Summertime, and the livin' is easy!

It's official, the ice cream truck proves it, Summer is right around the corner! I love Summer and all that it represents. The sounds and the smells of Summer bring back so many of my own fond childhood memories. Summertime was simply the best. Summertime and the freedom it brings is like a right of passage in childhood. Summers are when I had some of my favorite adventures and I hold onto the memories like they are precious gems, because they are.

I have a feeling this is going to be a regular occurrence!

Summertime means sweaty brows and dirty bare feet, it's eating way too many popsicles, its chasing fireflies, its endless days of playing outside all day, every day. It's impromptu picnics, and long bike rides. Its picking your mom dandelion bouquets, its smelling like coconut sunscreen and practically tasting the beachy air every time you put it on. It's summer baseball games and fireworks, late nights and early mornings because you can't wait to see what the day holds for you. Its the smell of fresh cut grass, skinned knees, windblown hair, and the sound of the ice-cream truck.
Summertime can be perfectly summed up in one sentence....

-Summertime is always the best of what might be- Charles Bowden

Every summer has its own story and I want Landon's summer stories to be some of his favorite chapters in his life. One of the positive things about moving up North is that Summer is just a little bit sweeter. Living in Naples was amazing and I miss it all the time. It was a perpetual Summer and I loved it, but I can say I appreciate it so much more now. So far, Landy's summer is shaping up to be pretty amazing. There are adventures to be had, friendships to be forged, and ice-cream to be eaten!

Landon has become quite the ladies man in the neighborhood. I didn't even realize there were so many children in the neighborhood. Leave it to blue skies and sunshiny days to bring the kids out! Landy just recently had a picnic with our neighbor's granddaughter. Abby is all he can talk about. My husband took a picture of the two of them sitting under the shade of our huge tree eating their wheel shaped pasta and talking about who knows what....
Oh to be a fly on the wall for that sweet conversation...

This makes me happy! 

Then, another neighbor's 7 year old granddaughter took Landy under her wing like a mama hen and taught him the fine art of hide and seek. Seriously...they were hiding in another neighbor's car. Granted the neighbor said they could I still didn't know whether to laugh or lecture them about "smart" choices! Then, he and Hailey bonded over ice-cream sandwiches and laughed chocalety smiles. It was a delicious moment. I wish I would have captured that. I find myself taking lots of mental snapshots and I really do mentally file the images away. I don't want to be so obsessed with capturing every moment that I miss out on actually experiencing the moment.


Besides, I am always more amazed and impressed by the moments I can't quite capture anyway. Like, how do you capture the innocence of kids and the ease in which they make friends. I love that Landy walks up to other kids no matter where we are and wants to play. He is so brave and uninhibited. I want that to last for awhile. Life.. relationships... its all so un-complicated right now. I want to follow Landy's lead and lead a less complicated life. I want to live in the moment more and I want to be brave and genuine. I want to just be me and be completely and totally comfortable with that. I want to stop over thinking and over complicating life. Ah....another life lesson from my little sensei!

Here are some of our pre-game Summer moments I managed to capture. I know this Summer is going to be great!

Ice Cream Time

Good Choice!

My favorite people in this whole world!

Family Day! We played kickball for like 3 hours! Nothing makes you feel old like being sore after kickball.....

This smile!

It was a good day!

Could nature be more beautiful? I mean, we have flowers slowly drifting down from the trees... 

I feel like I'm in a Dr. Seuss story. I probably wouldn't be shocked if the freaking Lorax popped out!

 The entrance to "our" field! Landy is very impressed that the trees are no longer "maked"

DISCLAIMER....Landy AND I are obsessed with dandelions!

He finally learned how to successfully make a wish and send the wish fairies on their way!

This was a REALLY long dandelion and Landy was enamored!

I'll take a bouquet like this any day!

Even beautiful in black & white....

That yellow though.....

Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air -Ralph Waldo Emerson-  My Summer Motto

We recently went to a carnival so I'll write about that soon because a carney post is always good! Tonight we are off to a baseball game AND fireworks...there will be beer and hot dogs so I am ridiculously excited. Who knows what other adventures Summer holds....I can't wait!