Noah and Faith at the new Sheets Family Park.
I took Jonah with me to Charleston and return with the twins. The rest of the family will be traveling, but as Noah says, “We get to stay with Nannie in Angola with Dollar General and Dairy Queen.” Yes, those are two of their favorites! We arrive home to a garden that has nearly doubled under the watchful eye of Regan and Kathy. How could it grow so much in one week? I must admit I did miss my garden and I wondered, how did I ever leave every summer? I guess times change and home in the purple house and the white picket gardens is really my favorite place.
We quickly unpack and head to Dairy Queen as we have no food
in the house, and they are delighted. This year I just have the two of them for
the month of June. What, you ask, do you do with two grandchildren for a month
in June? Oh my…what isn’t there to do? I feel like I have filled their dance
card with so many activities, and I have. However, I save room for the
proverbial quote from all children, “We are bored.” I have plenty of plans for
that statement including a dusting rag! That quickly dispels any thoughts of boredom.
I love the fact that they want to visit the library before
the grocery store. We head right to the Angola Carnegie Library looking for
Miss Elizabeth, and find Miss Isabelle. We sign up for the reading program,
fill our arms with dinosaur books and head out to Kona Ice just in time! Then
and only then do we go to the grocery. My cart looks so different when the kids
are visiting. I have to make a full shelf for snacks.
Every morning, just as I have done with all the kids, they
wake up to my dining room chalkboard with their daily chores. It is the first
thing they look at before they fill their bowls with sugary cereal and plates
with chocolate cupcakes! Shhh…don’t tell
the parents. I also list our events for the day. They love doing the chores and
then crossing them off the list. They are normal chores, at least I think so:
bring down their laundry, take out the trash, recycle, and compost, fill the
Oriole feeder, sweep the sidewalks, help water the garden, make their beds.
Really, I don’t ask too much of the kids, and they always do their chores
willingly although sometimes they trade with each other!
Steuben County offers so much for children in the summer. As
I said, there are the library programs. The Angola Parks and Recreation provide
the best camps for our children. There is something for everyone every single
week this summer. We are signed up for soccer and backyard games! My kids love
Tabitha and are happy to see her again. Thank you to our fabulous parks
department…pig out in the park as well!
On Sunday we gather our towels and water bottles and go over
to the new Sheets Family Park. I missed the grand opening, so this is my first
opportunity to visit. It is just lovely…children running, playing, laughing
everywhere. I must say for my two kiddos, the playground is a major win. They
love every part of it! We are so appreciative.
It is important for children to have lots of free time too.
I know I schedule lots of events, but I want time for them to enjoy picking
strawberries and watching the stars come out. I want them to fill their pockets
with worms and rocks and other little surprises out in the backyard. I want
late night campfires with s’mores dripping chocolate and marshmallows all over
their little faces. (That’s why we have showers!)
I want them to have time to watch clouds drift by, marvel at
the hummingbirds, watch the garden grow. I want lots of time to read when the
day is done and we cozy up on my bed reading book after book until we can’t
stay awake any longer.
The children of my child deserve the best of me. Oh, yes, we
have rules and those chores, but most of the time we are just together in this
pretty purple house. I am the lucky one to have them with me. I know time is
fleeting. This is the first year the older two girls cannot make a visit..but
for now, the Littles are here, and I am in love.
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