So at least I posted...

All spring I managed to put off the major cleaning, convincing myself that I would get around to dusty screens and baseboards once the heat of summer arrived.  After all, there are so many beautiful places to explore in lovely spring.  Once the blazing heat of summer hits, we're stuck indoors without much better to do anyway.  Right?

Wrong.  Well, mostly.  Yes, the heat is blistering, and yes, I dread the walk even between the parking lot and the grocery store.  But summer cleaning?  Forget it.  I don't know about the rest of you, but when the summer sauna hits, I get SOOO lethargic.  Even blogging seems a chore.  My fondest dreams revolve around a three-hour uninterrupted siesta (only a pipe dream, I know.)  You know your personal motivation got snagged on the cobwebs when you measure the success of a day by whether or not all the plastic otter pop wrappers made it into the trash can. 

Tonight, however, I'm determined to pull myself up by the bootstraps by posting some pictures.  That way there's proof that at least I did something today.  And as for those pesky cobwebs, well, I'm sure there will be plenty left tomorrow.

***

News update: Papa Kay came to visit! Since NomiAnn is quite busy leading middle school students all around England, Scotland, and Ireland with People to People, Papa Kay came by himself to enjoy five days with the grandkids.

Iphone or not, I'm just not sure how anybody's supposed to take this law professor seriously. Siri, what do you have to say about that?

Posing with the grandkids. But wait, Talia's looking just a bit too normal.

There, that's better!

Brooklyn of the scary eyes.

Terror in triplicate.

Of course, we all know that Daddy's a clown.

But quite a good-looking one, at that.

We had all sorts of fun adventures with Papa Kay, ranging from a family bike ride through Tonaquint to the Hydrotube at the City Pool. Ever the "net-giver," we abused Papa Kay for his babysitting, took advantage of his Costco card, used his rental car to facilitate some minor car repairs, and even borrowed his brawn while snagging a bunkbed off Craigslist. Too bad I forgot to take more pictures!

Fortunately, I do have photos of one major highlight--a two hour horseback ride. Papa Kay treated Brooklyn and Talia to their first-ever trail ride.

Here's Papa Kay riding Jazzy:

And Brooklyn on Miss Mariah:

Talia rode Trixie. Sounds like the perfect match!

Aren't these helmets snazzy? Papa Kay took one for the team when he gave up his cowboy hat in favor of a too-small helmet, just to set a good example for the girls.

Settling in for some serious business.

In the end, the guide Mike decided to lead Talia's horse since it's hard to stay seated when your legs are so short.

Brooklyn managed Mariah quite well.

And here's Papa Kay, bringing up the rear as the group sets off. His horse Jazzy was accustomed to leading, so he had to use a bit more skill. Fortunately, everyone made it back safe and sound.

Thanks so much for your visit, Papa Kay! We absolutely loved having you spend time with us, even if you did spoil us rotten with Tic Tacs. :)

You probably noticed from the previous pictures, but I just wanted to point out that Brooklyn chopped a full ten inches off her hair and donated the ponytail to Locks of Love. The new summer hairdo is adorable.

So adorable, in fact, that instead of waging another battle on the snarls, I offered Talia the choice of cutting her hair like Brooklyn. She accepted.

It's not perfect, but also not terrible, considering it's my very first foray into the world of cutting hair. (Oh wait, a haircut--I did two things today!) The bangs aren't nearly as short as they look--the wind was blowing. At any rate, Talia definitely likes it. She smiled at herself in the hand mirror for five full minutes before commenting with a sigh, "I wish I could never stop looking at me!"

And here's the whole gang.

More to come soon.