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Friday, August 29, 2014

Thoughts on Summer

Well, we made it!

Summer is over, and I have mixed emotions.  

I think I have the tendency to look back over a season and notice all of the things we didn't do.  

I wanted to do a better job keeping math fresh in Leah's mind, but I didn't do well with that at all. 

I wanted us to do some crafts, because they love to craft.  I think we did 1...maybe 2.  

Oh, and the fairy houses...whompity whomp whomp whomp.

I had really high hopes for sticking with a chore chart...oops!

So, I thought it would be good for me to make a list of what we did do and where we did go.

I don't mean to be bossy, but you should make a list, too.  Let's embrace the reality of the memories that we did make!  So, go get a pen!

  • The girls did swimming lessons.
  • Gracie started swimming, but not at swimming lessons.
  • Leah was in a play.
  • We did VBS with our church.
  • Walked on the river walk in D******
  • Played on the beach at Y********* 
  • Picked strawberries
  • Had a fun vacation in Wisconsin Dells, which I fully intend to blog about at some point!
  • Adventure hiked in the park by our house.
  • Endured the endless road construction
  • Splash pad in M******
  • Went to G***** with friends
  • Went to G***** with cousins
  • Introduced our family to my favorite restaurant
  • Went bowling a few times
  • Visited nature center with grandparents
  • Adventure hiked with cousins
  • Visited arboretum with friends
  • Lots of adventure hikes with friends
  • Breakfast in bed for each of us!
  • Made s'mores over a campfire a couple of times
  • Made skirts
  • Visited Jenny and Bri (an hour and a half each way...Hannah and baby Emma came, too.  I was really proud of Hannah and myself for doing this!)
  • Played at a McDonald's play land a few times
  • All of us got haircuts 
  • Had a lot of picnics
  • Even a breakfast picnic!
  • Took quite possibly the most ridiculous bike ride ever
  • Went to the D****** farmers market with friends
  • Visited my parents a couple times
  • The girls went to a backyard Bible club at our friends' house for the week, and Aaron and I went on dates :)
  • Played at my favorite park a few times
  • We never had to leave one of Aaron's softball games early due to misbehavior

OK, that's A LOT of stuff!  But, hardly any of those were big deals that required planning.  A vast, vast majority of it was free.  And, I'm proud of myself for getting out there with the girls when it wasn't always easy.

Because it wasn't easy a lot of the time.  I've found that when I'm having a hard time, I kind of want to hunker down which is one of the least helpful things I can do.

The hard times?  These girls of mine, while they often play nicely and are charming and sweet to each other...um, they are also really good at pressing each others buttons.  One might even say they are experts at times.  

And the crying as a result of the button pushing.  I can't even...

I think it's easy for me to feel guilty that we are ready for school to start...like a "truly good mom" wants summer to last forever.  But, Aaron pointed out that seasonal change is something that I genuinely enjoy, and I don't need to feel bad that I'm ready for it.

It's good to be ready for change that is inevitable.

I'm going to miss Leah and Maggie, but they are ready for the structure of school.  Gracie can definitely use some one on one time.  

The lazy mornings have been awesome, but so will a schedule.

Summer was really good, and school will be really good, too!

Not better or worse, just a change that we are ready for.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

What was your favorite memory of the summer?

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