cousins camp

I know you have seen this shirt more than once on this blog.  It's a favorite around here.

So here's the story behind the shirt.

I am one of three sisters, and among us we have nine cool kids.  Kids that are smart and funny and talented and full of personality.  And when these nine cousins get together you can count on there being fun and creativity and laughter and a good dose of chaos -- as any good cousin gathering should create.

So every summer my sisters and I plan something truly special for them.  We pick several days that are devoted to the cousins and together we explore and create and adventure and learn.

We call it Cousins Camp.

Complete with camp songs.  Camp shirts.  Camp grub.  Camp crafts. And, even once, a camp out.

Each summer is a bit different, and we've enjoyed a variety of adventures since we began this family tradition four years ago:  riding bikes at scooter town, playing at playgrounds, swimming, hiking, touring a popcorn factory, scavenger hunts, playing water Olympics, visiting the local zoo, eating ice cream, tie-dying t-shirts, visiting a screen printer to add words to those shirts, fishing, creating keepsakes, pitching tents, and singing around a campfire.

Last week we had our first Cousins Camp of this summer.  And the rain didn't dampen the fun one bit.

We painted garden sticks, inspired by this post.

We hiked.

We played.

We sang songs to pass the time as we waited for the rain to slow.

And we enjoyed every wonderful minute of our day together.

What summer traditions do you enjoy?

discovering {summer}

I generally find the first of July to be daunting.  For some people it may seem as if summer is just beginning, unfortunately for me the arrival of the first week of July makes it feel like we are speeding oh-too-fast towards August, the busiest month of the year for me, and then ultimately fall.  This is not helped by the fact that on our calendar page for July there is something written on Every. Single. Day.

I am discovering that I must try very hard right about now not to be overwhelmed with the looming sense of summer's end, but instead remain solidly in this hot, humid, wearing shorts and flip-flops moment of now.

Which makes this past weekend so very special, as it was overwhelmingly filled with moments of now.  Moments of real summer.

:: watermelon, lots of watermelon
:: monkey bars
:: sneaking in minutes here and there for a good summer read (and I must keep sneaking as it is  non-renewable with the library, yikes!)

:: learning to crochet with Nonnie
:: leisurely walks
:: skinned knees
:: outdoor paint projects
:: even more family movie nights (this time rediscovering the brilliance of Rowan Atkinson, and reveling in the children's laughter he provokes)
:: swimming
:: games of hide and seek
:: any games really

And easily the most magical moment of the weekend
:: chasing and catching twinkling fireflies as the sun set

goodness

Bike Riding and swimming and playgrounds and flip flops and cousins and dribbling and picture taking and real whipped cream and index card art and iced coffee...

Our summer weekend was full of endless goodness.

Oh, and full of Instagram too!