Summer Recap

Dressing up as cows for Cow Appreciation Day.

Well, now that summer is just about over, I feel like I should do my quarterly update, which is about how often I do this! One day I'll be a regular blogger. Just like one day I'll be a regular journal-writer too!

What a fun summer this has been! I had to chuckle reading over my last post. I remember all too well back in June dreading this summer. I was worried about fighting kids, keeping them busy, keeping them entertained, etc. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about! After about a week of being at home, the kids seemed to adjust to being around each other all the time and we settled into a nice relaxed routine.

We've had a nice mix of fun and down time. Last summer, we were so busy. On the go everyday it seemed and I remember wishing for it to slow down. And this summer I got just that. We've had lots of fun times, but also plenty of stay-at-home-in-our-jammies days. I wish I could say I accomplished a lot more than we did, but it has been nice to just enjoy being at home together. We've spent time at the beach, been to the pool, been to the movies, and just had fun being together. I've always had a hard time just staying home. I've always wanted to be going somewhere or doing something. So, this has been nice for me. I've learned to enjoy just being at home without feeling like I'm going stir crazy.

I got to even have a little get away of my own. At the end of July, my Mom & Dad, sister, and I took a little quick trip up to West Virginia to visit my brother and his wife and my sweet new nephew. He was being blessed that weekend and it was fun to just be with my family without the kids and Mike. Of course I missed them, but it was a rare treat to be together like that. Something we haven't been able to do in YEARS! And it gave Mike his first opportunity to be on his own with both kids for more than a day. Yes, they all survived and I think even had fun too.

So now, we get to look forward to school starting next week. Yes, already! Sam, I think, is looking forward to 1st Grade. He lost his first tooth last week and is excited to start the school year with a missing tooth. Cute boy.

Abby will be going to 4 year old preschool. This, I am having a hard time with. When did my baby get to be so big? And to think that next year, she'll be going to kindergarten! She is so looking forward to it and I know she'll love it.

Go Fish

Playing Go Fish with Abby has proved to be one of the funniest & most frustrating things I've done in a while. She has such an interesting perspective on how the game should be played, which is far different from any way I've ever played it.

I asked her for a pufferfish and she told me to go fish. Later, as I'm helping her give cards to Sam, I realize she has a pufferfish buried behind some cards, so I know she's had it a while. So I asked her about it. She says she wants to keep it because one of them is her favorite color. A few turns later, Sam asks her for a pufferfish and she tells him no, because she wants to keep it! He seems to accept this and then asks her for an octopus. She happily gives it to him and then looks at me and says,"It's a good thing I have 2 more!" Sam is now giddy with excitement and starts asking her for another octopus all the while jumping up and down and laughing because he knows his set will be complete in one turn. At this point Abby decides she just doesn't want to play anymore and runs from the room taking all her cards with her while Sam chases her. I hear screams of protest from her. Something about her loving all the colors of the rainbow and not wanting to give up any fish! Of course a fight ensues and Abby is then crying hysterically and says her heart is hurt. That's a quick end to our game and both kids are now enjoying quiet time in their separate rooms.

I'm really trying to be the fun and cool mom who is way excited about all the time we get to spend together during the summer vacation. We do have some fun things planned and it was nice to slow down today. In fact, it's 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm still in my jammies. So this part is nice.

The first few days have so far been filled with enough arguments, tears, yelling kids, and temper tantrums to last me a month. I just keep taking deep breaths and tell myself its just that they are getting used to being together again all the time. I'm hoping the adjustment sets in quickly. Otherwise I think we're in for a very long summer!