Summer Days

Requirements for a good summer:

1. Fireworks! We watched them from the back of the truck. To kill time before they started, the kids rode their bikes and then we played Uno until it was too dark to see. Katie didn't like the noise and Joe said, "There's no reason to be scared, 'Datie'."

2. Eat fried chicken. On Independence Day, we had all the fixin's! To go with our chicken, I made potato salad, baked beans, wheat rolls and chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Our guests, Lisa and Doug Westmoreland, brought corn on the cob and wonderful company.

3. Play in the sprinkler. Check!

4. Sidewalk chalk. Check!

5. Vacation Bible School. We had a blast at our Western themed VBS this year. Even Joe goes around saying, "YEE-HA!" Katie's new thing is to play cowboy with her jump rope as lasso, a net (?) and one of daddy's hats.

6. Swimming. My friend Leah was in town with her baby daughter Georgia and we went to visit them at her mom's house. Linda has a pool so we got our swimsuits on and played all afternoon.

7. See a movie. Jeff, the kids and I all went to see "Ratatouille". Katie loved it, but Jeff and I weren't as impressed -- not as good as "Cars" or "The Incredibles". Also, we went yesterday to the free movie at the Mall of Georgia. We met several friends over there to see "Everyone's Hero", a cute baseball CGI cartoon. After the movie we had lunch at the food court and then went outside to play in the fountain. The kids didn't want to leave!

Well, that's it for now -- but summer's not over yet! I haven't yet decided when to start school this year, but it will probably be in mid-August. We've already gotten Katie's books for second grade and we're both excited. More on that later!