Weekend according to Instagram

I spent Columbus Day weekend with (most of) the family at our friend's penthouse in Fort Walton Beach, FL. There was a hammock. On the deck of the penthouse. The weather was perfect and my weekend consisted of sleeping on the beach, sleeping in the hammock, sleeping in my bed, reading on the beach, reading in the hammock, reading in my bed. Oh, and a liiittle bit of watching movies, playing bananagrams, and snuggling with friends' puppy. It was wonderful. Did I mention there was a hammock on the deck of the penthouse?

Seven, the number of perfection

I sit in the back of the car surrounded by quiet, peaceful sleepers. The sun's golden light quickly fades behind the gray Tennessee mountains. And I can't help but think how very blessed I am. For one thing, we all needed that vacation. And what better way to spend it in the mountains surrounded by those you love and those who love you? For another thing, God has blessed us with not eight, but a big ol' family of NINE. We kids have grown from six to seven - seven, the number of perfection. 
Ermias is the newest addition to the Crampton Crew and has many endearing traits and talents, such as making crazy silly faces, breaking out the dance moves (especially when anything by Michael Jackson comes on the radio), singing, cuddling, and laughing. And, boy, can that kid laugh. With his laughter, he could make a hyena smile, Puddle Glum giggle, and Eeyore would surely bust a gut. Oh, how I love him.

the summer wind

. . .Came blowin' in from across the sea.

Where did it go? One vile word has swallowed it up.

School. This six-letter word has caused child and adolescent alike to tremble and has brought fear into the face of even the bravest and most fearless of youth.

 Yes, it's that time of year again. Summer 2010 comes to an abrupt end and I look back on so many wonderful memories, crazy doings, and exciting happenings:

(It sounded much less cheesy in my head, I promise.)

Like the time I attempted to throw a welcome home party for siblings who had been away and spread out from Virginia as far as Florence, Italy. Throwing surprise parties is not the easiest thing in the world to do, by the way. There's a lot more involved than what appears from a distance. But that's another story for another time.

Anyway, we ate buckets of ice cream flavored with mouth-savoring toppings, played an intense game of spoons in the dark on the lawn, talked, laughed, shared stories on our back porch. It was lovely.

Or the time Anna, Colleen, and I had tea and sandwiches on my back porch while decked out in dresses (for dress day, of course). Also included on this fine day was: Chopin, sunshine, hydrangeas, laughter, china, zip lines, good conversations, etc.

Camp Moriah. Hot, fun, great friends, frisbee, volleyball, canoeing, the bonfire, making bracelets from Ugandan beads with the best girls' group ever, and more frisbee. Did I mention it was hot? I stayed in a tent with the lovely Meg while we stayed up way past lights out (this is the brilliance & beauty of not staying in the girl's cabin, my friend), laughed, and talked about anything and everything.

 [I realize I can't post all the pictures I'd like to, so you can see the rest in my Camp album.]

Santa Fe, New Mexico. Beautiful. Cool (temperature wise). A 17-hour drive with a car full of kids, a hobbit house, hiking in the mountains, picnicking, shopping at the Plaza, Taos, exploring ancient ruins and climbing up 140 ft. on the side of a mountain on rickety old ladders (this was my favorite part of the week by far, I can assure you), reading on the back porch in the cool of the morning, white water rafting, and some family fellowship.

Adventures. Like finding pretty old houses on Endville road, exploring it and climbing into the old barn and up an ancient wooden ladder onto the second story. (We also had a lovely photographer name C-haad. Need one? I highly recommend you give her a ring.)

Saying goodbye to and moving out dear friends as they leave you for stinkin' North Carolina. I love you, Ande. And miss you buckets. (Does that even make sense?)

-trips to Sonic (to which we somehow managed to time just right enough to miss happy hour about every single time -- cause we're that awesome).

-picnics

-outdoor treks through the woods

-bike rides

-afternoon swims

-laying out while reading Mitford in the backyard

-Thursday night frisbee

-birthdays and parties

-lovely weddings

-soccer tournaments in the hottest heat in MS in. . .1,000 years (pretty much)

-sketching and painting to my heart's desire

-visiting Crampton Farm for the Fourth

-the church meeting in Memphis where I stayed with my delightful little family

 -late-night slumber parties with good friends

-sleeping in

-and happy birthday to Anna and Ande; I've been running around like a chicken with his head cut off trying to make/buy/get/wrap/beautify your birthday specials. 'Cause I love you that much.

-Disney sing-along with the girls

-National Convention

-ladies' Bible study on Romans 6

-good friends and wonderful memories.

What were your Summer highlights? And, yes, I realize you must be much more brief than I. Sorry about this, but I pretty much tried to kill 10 birds with one post.

*NOTA BENE: No birds were harmed in the making of this post.

I'm in Santa Fe, New Mexico with the whole family. We're staying in a hobbit house. It's wonderful, beautiful, and I had to wear a sweatshirt on the back porch. I'm loving it already.