today was just packed!

I'm thrilled to be introducing my child and his cousins from the Pacific Northwest to some very special staples of Southern summers. Today they all ate watermelon on the screened porch, all with melon juice running down their arms and dripping off their elbows as they nibbled down to the rinds. They got rides in the wagon and golf cart today. We took a walk tonight to see lightning bugs, and we saw plenty of them flying around us and over us and staying just out of reach as we tried to capture them. Dennis and Mirella pointed out some of them, waving chubby little baby hands (and pointing with wet, drooled on fingers) and indicating the direction of the flashing insects. We've played in the sprinkler this week, and this morning all three kids enjoyed canoe rides with Michael. Tonight they all rode in the paddle (pedal?) boat with Michael and me providing the power just after we finished a big ride in the pontoon boat. What fun we've had with the family! We will miss them so much when they leave tomorrow. Dennis will be so sad when he can't play with Caedmon and Mirella and Uncle Michael and Aunt Kristin. He's given out lots of hugs and smiles and happy laughs to them, and I hope he isn't inconsolable for the rest of the weekend coming up. We're just going to have to find a way to get to Washington sometime this year (when no snow is expected)!