Where has it gone?

Sailing camp

The summer is at an end.  About 3 months ago I had all these plans for our down time. I was going to clean out closets and under beds, go to the beach 3 times a week, finish a quilt, pick up a few other sewing projects, cook up some great meals, fix the garden beds, explore a different part of St. Croix every two weeks, etc. 

Here is what I ACTUALLY accomplished – cooked great meals, ran errands, took A to multiple camps, ran C around to different play grounds, played with both kids, started tutoring, became a mom mobile, hung at the beach, made new friends, explored science stuff with the kids,  cleaned the house,  read, put our dog to sleep,  rediscovered Buck Island, realized that I NEED salt water, built multiple train track configurations, did arts and crafts with A, and had a GREAT time.

Watermelon Ice Pops!

Did I accomplish what I wanted to accomplish – no. Did I get frustrated when I realized that my closet and under my bed is still a mess – yes, but did I also get to create some wonderful memories with my family – YES. Was it a good summer despite not getting through my to do list? Most definitely!

I think that A has had the best summer of her life to date. She was in Danica David’s art camp and got to do art 5 days a week for 1 month, she made new friends, went of field trips, and got bitten by the art bug.  Here is a video clip of their end of the camp song:

Then she met not one, but two new friends named Alex. If she doesn’t marry the one later in life I’m going to be crushed. She made new girl friends who allowed her to stay multiple nights in a row for sleepovers, she swam in someone’s pool or the ocean everyday, she learned how to sail, she had friends over to play all the time, and she had 2 birthday celebrations!

Birding at the Buccaneer

C got to go play at the beach a lot, he played in his sandbox, got Mommy all to himself, and missed his sister ALL the time! He took walks, learned how to speak a ton more, came up with some great witticisms, and started requesting odd, odd, odd songs at bed time. Anyone ever hear of the song about the Farmer who ate his chickens pollos, the big friendly dinosaur who played with horses, or the some about the bleeding dog in the bushes? I hadn’t before this summer, but now I know them VERY well.

I LOVED my summer and I’m not really too disappointed that I didn’t clean out the closets or under the bed. There are more important things in life.  How was your summer?

Watermelon! (Foodie post)

photo from superstock.com

I love watermelon, but living here we just don't buy it very often. Why? Well, because usually it is tasteless and super expensive.  Usually it prices out between $1.19 - $1.69 a pound. I have a hard time justifying that expense when I know the end product isn't going to be any good.

photo from food.com

On Saturday, we happened to stop by the Farmer's Market in LaReine to look for Mamey(I'll tell you about that some other day), and one of my agriculture friends mentioned that there was a farmer with AMAZING watermelon.  Now, I don't know about you but when an Ag person tells me some fruit or veggie is amazing I take heed. So I sent A of to buy a small watermelon as usually we just end up throwing most of it away.  When A came back she was empty handed BUT she was followed by the farmer carrying a HUGE, HUMONGOUS watermelon. I wasn't too happy as I figure we got taken - after all , who sends an almost 9 year old buy melon on their own and expects to get a good deal? So we loaded that monster into the car and $15 poorer drove away to pick up our CSA. What was included in the CSA box last week from Sejah Farms? MORE watermelon. At this point I was starting to regret even buying the first melon.

Turns out it was a good thing we bought the first one. C devoured ALL of the melon we got from Sejah Farm while we were at the farm stand.  Once we got our sticky boy back home, I unloaded the beast and chopped him open. We used half to make Agua de Sandia - a refreshing water melon drink, ice pops(about 12) and ate some. The other half I chopped up into slice and chunks. By Sunday afternoon we had no more watermelon left! That was not only the BEST watermelon I have ever had, but the fastest to disappear in our house EVER! Viva local, fresh, organic watermelon!

photo from ourbestbites.com

Now to go early and grab an even bigger monster this week!