Summer...finally

{lucy...i guess it's safe to say we are being very responsible about sunblock...just look at how pasty white we have kept her skin!}

{gabriel}

{max}

{mini-max, i mean...anna!}

{sonia enjoying some watermelon}

We had a great, great day today. It was finally sunny, warm and dry all day. A true summer Saturday...and they have been rare this summer. We decided to stay at home and enjoy our yard and pool and to see who wanted to join us. To our delight, Lucy's pals Max and Gabriel came over, with their adorable little sisters and parents. It was so enjoyable to swim in the pool with our fantastic friends -- Ellenor & Mike and Rachel & Michael -- and just to soak in a bit of sun.

The kids napped well in the afternoon after everyone left, giving me a chance to go back in the pool where I just drifted around on the big blue float...heaven. After naps, our neighbors came over -- a little girl named Maya who is four and gets along great with Lucy, along with Maya's sweet baby brother Ryne and, of course, their parents who are super-nice new friends for us. We had another swim in the pool and Lucy had a breakthrough -- she was finally willing to "swim" on her own holding on to the noodle without us holding her or the noodle! I am sure that watching Maya do it inspired her. It was so cute, I was holding the noodle and she just said to me, "Mommy, I can do it now." She was ready. She spent the rest of the day asking if I was proud of her, and I was so overwhelmed to be able to give her what I consider one of the greatest gifts you can give your children...to tell them that, yes, you are overwhelmingly proud of them. (Of course, she doesn't need to do anything for me to tell her I'm proud of her...but she really does thrive on hearing about it when she does something new.)

As I said, a great, great day. Thanks to all who made it possible :)