Summer Fun

"Oh, what do you do in the Summertime when all the world is green?"  That's how a childhood song we used to sing begins.  This Summer has been extremely dry here in Germany and the past few days have reached highs around 100 degrees!  But we have still been busy, and having fun this July. Here are some of the things we've been up to since our castle day-trip: 

*We've been going to the neighborhood pool to stay cool.
*We had some friends over for a tea party- lemonade style. One friend even brought macarons straight from Paris!  The kiddos were thrilled!
*We've been doing Summer reading through the library and attending some of their events like kite flying and making candy parachutes after learning about the Berlin Airlift.
*We spent several days doing what was needed for my minivan to pass inspection and get re-registered. (New windshield mainly, and a few other little things.  Now we have begun getting Rob's truck's work done- including removing the crash bars from the front, since after four years here those are suddenly not permitted.)
*The kids have been playing video games together.
*We've been visiting lots of playgrounds off-base and on-base.
*We made homemade ice cream one night.
*We have been picking blackberries from the yard and made a big batch of jam.
*We went to the movies to see The Incredibles 2.
*We went to IKEA for lunch and had schnitzel and meatballs.
*We've done almost all of our back-to-school shopping.

And what do all of these things have in common?  I haven't taken any pictures of them!  Just everyday life is so busy with four kiddos at home, that I have been doing my best to just enjoy it, and not think so much about photographing every moment.  It has been a productive and fun July.

Here are a couple of pictures that I did take this month while we were out and about:

 

We went to the Vivarium one day.  

I love this little zoo in Darmstadt and we have been coming here for years!

 

Another shot at the playground at the Vivarium... of the little one who was throwing a tantrum and wouldn't have her photo taken with the other kids by the owl statue at the entrance.

I took a look and found this photo of walking to the Vivarium from our old house in Traisa with my niece Leah, and my little bitty Charlotte and Toby way back in 2009!!

 

While my car was in the shop in Wiesbaden one day, the kids and I spent the morning playing at a playground in the park nearby.

 

And back in Darmstadt, we celebrated the 13 year anniversary of the day Rob proposed, with a family lunch out at this really lovely Biergarten that had great food and a small playground. 

We have some more fun, and some more work, planned for August but no big trips in the next month.  We are happily soaking up our last German Summer and looking forward to some cooler weather this Fall!