one last conneaut post

This is my first full week of being "back to work."

While the start up to the school year is generally pretty gradual, it is still a bit of a shock ...  So, I find that my mind is constantly wandering back to the lake.

Much like Pearl did every day that we were there ...

Bathing suit: Osh Kosh B'gosh (thrifted for $1.50)

She and the small "beach" were inseparable.

I wish (my) summer didn't have to end so soon!

baby bear (gets bigger)

Last summer at the lake, I took a photo of Pearl in a white beach hoodie.

As luck would have it, she ended up with another white beach hoodie this year ...

My little cub is growing up! 

the rock collector

I don't know if it is all three (almost four)-year-old boys or just mine, but Malcolm is very big into gathering and "collecting" things right now.

Whether we are hanging around the house, or talking a walk around the block (or doing any other benign activity), he will inevitably gather up a group of items and declare them his "collection."

Last week, while we were at Conneaut Lake with my family, Malcolm got to it right away ...

Down at the beach one sunny morning, he and the husband were milling around on the shore, looking for rocks to throw into the clear water, when Malcolm found one that he liked ... 

So he hung on to it.

He then proceeded to find dozens more and declared them all his collection.

"Come see my collection, Mom!" he excitedly called to me when I made my way down to the lake that morning.

The "collection" wasn't hard to spot.

There they were, lots and lots of rocks, lined up carefully along one of the neighbors' docks.

It's good I snapped the above picture because, every day since we've returned from the lake, Malcolm has asked to look at his collection ...  Better an image on a computer screen (and eventually a tangible 4x6 print) than a box full of rocks in our living room!

Now if only I could get him interested in collecting something that will grow in value and help to subsidize his (eventual) college education!

girl on a mission

Our vacation at Conneaut Lake was a bit busier this year ...   

(Having two active children to chase around is no joke!)

From the moment we climbed out of our van, Pearl wanted to do everything that her brother was doing.

She wanted to run down the lane.

To walk out onto the dock.

To throw rocks into the water.

To feed the fish and the ducks.

To explore every room of the cottage.

To roam the backyard.

To climb on anything that was on her level.

Shirt: Miniwear (thrifted for $0.50)

Shorts: Healthtex (gift)

She definitely got into a lot this year, but, as always, it is so fun to watch her grow into a little girl right in front of my eyes.