End of Summer

I know that it is still, technically, July.  I know that the days are still hot, and my work won't really start for a few more weeks.  But now we are in the part of summer, the end of summer, where the last days of open activity need to be scheduled and planned, as there are not a seemingly infinite number of days on our calendar anymore.  The plans to spend a couple days in the city, and family visiting, and trips to Indiana...all must now be assigned days and times, to ensure they actually happen now.

The last chunk of time has been spent mostly at home, taking each day and trying to find activities and peaceful times.  There have been some days where these little girls have tested every one's patience and been nipping at each other.  For the most part, though, when they have open spaces and things to keep them occupied, it has been quite enjoyable.  

While some strive to take-on major journeys and travels and experiences throughout the summer, we have embraced the daily adventures and finding enjoyment in the small stuff around home.  Trips to the store and getting a sticker from the cashier.  Enjoying our favorite juice with straws.  Running the dog in the field or walking around the block and saying hi to neighbors.  Visiting a neighboring suburb and feeding ducks.  Sometimes the small adventures are the ones that lead to something bigger.  I hope that the end of summer leads us to a larger avenue of sorts full of new experiences and learning opportunities.

Visiting the bell tower in Naperville, IL.

Naperville, IL.

Feeding the ducks along the Riverwalk in Naperville.

Enjoying a break by a fountain in downtown Naperville.

Mmmmmmmm, ice cream break!

Violet at a splashpad in Romeoville.

Violet and her bubble blaster.  

Violet having lunch by Lake Michigan.

Audrey looking out at Lake Michigan.

A peaceful view.  Looking out at Lake Michigan on a recent trip to the city.

A girl and her dog.  Violet and Phoebe at the field by our house.

More bubbles in the evening!

Filling Our Pockets

The ladies visit the historic railroad car in downtown Plainfield.

The ladies enjoy Spaghetti Monday on the back patio.

A warm Sunday passes us over, and we look ahead to the week that will be.  Audrey has passed her level 2 swimming courses, and will most likely be registered for level 3 next week.  This week, however, is truly a blank slate for us.  No swimming lessons, no training for my work, no trips to see friends and relatives….just open days.  Now, to some this seems like a heavenly gift.  Isn’t this is what summer is all about?  The “dog days” of summer?  

A & V play on another part of the historic railroad system.

Violet finds an old oil barrel for the train!

Personally, I am a goal-oriented person.  I like having timelines and deadlines and objectives to accomplish.  A week without plans is almost overwhelming to me.  It is a Zen-like challenge for me to wake-up and just figure it all out as we go.  

The ladies playing in Plainfield

The days starts like any other this summer, with cereal and a cartoon, maybe some reading and cleaning.  We make a trip to the library and both girls now have their own library cards and are excited to check-out books on their own account.  They each scan their books and put them into their own library bags.  They are growing up so quickly.  We have spent the rest of the morning and first part of the afternoon at home, making art and paintings, snacking on goldfish crackers, strawberries, and chocolate milk.  Now it is nap time, and Audrey is reading on her bed, and Violet is hopefully working her way into a warm, safe dream.

Crossing a bridge at Settler's Park in Plainfield

I get to take a rest in my own bed.  A few quiet moments to think and let my mind flow over whatever it may.  I am thinking about how people have many different “pockets” in their lifetime.  These pockets are not the kind found on a jacket or pants, but pockets woven into our lives.  We keep many different things in these pockets to remember our lives by, and to fill our needs.  Some pockets are used to collect memories of our families and loved ones.  Some pockets are reserved for life experiences or everyday routines.  And some pockets are secret for us, and we collect things that no one else knows about.  I think we all have pockets for ourselves.  Some pockets are deeper than others, and some are filled more often.  Sometimes, we only get one or two opportunities to put things (emotions, experiences, memories) into a particular pocket.  Other times we take for granted how easy it is to fill a certain pocket until its source is gone.  

Violet rocking out at the park.

Now it is Wednesday, and we find little things to do and take pleasure in. So as the days progress, and I search for things to do without a script this week, I will keep in mind my set of pockets and keep an eye out for items to fill them.

Audrey and Mommy at Brookfield Zoo Nights.

Violet the morning snuggle bunny in a pile of of blankets on the couch.

Audrey standing in front of a wall of ivy which is home to numerous finches.  We stop each time we pass this wall and watch silently as the finches move in and out of the ivy, chirping frantically.

TACO TUESDAY at the Orelove house!!!

An evening at the Park

These are some captured moments from our trip to the park last night.  I enjoy getting the girls into my bike trailer and taking a trip around the area before landing at the park.  What a nice night we had yesterday.  Ahhhhhh, summer.

Audrey climbing the spider web.

Beautiful Audrey and the sky.

The girls at the top of the slide.  Lots of sun even in the evening.

Top of slide, less sun.

Ready....set.....

GO!!!

Sisters hanging out.

Leaving the park...be sure to hydrate!  

July Slices of Light

Here are some more pictures that capture moments from our recent adventures .

Violet has now taught herself how to drive the PowerWheele car in South Bend!  Look out if you're on the road!

The Orelove women at the South Bend County Fair on the 3rd of July.  Twirl-a-Bear!   

Audrey is driving the Gator.  How did that happen?!?!

Audrey pets a cody (sp?) at the fair.

Daddy and Violet strolling around the fair.

Get your motor running!  Oreloves without a Cause!

Audrey sports her "All Rides" pass band at the fair.  Unlimited rides for this girl!

Audrey and cousin Emily on the roller coaster.  

Becky, Audrey, and Emily holding the night's bounty of stuffed animals and cotton candy!

Audrey and Daddy.  

Violet at the splash pad today in Lockport!  This was the only second she held still!  It was a hot one today.

Clouds passing by....

The clouds, fluffy and bright, pass overhead lazily on these July days.  The sun is hot, but I refuse to complain after such a harsh winter.  Both girls are asleep for an afternoon snooze, but not for long.  Plans to bike to the park and play and swing await after they awake.  We have been spending our summer days playing outside, running, biking, going to the zoo, visiting the library, reading and having many snacks and naps.  

It is a simple time, this summer.  We enjoy each other for the most part, although there is the occasional squabble over toys or personal space.  It is nice to just be and do whatever we feel and move wherever the breeze takes us.  The Fourth of July weekend was a good time, full of sugar and late nights and fireworks...and some mosquito bites as souvenirs.  

Now we hit the dog days of summer, and we are loving it.  Possible baseball games are on the horizon, swim lessons every day, and always the endless trips around the block on bikes await us.  The nights are warm, and it is nice to leave the windows open sometimes and enjoy the cool breeze and hear crickets.  Other times, it is stormy, and I sit and watch the display of lightning and harsh winds with all of the lights out.

No matter what, I am savoring this summer, as we are never guaranteed another, and I mean to enjoy every minute of it with my family.  I truly appreciate the moment-to-moment roller coaster of experiences that is life.  Even sitting here now, I hear my cat purring softly next to me, both of us sprawled on the couch while everyone else snoozes upstairs.  What a lucky thing, to be here, now.  I wish everyone else the same, to really recognize what an amazing thing it is to be alive and be able to take it all in.

-a

Audrey and Violet, having lunch outside on the veranda. 

Violet monkey.

Audrey monkey.

Summer...just hanging out in the backyard.

At the zoo, Audrey telling me about the Okapi.

Violet and the opossum.

Audrey and the opossum.

Taking a rest at the Firefly house in Brookfield Zoo.

Violet planning where to go next at the zoo.

Peacock.

We are always on the lookout to add to our collection of Mold-a-Rama collection.  

Today the girls added a blue leopard and an orange lion to the Mold-a-Rama collection!

Audrey on the tapir carousel animal.

Violet on the turtle carousel animal.