A Look Back at Our Summer
As summers always seem to go, it went by all too fast. I’m treasuring this really fun stage with the children though – ages 10 down to the baby. I know it’s a special time because all the kids are still of an age to enjoy so much of their learning, games, and pretend play all together. I know by experience that will get more and more rare as the kids mature and their interests and activities start to branch out and separate from each other. So what were we up to all summer?
Well, to judge by our camera roll, most of what we did was snuggle baby Robert! He has changed from a newborn to a busy crawler over the summer, and every stage has been absolutely delightful. He is such an affectionate and playful little guy, we all love him so much.
We all enjoyed lots of creek afternoons together. We made it a habit this summer to pack the necessary supplies on Sunday so that after church in the afternoons on the way home, we could stop by a big creek, and let the kids play and practice swimming, ending with a picnic supper. Sometimes with friends, sometimes just us. We tried to do it every week – and it was a tradition enjoyed by everyone, definitely one to continue next year.
We don’t take a hard break from school in the summer. Instead we school all year long, and take breaks as needed throughout the year. So summer was peppered with some math progress, as well as starting our next year’s history book early, lots and lots of artwork (always), and many read aloud stories.
One big project that has occupied much of the kid’s minds and energy this summer has been their new fort build. They have wanted a play house or fort for a long time, but when the idea of using pallets was introduced to them, they really got inspired. Marian and Alan are old enough now to be allowed the use of a selection of Dad’s hand and power tools, and they put these to work to make their fort dreams come true. We collected pallets from the local lumberyard, Jordan had some stacks of weathered lumber he let them use, and I had some old cans of paint left over from house projects. They worked so hard, and ended up with a result that they really love, and it has provided many hours of play. So far the fort has a kitchen, a bunk room, and a sitting room, and they have plans for more in the future!
Our local library hosts a Summer Reading Program, and that really played a big part in our early summer. We had lots and lots of books floating around – even more than usual. We had a special basket for library books so they wouldn’t get mixed in with our regular books (they still did). Lots and lots of reading! It was a good bit of work to keep up with minutes read for 7 kids! But we finally got our records submitted, and the kids were anxiously awaiting the awards party at the library. Surprise –we had two winners – Marian and Hew both won their age categories, Marian with over 3,000 minutes in reading! I was very proud of all the kid’s hard work. After the awards, everyone had fun participating in the pirate themed races and games.
And what have I been up to? Well, as always, lots and lots of cooking. When you make just about everything from scratch for 9 to 12 people a meal, three times a day, it’s a lot of planning and executing, over and over and over (and if you are wondering about those numbers – besides our family of 10 we have company at meals very often). And the dishes. Goodness me the dishes. If you are a homemaker, you sympathize I know. They simply never end! This is why I feel the need to snap a picture when my kitchen is actually somewhat respectable looking – it needs to be proven that it does happen on occasion! Also, dealing with the abundance of milk in the summer (four gallons a day!) takes up a fair amount of time.
Some new adventures in sourdough, as well as our usual staples. My first successful pan of focaccia was very exciting! Of course the kids are always up for helping with a baking project.
I’ve also started some upholstery projects. Well, more correctly, slip covers for our sitting room furniture. Very fitted slip covers to mimic actual upholstery, with piping and all. It seems several of our key pieces have decided to rip, tear, and generally look very disreputable this summer, but as the bones are still good, they are candidates for a new cover. So far I have finished a favorite rocking chair (pictured above), and now I am working on our rather large couch. So far only one cushion is mostly done, with progress going very slow on the rest. I’ve moved my sewing machine to the main downstairs area for now, and get to do a little snatch of sewing every now and then.
I’ve also been taking up the practice of snail mail communication again in the last few months. It’s been so refreshing on many levels, but it has also taught me a bit about myself and our current stage of life. I’ve realized fully that I am a very slow processor, and I like to process things slowly. I do not enjoy a group conversation or a party very much as a participant (I usually don’t speak, just listen!), but I like to and need to take time to really think things through before I respond. Writing actual letters to friends has been delightful, because there is TIME to process and think, and respond, fully. It’s just so enjoyable.
That realization is beginning to translate to my view of our time of life now. Jordan and I are in a time where we have to be working from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed if we don’t want to fall behind and pay for it in a big way later. Both in business and family life – they are so intertwined since we work from home. But the goals we are working towards are a long way off yet, almost out of sight it feels like. It’s so easy to be impatient for everything to hurry along – whether that’s business goals, or homeschooling, or adding on to our already-too-small house. But my new perspective is helping - maybe hurrying isn’t our road. Maybe we are slow – just like snail mail! But perhaps instead of fighting it, we can also enjoy that – being happy with progress made bit by bit, done just right, lived fully, steadily, day by day, year by year.