Jump for joy juice

Ken (5) Sam (4) Georgia (3)

We're jumping to the tune of summer these days -- amid really green grass, thunderstorms, neighborhood friends, and four new trees in our backyard. Ken here -- to report that life is a-okay. (An aside: I love summer. Days are longer, sun is sunnier, birds are bird-ier. I do think this month is the reason most people decide to stay living in Minnesota.)

Georgia scored herself a birthday last week. She's three big ones --

Georgia: Cake batter!

although, when you ask her, she'll tell you that she's five. She positively owned that chocolate batter in the mixing bowl, and when it came time to choose her cupcake, she (wisely) selected the one with the most rainbow sprinkles. Promptly after unwrapping a yarn-haired, ever-smiling rag doll, she embraced its cotton-filled person and aptly named it Joy. Happy birthday, Georgia!

Mom and I are biking together as of late. She on her low cross-bar-basket-sporting-blue-streak, and I on my super-awesome-kid-bike-with-no-training-wheels. We pedal along at a whopping 5 mph and typically cover about four miles with each ride. I'm getting better at the hills; now I simply need a way to go faster.

Sam and G: Finding bugs

Sam's leading the charge on the bug hunts this summer. Spiders don't frighten him the same way they do me [insert high-pitched scream here], and Sam has a knack for finding caterpillars. At first we tried to keep the caterpillars in a bug-friendly mason jar, but after three attempts at storing these furry friends for easy viewing and conversation -- alas -- none survived. Instead, we discovered a local nature center: one that houses all sorts of bugs for our temporary capture-and-chat-pleasure. Totally. Awesome.

Catching bugs

Occasionally, we'll score an evening movie night with Mom and Dad. One rainy week in June, Mom allowed each of us to choose one movie-to-borrow from the library. (Sweet!) I chose Sleeping Beauty. Georgia chose 101 Dalmatians. Sam chose a documentary on birds.

Dad's home-brew season is in full swing. His slightly upgraded brewing equipment is wheeled to the center of the backyard for each 4-6 hour brew session. After it sits for a select number of weeks to properly ferment, the barley pop is kegged at the basement bar (dubbed Conrad's Tavern), and ready for consumption. Currently on tap: A light-hopped session ale, and a summer saison. Yum. (Says Mom), and come on over! (says I).

Dress up!

As the moments are rarely dull around here, Mom asked me to share a few memorable dialogues.

Georgia: Mom, Mom, Mom.
Mom: What, Georgia?
Georgia: I put my nightmare in my PJ drawer.
Mom: Your nightmare? Did you have a bad dream?
Georgia: No, I put my nightmare in my PJ drawer.
Mom: Oh, yes. Your nightgown. That's a smart place for it.

Dad: Yes,when ice gets warm, it turns to water.
Ken: I know. And when water gets warm, it turns to air.
Dad: Um, you're right.
Ken: And that means the whole world is wet.

Georgia & Joy

Georgia: (At the close of meal-time prayer) Scoop in!
Sam: Do you mean dig in?
Georgia: Yep! Scoop in!

Ken: (with Georgia) Mom, mom, mom. I'm good at catching!
Mom: Really? What are you catching?
Ken: I'm catching Joy!

Godspeed, dear reader! And may you also find yourself good at catching joy as we jump into these early days of summer. Until next time --
Ken