Daytrippin'

We are settling into the relaxed summer "schedule."  I admit, it's nice to wake up and savor my cup of coffee.  I catch up on my Words With Friends games, empty the dishwasher, check my gardens and all while NOT watching the clock.  The school year is definitely a grind, with the 8:00 am start time.

A few weeks back, there was an end-of-school picnic.  The kids had fun playing in the sand, exploring the park and eating treats from Cake Flour.  (The owners have children at MSL)  MSL=Montessori School of Louisville.





We've been taking a few short "day trips," to mix things up.  This candy store is a necessary stop anytime we cross the river into Indiana.  It's been there since the 1890's!

 



Old Candy Bag:


My Mom suggested we make a trip to Hidden Hill Nursery.

What a fabulous little place!  There are surprises and charming details around every corner.

Like this door to the meadow.  Of course, you could just walk into the open space on either side of the door...but we do what the sign says!






  












This nursery can help make ALL your Pinterest dreams come true!






The shade gardens had an extensive water feature, to which Dev could not help but explore.


Even the frogs seemed used to visitors...this one let her touch his back before jumping to safety.

Summer Schedule

This post features photos taken by my iPhone only. After dropping my camera a few summers ago, I'm pretty careful about where I take it. Our summer is off to a great start, mainly because Devin can resume her favorite activity, swimming. Our first order of business was a "summer cut." It only took a few trips to the pool, to help Dev understand the need to cut a bit of hair off.  This is Before:


After:
:

She was very happy with the cut and we've been relieved from dealing with those awful tangles.

Devin showed a lot of interest in designing a Fairy Garden, so we went on Pinterest and found some cute examples. On a rainy day last week, we finally had all of our objects. Devin and I spent most of the afternoon creating her little garden treasure:


We've been taking "nature walks" in the mornings, to collect small items for a book Devin's working on.  On this particular morning, it was very cloudy and early.  Once we entered the trees, in was pretty dark!  Devin loved our "spooky" walk and we traipsed around for more than an hour.

  


We discovered a happy, little ladybug.


And, Devin spotted this beauty:


Matt bought Devin this circuit board thing. She's really gotten into this old-fashioned toy. The instructions are clear and she can put together small experiments of sounds and frequencies.


Matt and I played mixed doubles last weekend...and lost. But, we managed to have fun and Devin got to meet, "Blue."  Guess who has a serious case of "puppy fever" now?

So, we're adjusting to our new schedule.  Or, lack thereof.  I admit, it's nice to relax in the mornings.