Summer...Hello...Goodbye!

Ahh, Summer, you loom so far away as we anticipate your arrival all those cold, dreary winter months. Then you are here. The first few weeks we can't believe it. Unsure of what to do with all of our free time. No school, no real activities, no true schedule. Then swimming starts, then Vacation Bible School Starts. There are Tball games, Kurt's softball games, Tiger Baseball. Day camp at Jimmy's new pre-school and a few random playdates. Trips to Jackson, Lake Michigan, Aunt Fran's Cottage in Canada, visit from Christina & Meghan (and the news that they are MOVING BACK NEXT SUMMER). Summer Reading program at the library, splash park trips, time at KidsKorner at the gym while mom works out and then swimming in the pool with the huge groups that are bussed in from the day camps (thank you lifeguards for a relaxing few hours). Jimmy's new bunk bed and Julia sleeping on the top bunk for a "sleepover." Playing in the backyard and garage for hours with Clay and Kyle using lots of imagination. Malibu Barbie/Ken style tans (even though SPF30 and 50 were used) on our olive skinned babies. Days so hot that going outside was too much effort. Hours spent playing in the basement only to have to spend hours cleaning it up from the unconfirmed tornado that clearly took place. Picking up our crate of vegetables/fruit from the farm CSA on Mondays, never sure what we're going to get. Grocery shopping with 2 kids and managing only to forget a few things each trip. Taking a break from facebook and incessant computer use, remember what it was like before the laptop and social networking took my life over. Reading more than 10 books and countless magazines. Then the nights start to get cooler and we are reminded that it is coming to an end. Excitement for the school year. Kindergarten & Preschool for both babies. Where has the time gone? Not only the summer, but the past 5 years? No time to cry, no time to think. Onward to Fall 2010. Ballet/Tap, Daisy Scouts, Children's Liturgy, Ice Skating Lessons, Library Storytime. New friends to be made. New things to be learned.

But for like 2 weeks more, I am going to soak up every little last part of this snapshot in my life. Summer 2010. Thankful for everything I have. Thankful for my husband working hard, so I can work hard here and be with the kids.

T-Ball

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This summer, the kids played T-ball with the church's league. One of the benefits to having a large parish is that they are able to offer stuff like this for kids. There are 4 teams from our church and bright and early on Saturday mornings at 9am, we all gather to watch the kids learn the game. It's perfect for 5-7 year olds. They play 3 innings, only advance one base and there are no outs. It gives them a feel for the game. The last inning, is coach pitch and I have to say that some of the kids as 5 year olds were ready to say goodbye to the Tee. Kurt was one of the coaches (much better than his soccer coach experience) along with a few other dads. The kids loved seeing each other and the kids from the others teams were often friends made at VBS and at Kurt's softball games. I loved seeing the smiles on the kids faces when they were running to a base. I am pretty certain that if our kids didn't show any interest in Tball, Kurt's heart may have broken just a little. Not to disappoint, both kids showed intensity (fitting of a 3 and 5 year old) and skill that made us proud. Thank God they have Aunt Lib's genes and not mine when it comes to the game.

Goodbye Long Hair!

Out of the blue a week or 2 ago, Julia said that she wanted her hair cut to her shoulders. I thought that it was kind of odd, because she always has wanted her hair "to her butt." But she kept talking about it for a few days and I kept asking her if she really wanted to get it cut shorter. She didn't waiver. She actually told me at one point that "If I don't like it, it will grow back." Such a grown up, right? So, last Tuesday she had enough hair cut off (7-8inches) that she was able to donate it too. She felt pretty good about it and I was proud of her for taking the plunge with a new hairstyle. And the kicker....THERE WERE NO TEARS. I have to say that often when I change my hairstyle drastically, there ARE tears at some point, and I'm an adult. To those who remember my super short hairstyle of 1999....what the heck? It was cute for like a minute. Anyway, she's loving wearing her hair down and not in braids for a change. What gets me is how much it changes her face and makes her look like a big girl. She definitely isn't a pre-schooler anymore, for sure ready for kindergarten!