Howdy from Lacy Williams! It's warming up here in Oklahoma and I've been enjoying a lot of long-forgotten summer activities with my kids.Earlier this week we made Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops from a recipe we found on www.allrecipes.com (see below for recipe). They were easy and fun and messy--everything a popsicle should be.
We've also spent time in the backyard kiddie pool, splashing and sliding.
I think the most fun so far has been finding literally a hundred baby frogs in our backyard. If you've been paying attention to the news lately, you know that Oklahoma has been hit with some awful weather lately. We were blessed that all of it missed us and all our family that live here, but we've had a ton of rain, and apparently our backyard became a breeding ground for toads native to the area.
My 21-month-old was the first to spot one. At first I thought it was a big grasshopper, but on closer inspection we found it was a tiny frog. Then we found another and another--until we realized what had happened. They've all pretty much gone now (just a few left around), but for a few days they were all over the yard. It was so fun to see the kids shriek and hop around, imitating the frogs. They even held one in their hands (was really surprised the almost four year old girl did). What fun memories to make for the future!
In my August 2013 book, ROPING THE WRANGLER, the hero and heroine relive memories of their own childhood Christmases when they have to help three orphaned girls survive a Christmas storm.
Schoolmarm Sarah Hansen longs for a family of her own. But horse trainer Oscar White is the last man she'd consider. Still, she can't help noticing the care he shows three motherless girls and the gentle way he helps Sarah overcome her fear of horses.
Too bossy by half—that's the Sarah that Oscar remembers from their teenage years. Yet as a former orphan, he finds the little Caldwell sisters—and their pretty teacher—getting under his skin. Could the tender heart Sarah's always hidden tame a once-reckless wrangler?
I will also have a freebie novella coming in July, available on all the major online retailers (Amazon, B&N, etc). Watch for COURTED BY A COWBOY if you'd like to try one of my stories for free.
Now I'd love to hear from you - what's your favorite summer ritual? A favorite thing to do with the kids or grandkids?
Recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops from
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Lemonade-Ice-Pops/Detail.aspx
*1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
*3 cups cold water
*1 (16 ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries
Directions:
In a large pitcher, stir together the lemonade concentrate and water. Place strawberries into the container of a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour in some of the lemonade if necessary to facilitate blending. Stir strawberry puree into the lemonade. Pour into molds, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
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Lacy, what a fun post! I immediately thought of our annual Fourth of July celebrations. My favorite, favorite game involved a greased watermelon in the pool. We'd split into two teams, set the watermelon in the middle of the pool, shout "go," and see which team could push the slippery gorde to the opposite end of the pool first.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! That sounds fun and interesting--and hard!
ReplyDeleteWhere we live (outside the city limits), we can pop off fireworks and that's one of my favorite 4th of July memories. My dad and husband are the biggest kids of all and usually up half the night doing so. :)
Now that I'm an empty nester and live too far away from any of my kids to see them much, summer just isn't the same! It's very strange actually and I have to remind myself that it IS summer sometimes. We live in the Pacific NW and it's still pretty cool and cloudy so the weather isn't even telling me isn't summer yet! I did just visit my only granddaughter in Philadelphia though so had a little "taste" of summer even though it was pouring rain! I'm looking forward to reading your new book. I love your books and have missed seeing something from you!
ReplyDeleteLove the frog. We caught tadpoles this year, more than I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteHi, Valri! Thanks for stopping by. I know it's been a while since my December 2012 release, but I really hope you like these new books!
ReplyDeletePamela,
ReplyDeleteIt's been years since I've seen a tadpole up close, but I bet the kids would love them. I keep waiting for my son to bring me the "surprise" whatever it is (frog, lizard, etc) but so far he is mostly content to watch the crawlies and daughter is too grossed out to pick them up without us showing her first.
Love those tiny frogs - we used to see them at my mother-in-law's house this time of year and the kids had a grat time with them.
ReplyDeleteThere's a creek that runs behind our house and when my kids were little they used to love to play back there and catch crawfish, tadpoles and minnows. I have some very fond memories of ooohing and ahhhing over the pail of water that held their 'catch' before they dumped it all back in the creek.
What fun memories you're making with your precious children, Lacy. I don't have grandchildren (yet!) but have such wonderful memories of summer activities when my kiddos were little (one of my favorites--that can be done year-round actually--was blowing bubbles!) ~ Trips to the library were fun too, not to mention eating watermelon. ~ Congrats on your upcoming book--LIH books are wonderful. Blessings from Georgia, Patti Jo
ReplyDeletep.s. SO thankful you and your family haven't been affected by the terrible storms in Oklahoma.
hey Lacy I have been thinking about you alot lately wondering how you are.
ReplyDeleteYOur new book sounds good.
I love hearing about summer especially as its cold here now. Glad you are making memories.
Hey Lacy, my favorite memory as a child was collecting fire flies :) we used to fill a jar with them and then mom would set them free after we fell asleep so we could chase them the next night. In the summer we always had a cool night light, at least until we went to sleep :)
ReplyDelete