Summer Friends

Crafts are great, but nothing beats hanging out with good friends: Sharing a meal...

enjoying a few moments of uninterrupted conversation...

making a new acquaintance....

and eating chocolate chip cookies. :)

We love playdates... and we love our friends!

City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems

This latest of Mo Willems has all the charm you've come to expect from the prolific children's author, without the sparse cartoon illustrations. Instead, the story is accompanied by beautiful watercolor paintings on every page.

The story takes place during each season, following the natural life-cycle of a friendship: from first encounters, to getting to know one another, to accepted companionship, to goodbye. The writing is excellent: simple and yet profound. 

I particularly appreciated that their friendship doesn't last forever. In today's transient society - especially in my military town - friends come into our lives, only to move away after a few short years. Yet the relationships we build in turn build us, and the influence these friends have on our lives lasts a lifetime. It's an important lesson to learn at any age.