Hey, summer.

Summer is here.

I feel like the last few weeks have just been this lovely descending sigh of relief. All my kiddos are home. The sun is awake earlier so it is all buttercup yellow in my room when we wake up, and it stays up later so I can sit on my bed and write or lay on the couch and read after the kids are down for the night and still have sunlight filtering through the blinds.

There is nowhere to rush off to, no timer ticking out ten minute intervals to help my big girl stay on track and be ready when it is time to leave for school. The kids stay in their beds until seven and then convene in someone's room to play. Sometimes they don't even bother to come get me up.

So I bring this sweet thing into bed and nurse her and listen to her gurgle her baby noises (Da da da da, Ma ma ma ma, Ba ba ba ba!) and watch her chew on my sheets.

Can you even believe how pretty the sunlight is? The way the light filters in through these windows is my favorite. At dusk, too:

So a cozy baby and sunshine is such a happy way to start the morning.

I had all these huge plans for this summer. We were going to keep to a schedule. I was going to take them somewhere or do something (make something, go on a field trip, etc.) every day. We were going to do big summer goals and workbooks and implement all kinds of structure and big stuff.

But it turns out that a little bit of routine has been plenty. We wake up slowly. The kids get dressed and make their beds and then take like forty-five minutes to eat breakfast and talk and giggle. I'm not sure how they make their granola last that long, but they do. And it is kind of nice that there is no rush. We do a chore together and then they get to just play. And they do. They play LEGOs and dance class and are mommy and daddy to their babies (an elephant and a fox called "Puppy") and sometimes it lasts for hours.

So now my big summer goals for them are just to keep building their friendship. To keep playing, practicing how to work things out together independent of adult refereeing (this has been a big project, actually, and they are doing great), and just to enjoy the opportunity to move at their own pace and be happy and have fun.

I was a little nervous about having all three home at once, but for the most part I am loving it. I am soaking it up. It is so good to have my big girl home and have our little crew all together. We're enjoying each other.

(Even at Costco.)   (...there were good samples this day, too.)