We still have the craft tote, but we haven’t been using it much. We spend most of the day outside, not coming in until dinner. We almost always forget to do the craft.

One craft we tried was tie dye. The kids loved it. I enjoyed it when I wasn’t annoyed at how messy it was (I wore gloves, but I still have green cuticles). I decided we should tie dye in the front yard so the kids would not be running through leftover dye in the grass for the rest of the day. I failed to consider that it was 87 degrees out (30 degrees C) and we would be in the sun. The kids didn’t mind the heat, and were thrilled to make shirts and socks for themselves. I am very pleased with my rainbow kitchen towel, and find it makes washing dishes more cheerful.

I’m thankful they paved our street. They have more paving to do, but the end is in sight.

I’m thankful for kiddie pools. They keep the kids cool, and wear them out.

I’m thankful my kids aren’t afraid to try hard things.

I’m thankful Elliot builds me lego buildings every morning.

I’m thankful I was able to visit my parents this week.

I’m thankful that voices are being listened to. I’m hopeful that change is coming.

It feels like my reading mojo is back. It was missed. I read five books this month, only one of which was trashy.

Beach Read by Emily Henry. This book is about two authors who end up living next door to each other on a lake. They are both having trouble writing their next book. This book is adorable. I give it four out of five stars.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. Lydia Bird has a wonderful life. Then her fiance dies. The sleeping pills she takes to battle grief insomnia take her to an alternate reality where her fiance never died. Do you know how this book will end up? Probably. Is it worth the read? Absolutely. I give this book three our of five stars.

Love the One You Hate by RS Grey. Sometimes you hate someone but it is love. Most of the time that person is rich and you are struggling financially. At least that is how it is in RS Grey books. Does it annoy me? Yes. Do I read every one as soon as they come out? Yes. I give this book two out of five stars.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. You should probably read this book. During the Great Depression four kids from an Indian School in Minnesota travel face events that make them flee down the Mississippi River towards St. Louis. This book is beautiful and gripping. It receives bonus points for the people in Dubuque, IA being nice, but I would have given it four stars even without that I give this book four out of five stars.

Sorry I Missed You by Suzy Krause. A fourtish former punk turned security guard inherits a haunted mansion from his aunt. He is scared to live there, so he turns the place into three apartments. The apartments are filled with three women who have each been ghosted in different ways. The women are quirky and very different from each other, but eventually bond. This book was a really nice read. I wish it had one more draft, as there are so many things in this book that could have been improved upon. There were loose ends and weird connections, I wish there had been 50 extra pages to really pull things together. That being said, I enjoyed the book. I give it three out of five stars.

I have a nightstand full of books, and I’m hoping to enjoy a few of them in July. I hope you are reading too.

I was making great progress on this sweater. That stopped on Monday. It has been in the upper 80s here, and I have rainbow socks on the needles, so my arachne has been sitting in its project bag for days. I still love it, and I’m sure I’ll be back to obsessively working on it as soon as I finish my socks.

This week I’m doing some knitting, but the thing I’m working the most on is me. I’m reading up on how to fight racism. I’m supporting makers of color. I’m working on being a better person.

GG Made It (Gaye Glasspie) is one of my favorite YouTube shows. She has an amazing video up on Instagram TV about Standing In the Gap. If you are on Instagram I encourage you to watch it.

I had never heard the phrase Stand In The Gap before. I should have known the phrase before now. I will be actively speaking out against racism instead of ignoring side comments I hear. I am done being passive. I don’t want my kids to think being passive is an option. It’s not. We need to speak up. We need to change.