Having a real summer

Our weather has been hot, quite hot, for much of this Seattle summer.  I'm not complaining.  The hot days and warm nights really make it feel like we have four season here (which is debatable).  We've had a few days where the marine layer hasn't burned off until noon, but most days have been clear and pretty warm.  

For Father's Day, I gave Byron the gift of two weekends each month in June, July, and August, that I promised we would not schedule even one little thing. I knew he would love it.  In truth, I hadn't thought I would like it so much, myself.  But it's been outstanding.  We've had time to do whatever feels like being done.  Putter.  Play at the park.  Go get ice cream.  Make jam.  Read books.  Visit and eat.  It's all good.
 

For the weekends that we have scheduled things, we've had a blast too.  We spent a very fun 4th of July weekend in the woods camping at Ohanapecosh in Mt. Rainier National Park with friends.  We made it to the Timber Music Festival with Aunt Becky and Uncle Darren.  We met up with my parents at the Oregon Zoo for an afternoon.  We spent four days with dear friends on the Oregon coast in the terrific little town of Manzanita.  We also had an unexpected visit from Cousin Sadie and Aunt Jill, complete with rides on Seattle's Big Wheel, playing at the water park, and making and eating some pretty fabulous food. Last week we had some fun, mid week, with friends on Whidbey.

The point of all this being that our summer has felt like, well, summertime.  Yes, it's been hot.  But it's also been a few months where the holidays and school commitments and appointments haven't owned us.  Where we've chosen the pace and the people.  We're having a real summer, folks!