Baby fish

There is something so adorable about a baby in a swimming suit, I must say.  This sweet little turquoise one fits much better than it did last year, don't you think?:

And she's equally delightful (if a bit pensive) in yellow. 

She didn't care for the expanse of swimming pool water at first (she really has never had much love for her baths, either).  But sometime after the first hour of clinging to me, biting my shoulder, and climbing up my arm, she discovered that she could kick her feet and flap her arms and splash.  And then she LOVED it.  Since then, she can hardly wait to get in the water.

Not pleased about getting out to go home---not even when wrapped in her pink bunny towel!

Midsummer's Eve

We celebrated the first day of summer by going up into the canyon.  But isn't it also called Midsummer's Eve in some parts?  It does seem like the solstice should be in the middle of summer rather than the beginning.  But either way, we had a great time.  When we left at 9:50 p.m., it was still light enough to see our way along the path with no flashlights!  I love long summer evenings.

The boys called this fallen tree "Landscape Arch"  (which it really does resemble)

A little house

Flapper, yessir, one of those

So much green!!  Where are we, Pennsylvania?

Such beautiful, beautiful scenery. I feel so lucky to live here!

Why "Toy Story 3" made me cry

"Bo-dee is looking at the fire.  He can sit by me."

"Do you like the fire, bo-dee?"

"Watch out!  Here comes the boy!  This is the boy, Mommy.  And the bo-dee, who is a monster.  And he LOVES the boy."

"So, I'll tell you about the bo-dee.  He's not scared of things.  He's just a good, good, bo-dee.  He likes campfires, and he likes canyons.  He likes to hug me and sit by me.  Mommy, I LOVE bo-dee!"

"I'm kissing im.  Ee kisses me too."

"Ee's fwyyyying so fast!  He's the fastest bo-dee!"

("If there's smoke in your way, Mommy, you can just go like THIS! And fwap it away!")

"Now he's looking at you, Mommy.  He sees you!"

"Bo-dee is going on the train.  The train is going up the track!  A sign is coming up!  Vvvv . . . vvv.  It says . . . it's a small world after all, it's a small world, it's a small, small, wo-wold!  And remember to pwease watch your kids!"

"Bo-dee's not scared of it.  He likes it.  And I love him.  He's my bo-dee, Mommy.  I love him."

This sweet little Malachi.  I just can't stand the thought of him ever outgrowing his birdie.

Irises, etc.

The water irises are out (and past their prime now, actually).  Still beautiful.

This one reminds me of that line from Hopkins:  "And though the last lights off the black west went . . . "

Daisy decided to crawl on her hands and knees, sign "more," and stand up by the couch all in the same day.  Don't let her fool you into thinking she's a real person, though, because she isn't.

The others (not a LOST reference)

I would just like to point out that the most prominent characteristic of a Daisy is what?  Aptly, its bright little eye.  In fact the word "daisy" comes from "Day's eye"---referring to the sun.  Compare this:

Now then.  Lest you think the other children were forgotten in the picture-taking, let me reassure you:

We were telling him to look at the camera.  And he was trying; really trying.  But an airplane was flying by and he could . . . not . . . tear his eyes away!