Hot!

I love our big backyard. If you'd told me 7 or 8 years ago that I'd enjoy living in the country, I'd have called you crazy. Now I can't imagine giving up the quietness and the open space. I love to look out our back windows, especially the back corner where the two ditches meet - I love how pretty and "woodsy" the trees are in summer! I love the sound of the crickets and the frogs at night. It's like having the sounds of camping right in your own yard. And now, we've got the campfire to go with it.

A few months ago, Keith braved the ditch next to our house to retrieve a bunch of big rocks to make a simple firepit in our backyard. You wouldn't have gotten me that close to the ditch with the snakes & slimy creatures! Ick!

Anyway, he "built" our firepit in my favorite corner of the yard earlier this month, and we had our first backyard fire. Jessica was staying with Grandma & Papa for the weekend (while working on a cake for the fair, which I hear was a GREAT success...congrats, Jess!) so we invited them over to roast marshmallows with us.





Alex was warned that fire is HOT, and he's not to go close to the fire. He either had to sit on a lap or walk behind the chairs. He did surprisingly well with that. In fact, when we're playing in the backyard, he'll still walk me to the firepit and tell me, "Hah, Hah!!" He remembers, that's for sure!

(To me, this is how NOT to roast marshmallows. If they're flaming, they are inedible.
Yuck! But Keith loves them this way!)

Not much to tell about the evening...just marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers and good company. It got a little chilly. Alex got a little sleepy and cranky...even to the point that he refused more than a bite of marshmallow. (What's wrong with you, kiddo? I'd eat pure sugar no matter how tired I am!! Ha ha!)



Jessica & Grandma brought Alex in for a bath. We battled the mosquitoes and sat around the fire just a little longer, and then my sweet-smelling, clean boy came out to join us in his PJs for a bit.


It was a nice, relaxing way to spend a Sunday evening. Hopefully we'll have more of those this summer. You're all invited...just tell us when you're coming...and don't all show up on the same night, or I can't promise you any chocolate! ;)

(This post wouldn't be complete without thanking some very generous friends for sharing their stash of firewood with us. Thanks, Jack & Angie! We owe you a backyard cookout for your kindness!)