Link to some wonderfulness

I regularly read a blog called Soulemama (soulemama.com). She's just had her fifth(!) child and instead of blogging on a daily basis, she's asked other bloggers to contribute to her writing space for a while.

I read THIS today and *loved* it. The last two paragraphs are the best part.

We've been doing a lot of outdoor play with the sky high temperatures and our garden has taken off. I am amazed at how much those little plants can grow in a single day with the warmth of the sun egging them on. I'm so grateful for my group of mama friends here in Evanston, with whom I gather almost every single day to watch our toddlers play, argue, laugh and stumble. And I'm loving Yard Sale season! Woot! :)

A long weekend

After two days of crushing thunderstorms, we had a hot, rain-free Memorial Day.

We made a morning trip down to Lincoln Park Zoo where we saw the current favorite: giraffes; and other assorted hot and sleepy animals. I was reminded that summer brings with it its own Toddler Packing List and we have traded gloves, hats, and jackets for a different kind of hat, sunscreen, and a spare t-shirt. In short: Christopher came home with a new neon-green bucket hat.

We played in the yard, dusted off the water toys, dug in the yard, took naps, fired up the barbecue, and proceeded to sweat through dinner because we were just all so thrilled to be outside, outside, outside.

And I think I got my first bug bite of the season which is something of a rite of passage: summer is here.