Dear God . . .

Dear God,

Thank you for rain and friends and swim team coaches and almonds and squishy peaches grown in Georgia and Wimbledon and summer corn that is sweet and SO much more!

Could I ask a question?  Why is it I can go to sleep with a nice, clear neck and wake up with a two inch hair growing out of the lower left side?

Love,
Deana



And now for yesterday's mystery photo contest winner - you all did great!  Thanks for playing and for passing the word!


This was the mystery photo:

And here's what it was.  I had lots of 'pepper' guesses, but a ton of you guessed okra!

Amy H. won the random.org drawing from the correct answers.  Amy, you have a free photo session waiting on you and you may gift someone with a free session, too!

List 25 - Ten things I'm loving this summer . . .

 

I'm loving summer.

I hope you are, too.

I've been thinking this week about what makes it so good, and I thought that make a good list.  I guess some of what makes summer so delicious is intangible, but it seems like a fun exercise to try to pin it down - if we can.

I dig living in a place with seasons and love the excitement of the surprising newness when each inevitable change rolls around.  I guess I'm a kid in that way.  I'm good with that.

Here's why I'm loving the summer of '12:


1.  The pile of flip-flops at the bottom of the stairs - reminds me that happy people are around, that they've just come in from something fun and that something sneaky and crazy is happening upstairs.

2.  Summer faces.

3.  Peaches.  So far, every one I've bitten into since mid-June has tasted like childhood.

4.  No bedtimes.  I love the way we get to ease up on the rules and regs.  It's fun being able to just be with the kids, enjoy rising up and calling it quits at the same times.

5.  Movies.  The three dollar popcorn bucket.  The dollar movie candy we sneak in.  The cool.  The dark.  Go see Brave - not the usual kids' movie.


6.  Having stuff to look forward to on tv - Tour de France, The X Games, Wimbledon, the Olympics.


7.  How Sunday nights don't lead to typical Monday mornings.

8.  Watching people 'get to the pool.'  So fun to see the anticipation of the cool, the relief, the fun.

9.  Caprese Salad.  I'm not sure why, but I can't seem to get enough this summer.  Mmmmmm.  The juicy tomatoes, the fresh mozzarella,  the basil leaves, the drizzle of olive oil, the sea salt, the cracked black pepper.  Luckily, I've managed to hook my kids on it, too.  Wondering . . . could I eat that for breakfast?

10.  The days when we achieve the lucky four - sun, swim, shower, snuggle.


Hope your summer is peachy, too.  What are you loving?