Summer

A wonderful day--and I'm totally tired out now. I woke up at 7 and headed out for a walk. I met my dad at the end of his morning walk. It was just lovely--so cool and with birdsong and bullfrogs, wildflowers, and a woodpecker on a flower (which my dad identified for me, above). 

After breakfast--I made my favorite veggies with my brother's eggs on top--we headed up to a lovely state park with waterfalls. We hiked and then headed to the beach for a picnic lunch. I loved the mushrooms along the way. And, of course, the falls. 

These mushrooms were magical. They belonged in a Studio Ghibli movie, where they would definitely come to life and help the main character find their way through the forest to a magical waterfall. 

I love the variety of stuff that grows in the woods. And it just felt so full of personality. 

After lunch, Blaze immediately headed to the beach and played in the sand and swam in the water. It was too cold for the rest of us--Q read, Papa walked, and Nana, Francisco, and I chatted. 

Blaze and I fell asleep as soon as we got in the car to head home; Francisco and Q listened to a podcast together. We summoned all of our strength to go to mass, where the boys were too tired to do anything but focus on the mass, which was unexpected and delightful. We sang, "There's a wideness in God's mercy," which was lovely. 

Nana and Papa made us an amazing summer meal to return home to (their energy is apparently unending). Papa even joined the boys in playing a new card game that came in the mail today--Q's been talking about nothing but this card game, which he learned to play at camp, for the last three days.