Ah, summer

We have enjoyed this first week of summer vacation. Our mornings have been full of fun at home.

We’ve spent lots of time in the backyard playing and looking for four-leaf clovers.

We’ve read books. Lots and lots of books.

Actually, there’s nothing like the promise of a book for a prize to motivate Charlotte to read!  We’re participating in summer reading programs at our local public library, Borders/Waldenbooks,  Barnes and Noble, and Half-Price Books.

We’ve made sculptures from straws and marshmallows. First the girls cut the straws. This is an easy way for little fingers to practice using scissors.

Then they sculpted.

Then they ate!

This craft idea came from Craft Camp hosted by Skip to My Lou–check it out for great ideas for summer fun!

In the afternoons, Charlotte has attended a camp at the local School for the Creative and Performing Arts. It’s been a great experience for her. The younger girls have enjoyed playing together during those afternoons. There’s been too much to do for them to bother taking naps!

Our evenings have been full of playdates with the girls’ friends and family fun–walks, music-making, and tennis lessons. The girls had their first lessons ever. (Well, Charlotte and Kathleen did. Eleanor just got to be a ball girl.) I had my first lesson in, ahem, about 22 years. We have an awesome instructor, my husband, who actually did teach lessons many, many years ago. This was a highlight of the week for all of us, and we can’t wait to get back on the courts again! Summer evenings are just a great time to do all those things you mean to do, but can never seem to find the time to do!

Because summer fun is a indeed a finer thing in life,

I’ve shared this post at Amy’s Finer Things