Project 365, Week 23

A new month! Feels like we've officially kicked off summer and all the slower pace things it holds.

June 1

Avery and Jack were generous to invite me to their ultrasound appointment. It was the most wonderful, surreal thing to meet my grandbaby like that. It was as much a joy to see the baby on screen as it was to watch the parents watch their child. Oh, the wonder of it all.

Another wonder...32 years of marriage between a man and a woman, who are opposite in almost every way imaginable.  Shaun is one of the good guys, my gift from God.

June 2

My morning walks have been splendid, I'm grateful to be moving my body!

Amanda was delighted to see the first pics of her niece/nephew.

There are several large pine trees in the pool area. They drop needles constantly right into the water and are not helpful for anything. Nathan and Shaun thought they'd save us $10K-ish and do it themselves. It was quite the thing, but the trees came down and no one was hurt.

June 3

The next evening, we were back at it to get the last and trickiest one done. With good planning and a little luck, it fell right where it needed to.

June 4

Morning light. So grateful for another day.

It was the loveliest evening for a show and we got there early to be able to sit out on the patio and watch the theater goers. Amy and I accidentally twinned, which we do with a surprising amount of frequency given that she is fashionable and I am not.

The consensus was split on Water For Elephants. Amy and I were meh about it but the girls really liked it. Either way, it was a fun evening out with our daughters.

June 5

Here I am, happily pictured, doing yardwork alongside Amanda at the office. Little did I know my right arm would soon be covered in poison ivy.

Helped arrived to clear out the mess in the pool area.

Peony time!

June 6

Shaun invited me to kayak with him while he fished. It spoke volumes of love that he would ask me into a space that is usually his alone.

This was a catch earlier in the week from his daily morning 'I'm out golfing/fishing but still thinking about you' picture.

Aiden had a fan section at his last game of the season (which would be cut short a couple games because of his upcoming surgery).

The first Watch Party of many at the lake.Yay for soccer!

Then every one grabbed a partner and a project.

June 7

After church, Jack and Aiden helped me with a Marketplace pickup for the lake. I stopped and bought them lunch to thank them. The two best boys around!

We ended the day with a huge raking team and got a large amount of work done in short order.

I love getting old! One of the ways I can tell is every week now, there are random photos on my phone. Here are a few of my favorites from the week:

Project 365, Week 22

This was our first week of full access to the lake house this year and there was much to be done! The kids are often there with us and we enjoy getting time with them. Its also a wonder to watch blooms appearing

May 25

Happy Memorial Day! It was a lowkey day for us. I got to talk to Avery called from their camper trailer in the mountains of New Hampshire and we found a cousin at the lake.

May 26

Aiden had a swollen, black and blue pinkie, even two days after his soccer game, so I took him to the orthopedic doctor. When the doctor came in to explain the xrays he said, 'yeah this pinkie just has a couple small fractures that will heal on their own. Its this other pinkie that I'm concerned about. Because Aiden dislocated it five months ago, the only fix is surgery, and the sooner the better.' Sigh.

The first watermelon of the season is a rare and precious gift...

...so is the first outdoor meal of the season at the freshly-vacated lakehouse.

May 27

Spring!

Putting the dock together is no small task, especially since we're learning on the fly.

May 28

Ginger and I have been walking in the not-yet-planted cornfield next to our neighborhood. Just me, Ginger, Jesus and the early morning sun. Oh, and also the turkey hunter guywho stepped out of the woods in full garb looking, for all the world, like a swamp monster. Talk about a jump scare! I screamed, he felt bad, and Ginger and I turned and quickly left for home.

May 29

The pool requires daily care and Avery's getting good at all the parts of it.

Last year was a frantic frenzy of work and the garage became the natural dumping ground. Shaun, along with this bit of help, cleaned out the whole thing and is now systematically putting things back such that there's a place for everything and everything has a place.

May 30

Our 32nd Anniversary and we started the day with a 7-year old up at the crack of dawn, and an already-filled day. That Shaun would come down and put on a cartoon for them to watch together is one of the many reasons I love this man. He gets up everyday and lives for the benefit of others.

We got married on this lady's birthday. Happy birthday, Dear Nana.

Nathanael threw Tina a very small, intimate graduation party to recognize her completion of her master's program. He did such a great job pulling resources together and making it special and customized for her.

May 31

Morning snuggles are the best. Sometimes we don't say any words and sometimes, in hushed voices, we talk about really important stuff.

Nature or nurture? Dakota's dad lived with us for 2.5 years and as Dakota ages, we see more and more of his dad, who he doesn't even remember. For instance, he loves to build things. Jack spent some time with him using some scrap pieces of wood to make a table. Dakota's heart was bursting with satisfaction and pride. And my heart was bursting that Jack's going to be such a good dad! 

When I have Dakota, Avery and Jack take the twins. Or more like, when Avery reaches out and asks to take the twins, I get Dakota, too. :)