Farmer's Market

My family took to the closest thing we have to a flea market here in GB, a farmer's market. Over the years it's evolved and nowadays this Wednesday market is quite fancy. For one, it's next to impossible to actually get into as the cars are bumper to bumper as we near it from every angle but perhaps that will improve (yesterday was the first of the season). And now they have endless food and dessert vendors, the sweets being a new addition and I cannot help but (want to) jump up and down with excitement over the rows and rows of cheesecakes, cupcakes and deliciously fat cookies. We also have several "handmade" booths now with all sorts of kids clothes, bags, art, and jewelry. I missed an entire section last night because it just wasn't worth squeezing my kids, husband and stroller through it all. The live music makes it romantically atmospheric and the assortment of cold drinks are perfect in that sweet heat. It's one of those places that gives you a heady, happy summer feeling. 

There's always something about summer that sticks with me and the memories of past summers come back as the season returns, much like Christmas would do, I suppose. When the heat returns and I roll down my windows in the car and turn up the music to catastrophic levels (my boys love this too), I'm usually taken back to my high school days when I was still living in Tulsa. It's always looked the same ... like a Katy Perry song. Girls in short shorts and deep tans, 2 things I no longer wear :). Windows rolled down (okay, so maybe it was spring) and music blaring on the radio. Cherry limeade in hand, next stop the pool. The radio would be playing there too (music is always an integral part of summer. Plays longer and louder then) and we'd lay and dip for hours. Concerns began and ended with, how's my tan? and don't let me forget that I have to work this afternoon! or why hasn't my boyfriend called? Ha! The life. 

Here are a few pictures I took last night at the market. For overseas friends, our summer evenings are bright until 9 and even 9:30 come mid-summer. My grandparents were astonished by this. And the sun is up at 5:15, or so says my sister, who runs at that hour (crazy, amazonian, rockstar woman). So our days are looooong in the summer. It's beautiful. 

Below you'll see my mom and grandma in the fore front - such stylish ladies. 

The boys favorite buy is the kettle corn that they make while you watch. Hot and fresh, sweet and salty. 

Not sure if I've ever shown my dad here ... I might have. He's the bomb. 

Snapped this cute little lady as she walked by. Loved her leather backpack. 

And grabbed a few photos of Parker in front of some of the buildings as we walked back to our car. 

While I'm writing this I have a smile that is splitting my face in two. Elliot has just woken (9am compared to that 5:45 the other morning, what gives?!) and he is sitting at the table eating his cereal. Parker just came into the dining room and says ...

P: Good morning!
E: Morning Parkie James. Give hugs right now? (he ends many of his sentences with a RIGHT NOW)
P: Okay (hugs ensue)
E: You nice sleeping?
P: Yes

heart, heart, heart

PS: I took photos at the market last summer too!