I Know it's Summer, Because This is What Summer Looks Like

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is stand in my pool and read. I know when you put that all in a sentence, it doesn't make much sense (why stand in a pool? why read in a wet place? etc) but trust me I have a system, and it involves a towel and some warm bricks and the shade under a nearby lounge chair, and it's all awesome and works great, and you're just going to have to trust me on that unless you want to come over and partake, in which case please do because you're definitely welcome. Yes you.

If you come, I will even have my pool boy get this beast vacuumed. Swearsies.

We also swim outside with the kids pretty much every evening. After Nathan gets off the bus and Ali is picked up, we get in the pool around 5 and swim til dinner. Totally curbs the witching-hour crabbies. RECOMMEND.

do you think having daughters is everything he hoped and dreamed of?

awkward enough for a Christmas card? yes?

Last Friday Mark and Another Nathan and I went downtown (ahhhhh trying not to count down the very few Fridays we have left here all together) and ate at Beasley's Chicken and Honey, which is a relatively (?) well known place, at least as far as the Raleigh foodie scene goes. And we had wine and beer from mason jars and people-watched downtown and ate chicken and waffles, and it was all delightful.

And then we went out for fancy cocktails, with fancy-shaped ice, and fancy hand-pestled fruits and herbs, because we can.

Did I say fancy? We felt very fancy.

On Saturday Nick and Barbara had their annual (annual?) crawfish boil and it was once again hot as the blazes outside, and also in my mouth. There is something about a table full of crawfish and a boozy drink in a red solo cup that just screams SUMMER! to me.

It's also the season of almost-daily afternoon storms, and one day this week it rained longer and harder than usual, and Charlotte, who is sometimes dainty and delicate and other times a hot mess, decided that playing outside in it would be just the thing. I... well... okay?

Also, Nathan has officially had his last tee-ball game (it took me a series of "are you trying not to smile? don't smile! better not smile! to get this picture) and if tee-ball is over, that means school should be over to, so let's wrap this first grade thing up now, shall we?

Summer break, I am ready for you.