Here and there

This weekend I got a little glimpse of summer. The kids were busy playing all sorts of imagination games and Anthony and I were busy with projects, etc. When I came out of the living room, I saw the what the kids had done to the family room! They had definitely been busy and playing well together, and you could tell by all the toys everywhere. I realized I might have to be a little more involved on summer days if I didn't want to find huge messes every time I turn around :) We also went to a swim party this weekend - it doesn't get any more summer than that! Well, maybe if it had been 102 this weekend . . .

Church has been busy lately, too. Anthony is finishing up teaching a class for Sunday school and we are looking forward to a study called Living Faith, by NT Wright. We're also doing a Bible study on Philippians on Wednesday nights. Its nice to feel connected again.

I think I've been in a planning mood lately, too. We are hoping to do a lot of projects on the house this summer like tearing down wall paper and installing laminate floors. At the same time I don't want home improvement projects to take over the summer and I'm trying to figure out just what to sign the kids up for. Swimming? Piano lessons? summer camp? tennis lessons?

Now that I've written all that, I can see why I picked up a book on living simply at church on Sunday. I keep feeling like I need to de-clutter and simplify, simplify, simplify our life. It seems like I keep coming back to the topic of simplicity. Considering how busy we get at times and the unending opportunities to get more or do more, is it any wonder I wish things were less complicated and more focused?

So far I'm enjoying the book and thought it was very interesting that the author also loves some of my all time favorite books: Anne of Green Gables (Lucy Maud Montgomery) The Betsy and Tacy (L.M. Lovelace)stories and Little Women(L.M.Alcott). She also likes the Little House books, but I never got quite as into those. I did love the TV shows though :) Maybe reading books like that when I was younger had a bigger impact on me than I realized? Anyone else ever read them? If not, I highly recommend them and I can't wait until Elena is old enough. Maybe we'll read them together this summer . . .