The Start of Summer!

Our first week of summer has started off with a glorious bang as every day this week has temperatures predicted to be in the high 70s or low 80s.  As a result, Natalee and I planned to meet up at Lake Samm this afternoon for several hours of playing in the sun and in the water.  The kids all had a great time playing for hours in the water and especially on the blue, floating mat splashing and screaming and swimming around.  It really was the perfect way to kick off the first, official day of summer.  In addition, it was so fun to watch Emmett soak up everything as last summer he was just too little to appreciate any of this.  He sat on the beach right at the shore line and played with rocks as the waves washed slowly over him for quite some time.  Then he happily sat in my lap for a solid hour while I floated in an inner tube while talking to Natalee.  He NEVER sits still for more than a few minutes, so this was amazing and so fun to just have him relax in my lap for so long.  We then headed back to the grandparent's house for dinner before heading home at bedtime.  It felt so good to be out in the sun and back at the lake that we know and love so well.  Here are a few pictures of our day today...

Lia helping Emmett get used to walking on the rocky ground in the water.

Emmett was so engrossed in playing with the toys and walking in the water that I seriously could not get him to look at me for a single picture.  Here her is walking past me and the toys.

Emmett walking through the water with a bucket.

I was finally able to get a picture of Emmett looking at me after I asked Lia to come and pick him up.

Emmett and I floating away in our inner tube.

Natalee floating at our side.

Lia, Logan, Ella, Riley, and Trenton played for hours on the blue mat.  I just can't get over how much this simple, water toy can entertain them.

Ella and Lia struggling to catch their balance as all three boys fall in the water.

Everyone climbing back onto the mat.

The gang at play.

As a side note, I just wanted to mention all of the things that are cancelled from our calendar this summer thanks to Covid-19:  

Lia's and Ella's week at Girl Scout day camp

Robbie's and Austin's visit from South Carolina (with baby Sutton who were going to meet for the first time)

Lia's church camp

All summer swim lessons

Our July trip to Hawaii that I had already rescheduled from April 

The Hawaiian governor declared last week that his 14-day quarantine is now extended through July 31st.  As crazy as it seems, I have now rescheduled this trip for a third time for the first week of August with the hopes that the governor will lift the mandatory quarantine by then.  Time will only tell.  As much of a disappointment as all of these cancellations have been, we still have our two camping trips and our two trips to Priest Lake on the calendar.  And although Robbie and Austin have cancelled their trip out to see us, we are still hoping that Aunt Blanche will come as she had planned on doing during the same time as their visit.  I hope that all of these trips as well as local outings on a regular basis will help our summer to feel almost as full and as fun as our other summers have been in the past before the days of Covid-19!