Summertime...and the livin' is easy

School's out for the summer!

And that makes me happy because I love...

Getting to see more of my husband. He used to work three nights a week and Saturdays during the school year in order to teach third grade. Those days ended when he got his master's degree, but he still spends long hours at the school and we hardly even see each other at all during the month of May. In fact, I found it serendipitous last Thursday when I stopped by Barnes and Noble after my quilt class to pick up thank-you's for my kids' teachers and saw him walking into Office Max for some last minute supplies for his annual Grandview slide show. It became a spontaneous 15-minute date-night at Office Max. Already by Friday night I could feel the weight he carries on his shoulders lift a little, for a couple of short months anyway.

The hum of bees swarming my pillars of honeysuckle.

Not having to get anyone out of bed and ready for school in the mornings.

The crack of a bat in the ball park. I'm going through withdrawals this year, as my single boy of summer has chosen cross country instead of baseball. But I might just have to hang out at random fields about town and look for orphans who need someone to cheer for them.

Sitting on my shaded deck for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.

The made-for-each-other mingling of laughter and splashing on the slip-n-slide, at a pool, or in the spontaneous combustion of a water fight.

Ten weeks of indulgence in my desire to raise free-range children.

The scent of a BBQ.

Late nights with the windows open--listening to circling ceiling fan blades in rhythm with chirping crickets.

The splash of sweet sun-ripened tomatoes dripping down my chin.

Not having to nag anyone about whether or not their homework is done.

The filtered fluttering of shade shed down from leafy tree tops.

Butter drenched corn-on-the-cob--sprinkled lightly with sea salt--dripping down my chin.

Flip-flops, painted toe-nails and bare feet.

The purring motor of an electric ice-cream freezer. Because I do make dang good homemade ice cream. It's one of my five talents.

Not caring what time we finally get around to finally eating dinner at night.

The sound of drying beach towels or laundry flapping in the breeze.

Playing in the rain after the thunder and lightening fade away.

Dew. Freshly-squeezed lemonade. Fluffy white cotton-candy clouds. The South Fork of Provo Canyon. But most especially...the care-free smiles spreading across the tanned faces of my kids.