunk Beds

There was a hummingbird on our Zinnia flower this morning. Linc spotted it out the window while he was practicing his piano. He called me, and I came running, just in time to see it sip a last bit of nectar and flit off. Even though I only caught a three second glimpse of it, I'm thrilled! If we have a hummingbird, it means I'm doing something right out there in my front flower bed. I want hummingbirds and butterflies to abound in my yard. I want flowers, all kinds, spilling out of everywhere with their vibrant colors and fragrances shouting out to the rest of the neighborhood that we are rebelling against the clean cut, low-maintenance, drab suburban landscaping that seems to be the norm these days. I want so many flowers to be growing in my yard, that I can step outside and cut a bouquet, just like that, to give to a friend or put on the table, without even making a dent in the foliage. I have a long way to go. But I do have a hummingbird, so I must be heading in the right direction!

I also have two cantaloupe in my garden. A big one and a little one.

 
Aaron took Lincoln, Ivan, and Ollie to the Father's and Sons Campout on Friday night. Adelia and Ruby and I went with Aaron's mom out to Cold Stone for fancy ice cream. It was tasty, and Del thought it was about the most magical thing ever. (Usually family trips for ice cream involve the soft serve from Maceys, which isn't bad...but it isn't Cold Stone either.)

Lincoln took first place in his breaststroke race.

Saturday morning the boys made it back in time for us to get down to Payson for Lincoln to compete in his IM race at the swim meet. He needed another qualifying time in order to swim in the county meet. And because they got back in time for IM, Linc and Ivan were also able to swim Breaststroke (because it comes after IM). I was proud of Ivan because he remembered to touch with two hands at the of breaststroke and was not disqualified. I was proud of Lincoln because he got first place in breaststroke. (He also got first in the IM but he was the only one competing it in his age group.)

It was a good weekend. We got a lot of things accomplished that needed to be accomplished, including buying the wood for the bunk bed!! I canned 10 more quarts of Apple sauce with apples from our tree, and Aaron did a bunch of yard work. But we also had time to shoot a few hoops in the driveway, and have a fire and roast hot dogs. Ruby was cracking me up. She thinks she's just as big or bigger than everyone else. Her determination face just kills me! Haha! Never a doubt in my mind about her Type 3-ness.

It's interesting to me how our daily rhythms and routines change over time. Just a little bit ago, I was on this kick where we went to swimming and stayed out until lunch time. But now it's too hot for me to stay out all morning. And I'm getting bigger, so it's harder for me to carry Rue around all over creation in the heat. So our rhythm has changed. We still go to swimming every morning. But we come home right after and I make a giant "To-do" list for everyone on the school room white board. The list has some things that are the same every day, and some things that change. The big kids work independently for the most part, and while they are doing that I do my chores and help the little kids do their stuff. Well...I help Ollie do his stuff (clean his room, fold his laundry, etc.) and Rue basically just follows me around and "helps" me do my stuff. It's not the funnest thing I can think of to be doing this summer. But my house has been a lot cleaner. It usually takes everyone about an hour and a half to get their stuff done. Then we have lunch, then quiet time. Then in the afternoon the kids have free time for their own projects or to play with friends, or whatever. And I work on my projects.

In the evenings, after the kids go to bed, if I'm lucky, I can talk Aaron into helping work on projects. And since the bunk bed is the project we are currently working on, he's the one doing most of the work, and I'm the one helping and fetching tools. :) Last night it was a beautiful, breezy summer evening and I sat out in the driveway in my camping chair, enjoying the cool, and watching Aaron cut wood for the head and foot boards. I can't think of any other way I'd have rather spent the evening. I love to watch Aaron woodworking. His methodical measuring and adjusting the tools. I love how he rarely uses an actual measuring tape, but finds whatever is close at hand and measures with that. I love to see his wheels turning as he decides how things go together, or the best way to go about the process. So many details, and he's patient with them all. It makes me happy, to watch him.