Sum, Summ, Summertime

I don't know what Mother nature says about the exact day summer starts. Around here it becomes official about the time school ends. I wish I could say I am one of those Moms that does the happy dance when school is out. I don't dance, I fret about how to keep this crew busy with out breaking the bank. With out them clawing eachothers eyes out. I know the summer has been a sucess when they head back to school the next year and my sanity is still intact...
I certainly know it's here when all those notices start flyin home from all over the place.
Dance recitals get scheduled

Preschool graduation and Kindergarten programs fill my days

Isn't it a right of passage to loose your first tooth in Kindergarten? Maybe not, but it is sad when all your friends are and you are not and you are tho oldest in your class. Made it by three days, pheeewww..... Never have I seen a kid more excited about loosing their first tooth. Congrats Miss M. Spend that Tooth Fairy dough wisely my friend.

I don't know if flowers signal summertime. Usually in AZ the death of everything green and living signals summertime. My sweet hubby brought me some just out of the blue. I love their smell and how they brighten my kitchen, and I love that he thought of me!

 Summer also signals the need for and entire wardrobe change, for every kid... It's a must in my book. This may actually be my favorite part. The up side to AZ summers. It's all about keeping cool. My kids will look something like this all summer, if I have any say in it.

Imagine my lack of laundry duties if they hang in swim suits all day evey summer day but Sunday. Exept for the occasional need to be dressed this is the official wardobe of the M. crew for the entire summer. This wardrobe may be accessorized with water, sippy cups, snacks, and the occasional lounge chair, rootbeer included.

Here goes nothin...............

Isn't it Great?

Summer?....... I always feel a measure of guilt because, I am not one of those Moms who counts the days until school is out so that I can spend a HOT summer with my kids. I LOVE my kids and I LOVE spending time with them, but I feel this amazing amount of pressure to entertain. Let's face it, it's needed. I am not a Mom who let's her kids veg in front of the computer, T.V., or video games. I want our bodies and our brains active during the summer. I try to keep to a schedule that allows for work and play. Lightning has a built in chore hating button, as lot of kids do and when those extra summer projects kick in it gets tough around here. Finding the balance in life is tough any ways, so when schedules and routines change it always kicks me right in the hiney, and I need time to recover. I really only have had one in school full time and two part time so I all ready basically have had my kids around all the time. They are still little. Next year I will have two full time and two part time school schedules. So what do we do with all this time on our hands?

We go to the library once a week and read each day for 1/2 an hour.It's so fun to have Daddy home most mornings to read with us.

The older girls have had swimming lessons. They LOVE them:)

The Babies get to play, and wear themselves out in the heat.

I Love that......... I gave in and we have a slightly later bedtime for all but Lightning and he gets an entire extra hour to stay up. Scored some parent points there. That is a permanent change. We are trying to get his body used to it before school starts again. We have some small outings planned. No major vacationing this summer. We do a day of Movie fun. We play a lot outside in the water to stay cool. Oh, and of coarse the Mommy blessing in that is VERY tired kids come bedtime. I'm no dummy!!! There's lots of coloring and helping Mommy cook. There's movies and restricted computer and video time.I am sure the summer will fly by, and I will be sad to see it go!!! I plan to make the best of our time and to make memories.