Summertime

We are all running in different directions which can mean only one thing.....it must be SUMMERTIME!!!

Eric took Elise and Ethan with him down to visit his family in Menan, Idaho this weekend.  They had a wonderful time visiting with everyone, soaking up the sun, and enjoying Menan's famous Fourth of July celebrations.  Grandma and Grandpa sure enjoyed seeing Elise walking back and forth across the room, expecting huge hugs and cheering each time.

Heidi, Erica and I layed low at home, since Heidi would need to be at an Especially For Youth Conference (EFY) before Eric and the others would be back home.  We had fun shopping, eating out, and watching movies together.  I always enjoy spending more one-on-one time with Heidi.  She is growing into such an amazing young lady, and I am truly blessed to be her Mom.

Early on the Fourth of July, I dropped Heidi off at her friend's house, who was going to transport her down to Tacoma to go to her conference.  When I left her there and drove off with just Erica, I started crying, knowing that she would have such an amazing experience there but also realizing how much I will miss her all week.

So on Monday and Tuesday it was just me and Erica.  Let me tell you, she is as entertaining as they come, but I certainly missed some adult conversation in that time, ha ha!!!

On Monday we went to Mukilteo Beach, where Erica had a lot of fun throwing rocks in the water.  I think she was trying to single-handedly return all the rocks and pebbles from the beach back into the Sound!  It was a very windy day, so the water was pretty rough.  It kept crashing onto the beach, making her nervous, so she would hide behind a big log, throwing the rocks.  Everytime a rock would make it to the water she would squeal with delight, "I DID it!!!"  After that we walked to the little beach shop that sells ice cream cones and indulged in a Fourth of July treat.  Erica was pretty much on a sugar-high after that, so we wrapped things up pretty quickly after that.

Today we went to a park and played for quite a while.  I enjoyed watching my social little girl play with other kids that were there, pretending they were serving food at a fast-food drive-up window, then climbing all over the jungle gym.  She kept calling for me to see her "friends."  Then when we left, she said, "See you later, guys."  It was adorable!

Eric and the others got home tonight, after a very long drive across two states.  Erica wouldn't let him out of her site, and insisted on going with him to drop off the rental car.  She really missed her Daddy.

So did I.  I'm sure glad they're back.