My Heart's Desires: Red, White, & Blue Memorial Day!

Next Monday, it will be official--the summer begins! I am so excited to see summer get here after a long, cold winter and a very cool spring. Slow rides on the pontoon boat with children and grandchildren in tow, lazy afternoons in the hammock or swing,roasting marshmallows on a skewer for s'mores over an open fire and acting like children again can't get here fast enough.

I'm looking forward to a lazy, but fun-filled Memorial Day at our home by the lake! We went over Friday night to mow the grass and Saturday morning hubs got the pontoon boat, jet ski, and ski boat ready for the children and grandchildren. We have a lot of activity when we are there with family and friends, but it is also relaxing because we can each do whatever we care to even if it is lying in the hammock with a good book.

I've already started decorating our doors and flower garden with flags, etc here at home to emphasize our patriotism and belief that our country is among the best in the world. We pray daily for our leaders and that our country will return to its Christian roots. We don't take our freedom lightly especially with some of the things that are happening in the US now.The "world" has mesmerized so many in America, but there are still those of us who believe in what this country was founded on. We appreciate the men and women who serve in our armed forces now and we remember those who served in the past.

This week I went throughout our yard hanging flags, crafted a red, white, and blue wreath, and displayed the larger American flag on the front of our home. I enjoyed getting out all the items from the past with a few new ones I picked up at Michael's and reconfiguring it all to be fresh for this year's patriotic holiday.

Since it's still spring, I left the violets by the garden entrance to our home rather than switching the flowers to look more summer like. I love violets and I'm just not ready to put them away just yet. Our real violets have bloomed and gone, but they have such pretty heart shaped leaves that remain. It makes me smile each time I see their little "heads" nodding in the breeze.

Storms keep popping up all around with showers today. I hope we have dry days while we're at the lake. If it does rain, there's always scrabble, movies, books/magazines, or naps. We may exercise some of all those options. I'll probably spend some lazy time in the porch swing. Hubs will hang a tire swing for the grandchildren to enjoy. Who knows there may even be a street fair at a nearby lake town for us to wile away some time.

Our family will arrive in shifts starting Friday evening with 3 of us. Then another will come in from the beach on Sunday and the last group of 8 will arrive Monday for four days and the rest of us will leave on Monday evening after we enjoy a dinner of ribs on the grill and s'mores. It will be like rotating beds, but that will be a good thing. I look forward to the activity.We'll probably see fireworks each evening as we sit on the deck and gaze at the lights in the distance.

I bought a few toys from Dollar Tree to add to the supply already at the lake house. Of course, if the kids get tired of playing with the toys, or tire of riding the jet ski, there is always fishing from the dock.Now I just need to think about some menus and make out a grocery list. We should have eggs from our chickens, squash and onions along with potatoes from our garden. Since we don't sell our eggs, we give them away and family members are at the top of our list.