The girls and Benjamin were very brave about their swim lessons. They have never liked water on their faces but are now able to hold their breath under water for more than 30 seconds, swim across the pool and they even jumped off the diving board!
As a reward, we packed a picnic lunch and spent Friday afternoon at the nearby waterpark. The large bucket at the top of the slide slowly fills up with water and then tips over.
Watch out down below!
My summer garden is hanging in there, but my rhubarb loves the heat.
I have been harvesting the stalks a few at a time, chopping them into small pieces and storing in the freezer. Hopefully I will have enough for a rhubarb strawberry pie next month.
Sarah asked if I had a recipe for the Pink Lemonade I made on the 4th of July. I actually used a mix, but last week I tried a homemade version. This is my favorite regular lemonade recipe:
Old-Fashioned Lemonade
4 lemons
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups cold water
Cut lemons into thin slices, remove seeds. Place slices in a large non metal bowl; sprinkle with sugar and let stand 10 minutes. Press lemons with the back of a spoon (or potato masher) to extract juice. Transfer mixture to a pitcher and add water. Stir and then remove lemons. (I left in a few slices.) Serve over ice.
For pink lemonade, just add a spoonful of cranberry juice frozen concentrate!
We have been having fun with our water color pencils.
This is my attempt at drawing a morning glory vine.
Emily's pretty parakeets.
I have also been working on a little embroidery project. Hopefully it will be finished in time for show and tell.
I would love to hear how your summer is going!
39 comments:
It's not been the easiest summer around here, but it's good.
I'm learning to can and spending a lot of time on that after the boys go to bed.
I love watercolor pencils, don't you? They are so much fun to use and easy to take along on hikes and journeys.
Our garden continues to grow all sorts of fun things. The morning glories are starting to take off. They should blossom in a few weeks. I like your picture.
Looking forward to seeing your embroidery! You are so talented!!!
Thanks for the lemonade recipe--I always wondered why it could be pink. Your idea for the cranberry juice is a good one.
Thanks for all your sweet comments.
Looks like you're enjoying a wonderful summer! Your watercolour is so pretty. It must be a relaxing pastime - drawing in the garden.
Enjoy the beautiful warm days - meanwhile I'll keep hugging my hot water bottle here in Australia!
Hi, I have just created a google account, now I'm able to write you again ; )
It looks like you had a wonderful time in the waterpark.
Thank you so much for the lemonade recipe, I was searching for something like that. It's no lemonade weather here though. It is very cold at the moment in The Netherlands.
I'm looking forward to see the project you are working on and I love the drawings, they look fantastic !!
Have a great day !!
Hi Kelli! It's great to see how you are enjoying your Summer! It's been Winter here, but the kids have a month break from school and they got to go to an amusement park with their daddy on Saturday. I missed so many posts! I am catching up now. Congratulations on your wedding anniversary! We got married on the same year, ours is in August. xxoox
Looks like fun was had...at the pool. :D Summer sure is flying by. In a couple of weeks my oldest son will be turning 5! I can't believe it. He is going to be ready to start HS and everything.
What sweet pictures! I love your projects and lemonade recipe! What a beautiful drawing of morning glorys!
My summer has been a great summer filled with good memories and blessings!
It's gotten hot here tis past week so we are hiding inside. But we have had a fun filled summer with going to the pool and enjoying each other..
So many beautiful things in this post! I love the morning glory you are drawing...wow! I would looove to have rhubarb growing hear!! Ohh...sounds so nice...I have some new recipes I want to try that call for rhubarb. That water park, namely "The Bucket," looks like tons of fun! We are water people over here! I can't wait to try your recipe for pink lemonade!
YIKES! I just saw how I spelled "here" in my rhubarb sentence.... OUCH! Let me correct myself... I would love to have rhubarb growing HERE. Sorry about that! :o)
Hi Kelli:) What a lovely Summer you are having. The picture of the morning glories that you drew is beautiful. Tell Emily that her birds look exactly like my parakeets, I have a blue and a yellow one:)
Did you ever find that strawberry and rhubarb recipe? I have searched all my recipes, and I can't find that card.
The water park looks so fun--Alexis is struggeling with her lessons--she does not want to get her face wet either---so until she gets it, I fear going to places that have water (and I live near the beach...LOL) Unless I have help.
Can't wait to see your embroidery!
Julieann
Your drawings are always so pretty!
Hooray for your kids learning to swim, what a great reward to go to the water park afterwards.
It has been a wonderful summer here so far :) as far as the west coast goes.We've had summer play classes,playdates and also waterpark visits.Oh and we adopted the sweetest bunny such an easy animal to care for.Here's hoping that August continues being nice.
Hi Kelli -
Your morning glory drawing is so pretty! My first thought was that it would make a lovely embroidery or quilt appliqué piece - and then you showed a little of your embroidery project! I hope you’ll think about transferring your drawing into fiber of some fashion.
My summer is flying by, as they always do. The older I get, the faster the months seem to go!
Nice to know your summer is going so well! Emily did very well on her budgies. We have a male that looks like the female that she drew. He is one of my favorite birds of all time.
I love your bullions and satin stitches and look forward to seeing the finished project. Have a good day!
Nice pictures! I could jump right in that pool right now.
When you cook the pie I'll be over with some vanilla ice cream. I haven't had one in years and years. Wouldn't it be fun if I really could?
This defenitly looks like summer, I can even taste this good looking lemonade,lucky you!! At the moment it's not really summerly...rain and cold...brrrrr. But the weather forecast said it will be warm again.
Have a wonderful week,
hugs Britta
Your embroidery project looks so intriguing! I love seeing works-in-progress and then the finished result.
Summer is going by so quickly! It looks like you have been having a beautiful summer! Sorry I haven't been around much. When summer is upon us, things seem to just get so busy! I know as school starts again things will calm down! Anyway, hope you are enjoying a beautiful Monday today! Have a glorious week dear friend!
P.S. I love your watercolour drawings! :)
Looks like you all are having a wonderful time!
Rhubarb keeps coming home with my daughter from the neighbors. I accidentally let some rot because it just keeps coming, and with 200 lbs of beef in the freezer, it's hard to get it frozen.
Your drawings (yours and Emily's) are beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
TJ
The water park looks like fun! My garden is not doing so well..we have had way too much rain around here and alot of stuff is dying from it. We have been mostly staying inside..going to the park this evening though so that ought to be fun.
Cant wait to see your embroidery! That is something I have yet learned to do.. :)
Blessings
Crystal
I love hearing about your summer! It sounds like it is going wonderful! :) Ours is super busy as well..but we are enjoying it..although...i always look forward to Autumn..it is my fave season! :) Have a great week!
Kelli , Happy Monday to you, I just wanted to stop in and say hello, I am just so blessed to have you as a blogging friend your website is so inspirating to the everyday homemaker. Do you also have a good recipe for a strawberry rhurbab pie.
Love your post love your pics too!
Your talented too!!
Diane
I know that particular water park well, having been there a few times. How good it feels as a mama to see our little ones progress in the things they are learning!
Your lemonade pictures make me feel a little bit cooler temperature-wise in this summer heat. I think we'll have a treat of pink lemonade this week as a family.
What a fun looking waterpark. Looks like you had a perfect day for it.
Thanks for all your yummy recipes.
The pool looks very inviting and your Rhubarb looks great.
:)
Judy
LOVE the photos... especially the color pencils!
I've got rhubarb too - I just made a Rhubarb Cake - don't bake that often but a friend gave me the recipe so I did a tutorial and blogged it...stop by and see! Might as well make the best of all that rhubarb, right? Which reminds me... I could use a good recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie...
Kelli,
Sound like you had a wonderful summer! We had my mama and daddy 50th Anniversary recption on 4th July weekends. Benn going to Curve (excercise) since May. I'm keeping on with the dieting and excercise. Other than that we have been staying inside to stay cool. It's been so DRY and HOT here in Mississippi! It was 102 today with 106 heat index. I can't wait till Fall get here....You have a great evening. :) Smiles
That's an awesome pool :) And I LOVE the embroidery, I can not wait to see what you're making.
Hugs and kisses,
Sandra
Wow, you are not only good with the camera, you are great with the pencils! The morning glories are very pretty! I enjoyed seeing all these pictures!
Katherine
Kelli how refreshing! Pools and lemonade...sure signs of summer FUN!!
I am busy planning with natureboy of course, a trip to Europe in August!!
Yes a whole month so we've been busy arranging flights, trains, hotels, catsitters, house sitters, lawnsitters,momsitter whew!! I surely we'll need a vacation after all this!!
I have a few posts and images I am sure your girls will love! wink NG
Looks like you guys had fun at the waterpark. Summer her in Southern California has been hot! My flowers in my garden are screaming! Love your drawings with the watercolor pencils. I use to do that when I was younger....alot younger...LOL Nice blog, I enjoyed reading it!
Love, Ann
Kelli, it looks like a summer to remember! I love your drawing of the morning glory vine. Another talent for you to use and develop!
Nancy
Your embroidery work is lovely. It looks like a really nice thread you are using.
the rhubarb looks very healthy! Are you going to make pie? My husband loves strawberry-rhubarb pie. That's a good combination.
I believe emily has some real talent, there. that's really good!
Nancy
I just love to go to water parks.
I'm sure you had a fun time.
The pink lemonade looks delicious.
I'm going to have to try that.
We are enjoying our summer by playing games, swimming in our little pool, and taking walks. I love the watercolor pictures; they are so beautiful!
You and Emily are both talented artists!
I loved waterparks as a child, but my son hasn't picked up on them the same way. It's more like he tolerates them. LOL!
That lemonade recipe is simple and delicious! Perfect! :-)
Wonderful summer post Kelli :). Thank you for the lemonade recipe, it looks wonderful, especially the pink lemonade. Your water colors are priceless :). Thanks for sharing.
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