Summer Field Trips


I'm enjoying every single bit of these summer days. Those slow mornings. The ones I missed so dearly during the school year. Waking up late, after an even later night playing with friends. How I've missed these summer days, with no agenda, no reasons to be out, just some freedom to do as we please. This day was one of those "field trip days". Where we did all the fun things we had been talking about since school ended. Going to our favorite spots. The used book store. Target. Eating our favorite foods.

Summer is made out of days like these.

When you wake up well past ten, you can have both Starbucks and french fries for breakfast. Mackenzie said her blueberry muffin and french fries paired well with her Starbucks iced tea. I went through two drive-thrus and then parked it in the parking lot so these kids could eat. No food allowed at our next stop.

We have an incredible two story used books store where we live. I've blogged about it before, but every time I go in, it feels like an incredible gift. Sure my kiddos are loud, they stomp up the stairs, they giggle and shout with delight, because they enjoy books as much as I do. I get lots of side eye from one of the guys that works there, but seriously dude, they are enjoying the books. I search for books from my childhood, some best sellers of yesteryear. My girls look at Little Golden Books and always let me know where the Harry Potter books are shelved. My mom joined us this time, and said that she would be back, because she needed a couple of extra hours. I totally get that mom, in fact, I think I'm going to join you, The Hubbs can watch the girls.

My haul this time included two books from my childhood, The Cricket in Times Square, because I think my girls will love it, and Island of the Blue Dolphins, because it's a classic. The Stephanie Evanovich was okay, your regular standard Harlequin romance type. I read it in like two days, skipped some of it, because I was pretty sure of the outcome. It was a quick and fun read, which is totally the point. The Anne of Green Gables is for me to finally read. That's right, me the lover of books has not read any Anne. I just started, so more on that later.

We hit up Target and this girl fell in love with some modern art. It's a model of a home, very art deco, and it included paint and wall paper and floor coverings (all vinyl). She was in love and worked on it well into the night. She has such a fierce imagination. She even skipped some of the wall coverings, deciding to paint her own designs on the wall. Then she asked her daddy for a saw and some help to make more windows and doors. That's my girl.

Then there was a little bliss for me. My mom came over and helped me throw this cobbler together. It's nectarine and blueberry, and it was super delicious. You can find the original cobbler recipe here, just change the fruit to whatever you have in your house. The crumble part is standard across the board. And it's grain free, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, but I promise not taste free! And really, my mom made the whole thing, I just watched, which is how I usually help.

Field trip days are my favorite, because some days, just getting out of the house is a whole trip in itself. I'm looking forward to a few more careless days with my girls, before school starts and ruins everything.