Playgrounds and beaches, ice cream and picnics. Riding bikes down the driveway and playing with chickens. Two sisters spending time together, playing and hugging. We're all going to miss these long, warm days.

Gradually over the course of the past week or so, Tess has started calling Gracie by name, or at least, by Tess's version of her name: "Gray – hee." I have to admit that we have been encouraging Tess to use Grace's name for a while now. Although it is incredibly sweet that Tess's nickname…

After having not-great luck with growing my own corn last year, I didn't plant any this year. Apparently I should have, though, because after our wonderful next-door neighbors gave us six, freshly picked ears of their own sweet corn, Grace and Tess both begged me for some —well before the dinner hour. Thus continues the…

Grace has been very good to her little sister lately. I think she genuinely enjoys her company, but most of all, I think she likes feeling like a big kid when she teaches Tess how to do things, like use scissors or ride her tricycle. And of course, Tess wants to do whatever her big…

…the mice (and the daddy cat) will play. And their hair will be VERY tangled, but they won't mind a bit, because bathtime with daddy is awesome.

One of the first things I did on Monday – the first day of the first full week of summer break – was buy a little pool for our yard. We had one last year (it suffered an untimely death at some point during its winter hibernation), and while Grace loved it, Tess was less…

Grace wanted to have a tea party the other day, and for the very first time, she invited Tess to participate (usually we only have tea parties when Grace has a friend over to play, and baby sisters are not welcome). Tess was beyond thrilled to partake in what she clearly sees as a big…

Me: Grace and Tess, stop kicking each other, turn around, and eat. Me: Girls, stop it. Grace: Mom, aren't you glad you had kids?