Ahh... summer weather

On Tuesday Clare and I packed the stroller in the back of the Sube and headed for McLain's.  We met Kristen there and enjoyed a long walk and some wintergreen berries growing near the trail.  Fiddlehead ferns were ripe for the picking too, but I haven't eaten as many of those since I realized it kills the fern.

The only thing I haven't liked about "summer" so far is trying to keep Clare protected from the sun.  Not that it's hard, I just have to wipe the sunblock on while she's squirming around and attempt to get it to cover her.  Obviously, I didn't get it rubbed into her face very well.  She doesn't mind wearing her hat though, and she'll put up with her sunglasses when it's really bright out. 

We were outside for most of the day Friday, walking in the stroller with Molly or playing on the deck. I'm so grateful Clare loves the outdoors because I'm outside any chance I get.  Matt joined us for another walk after he biked home from work.  It was "Bike to Work" day on Friday and they had stations throughout town with goodies for bikers.  Matt bikes in so early in the morning, they weren't set up by then and when he biked home, they were set up on the wrong side of a busy road (a busy road for this area, anyway).  We don't need another water bottle, so no biggie.

In garden news, the spinach and lettuce are coming up after surviving several snowfalls.  The lettuce is about 2 inches tall and the spinach has its first set of true leaves.  The sugar snap peas are just poking their heads above the soil.  Our rhubarb is growing so quickly.  I cut 2 cups worth the other day and now I'll have to go cut it again.  I wish Molly hadn't killed the other plant when she was a puppy. 

Clare hasn't been napping well and I think it's because she's learning to pull up on things and wants to do it all the time.  She climbed up the step from the deck into the porch yesterday, several times.  She looked pretty proud of herself.  It's fun to see these accomplishments.  Occasionally I take video of them for Matt, but usually they happen so fast and I have no clue where I've put the camera.  She's gone from not pulling up at all to pulling up on things any chance she gets.  It's amazing how once they catch on to something they want to practice all the time.  Which is probably what she's doing in her crib right now when she's supposed to be napping (I can still hear her playing up there). 

Clare walked a little way today behind her walker.  I took a video but they take awhile to upload.  I'll post it eventually, but the dishes really should get washed....  Digging dandelions out of the yard sounds much more fun (seriously) but dishes are a little higher on our home priority list.