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Plans for Summer 2015

 The heat of summer has arrived in my area. It took so long to arrive, I was beginning to questions its existence. Within days we went from mid 70's to nearly triple digit temperatures. I like the heat. I hate the heat. No, wait, I like it...sometimes.

It is definitely a love hate relationship with the heat. The rain continues to visit us. We are having the most difficult baseball season. I heard a rumor the baseball league has had to reschedule 400 baseball games this summer. That is a lot of missed baseball!

Our yard and flowers love the rain. Everything here is so green. I wonder how long that will continue now that the heat has arrived. We have an active summer planned.  It is so hard to balance all the fun things going on in the summer with rest and relaxation.

Luckily for us the Graduation Party forced us to get many of our summer projects done early. We did some landscaping, some mudjacking, and some deep house cleaning. Two areas that did not get organized before the party was the basement and the garage. I am happy to say that after two weekends at home both areas have been cleaned and organized. What a feeling when you can go from this:


to this!



For the first time in history, my craft supplies are actually organized and easily accessible! Another big summer project: CHECK!

As I mentioned earlier, summer activities in full swing. Both kids are playing baseball. The Short Chic is also attending summer school.The Boy is working. And the neighborhood pool is my kids' favorite hangout spot.


We have some travel plans for summer. Mostly camping trips. We are actively seeking out Second Camping Award. We plan to visit five different Missouri State Parks this year: Weston Bend State Park; Crowder State Park; Watkins Mill State Park, Montauk State Park, and Johnson's Shut In's State Park.  The closest park is within 20 minutes of home and the furthest park is nearly 7 hours away.

Summer would not be summer without a float trip down a Missouri river. This year we are exploring the Black River out of Lesterville, Missouri. If we are visiting your part of the world, give me a shout out to your favorite things to do. We would love to develop our "must do" list when we are there!

I have also spent some time developing my summer reading list. I have been a little bit of a slacker in the reading department. But some days there is nothing I would like to do more than lie in the sun with a book.

My summer reading list looks like this:

  1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
  2. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
  3. War Brides by Helen Bryan 
  4. Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman
  5. Hugo and Rose by Bridget Foley
  6. Things You Won't Say by Sarah Pekkanen
  7. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
So, please share, what is on your summer reading list?  What are your summer activities? Where are you traveling to this summer? What summer home projects are you completing? 

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