It's Summer. We're all busy. I'll be brief.

and then I tried water aerobics and salads.

It's summer and if you're a mom with kids, YOU HAVE NO TIME. So thank you for even opening this email.

From the time the kids were little guys on the swim team, I watched the retired ladies (and a sprinkling of men) do water aerobics in our pool the hour after practice, but before the pool officially opened.

I always wanted to try it.  

The women were so welcoming. But I couldn't. What would I do with the kids? 

Well GUESS WHAT? This is my year. 

I got medical clearance to be IN THE WATER two weeks ago and the kids can hang now, so a day later, I did my first water aerobics class. 

The woman who leads it is a former FBI agent and one of the men recites a MADE UP & MEMORIZED original poem each time he comes. (He's in his eighties.)  

During the chit chat of my first day – chit chat is a VERY important part of water aerobics -- I thanked the woman who runs it and she said, very simply, 'I think we're better in community and feel better if we're active. I love doing this because here we get both.'

I adore this mindset. 

(And this group.)

Hope you're having a wonderful summer. 

With Love,  

        Sonya 

p.s. Status update on our “deck." The gravel is gone and I can finally park in my own driveway. 

The old deck has gone, the new has not yet come. But CHECK OUT the retaining wall Chris built. (with the help of a neighbor who knew what he was doing! 😂)

In the Kitchen  

Every summer, all I want is salad. But by salad I mean something with pasta or bread or beans. Three recipes I adore: Israeli Couscous Salad (I used regular paprika this last time and the kids like it better), Lime-Cilantro Chickpea Salad (One either loves or hates cilantro, no? Me to cilantro: 😍😍😍😍), and Ina's Panzanella. 

Just Some Things:

This G-ish rated comedy show - It's not something I'd watch WITH my kids, but man, this guy is FUN-NY. (And clean.) 

This article about 3 female ghosts that haunt the church by Jen Wilkins.

“Though you may not always be aware these ghosts are hovering, the women you interact with in ministry frequently are. I hear ghost stories almost on a weekly basis in the e-mails I receive from blog readers.”

I'm usually in about 3-6 books at a time. Which means that all too often, I don't finish reading ONE book for ages, then seem to finish all of them right around the same time. It's tragic. Last month I finished three books of essays, listened to two comedy memoirs, and read Anxious People, a quick read I liked more than I anticipated. 

I'm a fan of Andrew Peterson and last month got the Wingfeather Saga for the kids (at least the older ones.) Phin (our 13yo boy) is blowing through them.  

"Lad, it's one thing to be poor in pocket - nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart - that's no good."