A Tumble Through July

A Canada Day celebration with friends rearranged
Around a spectacular thunderstorm
We barely beat home and then watched approach
Beautiful, memorable - just not very Canada Day-ish

Daddy meetings
On Skype and out and about
Mommy had a few too
Bible study training at church

A birthday invitation for Grace
Swims at a friend's house
Splash park homeschool mom and kid hangouts
Riverside wanderings

Busy, exhausting VBS week
Relentless early morning wakings
Fun-filled crowd fun
Everyone ready for quiet at the end

Music lessons restarted
No learning ground lost - way to go!
Regular library visits
After lunch computer hour

Celebrating AWANA group member's baptism
Long, lazy day of talk with a wonderer
Bittersweet final goodbyes to leaving dear ones
Intense happy weekend with a longtime friend from Halifax

And now, the month's finale
A two-day camp with overseas friends
Exploring Niagara Falls together
(And whatever else we can fit in while we're down there)

And there is August come already
Supposed to let's-get-ready-for-school time
But I'm still hoping for a long string
Of slow, lazy days of summer!

MET VBC

A Compilation of Words
By Grace, Jasmin, Aiden, and Mommy

Early morning rising
Waking kids fast asleep
Hurried sleepy breakfasts
Delicious early morning feel to the bike there

Sitting up quickly
Early morning rise
It seems to me 
I'm touching the skies

T-shirts, tags, and stickers make official
Campers, mini-camper, staff
Prayer for the day
Off to find a group

Volunteers a plenty
Seems like too many
This room's too full
Sitting outside on the bench

Milling about in the gym
Colours and numbers waving
Daily hunt for the right group
Organizing the 400+ campers

I don't want to go to "Sunday school"
The gym is more fun!
I want to color a sign too
Run on the lines with you

Filling up the church
With boisterous noise
Songs of praise, team chants,
Excited neighbour chatter

Coins clattering in buckets
Counted giving for Compassion kids
Red team's ahead, chanting victory
Green replies "not so!"

Game time energy
Running with the kids
Learned a new game or two
Rather enjoyed myself

Blob tag and octopus
Popular games with impossible names
Dodgeball galore
There's too many for more

Crowded, choked hallways
Children chains going head to head
Bottlenecked doorways
Where's the traffic police?

We're late for crafts
Why is it these rooms?
Such small hallways
Kid transit confusion spilling out

Craft room tiny tables
Six a piece only please
Follow the instructions
Lots to do, so little time

Design your own cross
Foam and pipe cleaner men
Chalkboard decorating
Evangacube assembly

Somewhat less confusion
Transition hallway syndrome
Slightly organized chaos
On we go

Come on, let's hurry
Get the good seats
Not on the front floor again
Theatre fills up fast

Bible time theatre
Red and green mashed together
All seats and floor taken
Restless sea of kids

Interesting teaching
Too bad we can't do our actions
Trigger words tempting often
Reading Bible verses

Relief - snack time!
Who's group is loudest?
Messiest?
Not us - quietest!

Not a lot of food
Jesus in you tickets
Bible verses recited
Clean up the fastest

Closing in concert
Team chants loud and long
Ears ringing with kid noise
Good-natured rivalry

Kneecap drum rolls
Who won a prize?
Giving totals announced
Pastor's hair will be dyed

Among waving signs
Matching parent and child
Goodbyes are said
We're done for the day

Now we're heading home
Quiet of the road a relief
Aiden asleep, Jasmin people-grumpy
Home still a bike ride away

Daddy made lunch
Afternoon naps
Solitary activities
Early bedtimes welcome

Tuesday biking
Popped a tire
Too bad Dad's phone won't answer
A hot walk home

Wednesday afternoon
Welcome invitation
Friend's house swim time
Refreshing in summer heat

Thursday night bravery
Two in a back yard tent
Friend for sleepover
Broken with late night thunder

Friday finale with a too tired threesome
"I'm grumpy!" says Aiden "I don't want to go!"
Snarls between friends
But sunny smiles in the end

Summer at Home

Summer at home looks like...

sleepovers with a friend

late night giggles and morning mischief

including little brother makeovers

Afternoon waterside wanderings

among slippery rocks

futile fishing and rock hopping

Reading aloud over the happy river noise

when the muddy boy naps in my lap

 "New" flower photo captures 

for our summer flower journal

Who knew there were so many

I didn't know?

 Rideau River play

fantastic for the easy-climb willows

over mysterious muddy shallows

Sun-warmed marsh smells

and blackbirds' happy calls

Late rising mornings

and lazy afternoons of

involved lego play

Tucked away readers

living adventures far away

Boy begging for some school

Girls needing some morning routine

Park play with other homeschoolers

Near daily water play of some kind

Unintentional late nights (some unfortunate)

Scrambled meals as routine yet elusive

Library visits and arm loads of books

Impromptu picnics and welcome computer time.

Summer Holiday in 3's

Long car days

Pool play relief

Long anticipated arrival

Unending blue skies

Happy bright sunshine

firm fresh breezes

Rental house exploration

Exclaimed discovery commentaries

Bed-claiming derby

Dazzling white sand

Soft, deep, clean

Buckets, spades, trucks

Turquoise, deep blue

Crashing over sands

Startlingly clear seas

Rustling palm fronds

Springy, spikey grass

Startled indignant snake

Lush unbroken green

Manicured flower beds

color-matched houses

Early morning runs

Expansive peaceful sunsets

Bindweed on dunes

Terns and gulls

Mocking birds, magpies

Lizards and frogs

Sticky sunscreen scents

On salty breezes

Mingling in heat

Sandy bare feet

Browning arms, legs

Sun-kissed grubby faces

Six contented cousins

Colouring on veranda

Piling on Uncle Michael

Lazy meals out

Long, loud preparations

Beautiful family time

Surprise Thursday fireworks

Spicy chocolate bacon

Dolphin daycamp birthday

Sea, sun, sand

Kids deep asleep

Evening adult conversations

Day of lasts

Packing, sorting, laughing

See you laters

Road trip home

One long drive

Tired, rumpled arrival

Welcome home relief

Deep toy reacquaintance

Happy horizontal napping