Snapshots from a summer teaser

We love summer around here and we had a weekend to remind us of the many reasons why:

Reason 1: Barbecues

This is the first reason. We had a barbecue with our Sunday School class on Saturday night. The focus was Chilean foods. Our friend tracked down some authentic manjar and make a real "torta de mil hojas" (translation: thousand layer cake). It was like a trip back to La Bandera; it really tasted like a genuine Chilean pastry. Thanks, Paul.
I made a marinade out of my Chilean cookbook and marinated chicken, pork, and steaks and also made three Chilean salads. This is making my mouth water.
Everyone else brought over yummy, yummy food. I love it when a bunch of Mormons get together to eat.

Reason 2: The creativity of backyard adventures

Luke's love affair with sticks continues. He collects them wherever he goes. Today I discovered his backyard stockpile. He told me that he has been collecting them to make a fire. He has discovered quite the fun little hiding place in our little grove of trees. All the kids that were over on Saturday loved playing here.


Reason 3: Sidewalk Chalk and friends home from college
Our dear friend Whitney is home for the summer and we are really enjoying her company. She saved our lives last week when I was working and Nat had to be at class. She is so good to Luke. They traced each other's outlines in sidewalk chalk on the patio. Luke loved being traced and also tracing. It was hilarious to watch him trace Whitney.


This was the best part; Luke took great care to trace each one of Whitney's fingers.


Reason 4: The bike path
Luke took a shorter than expected nap today. So, instead of losing my mind while I watched the clock and waited for Nat to get home Luke and I explored the bike path (we took Noah with but he just slept in the stroller). He pretended that this little path along the edge was a race track and that he was "faster than fast".

Oh, summer loving...