SUMMER 2013

I just realized I haven't written on this site for several months.

Funny how summer arrives and we take a break from what goes on during the other three seasons of the year.

Summer 2013 has been great.

Not too busy...not too dull.

"Manageable choas" is what I like to call it.

June and August found us at the local pool for swimming lessons for Faith.  She loves to swim.  She's a good swimmer (like her daddy).  She glides beautifully and gracefully through the water...although sometimes she belly-flops her dives, but even those have improved significantly.

June also found Parker on a week-long mission trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin, with our church youth group.  As always he.had.a.blast!  He came missing his little sister more than me and Scott and exhausted but fulfilled from being the hands and feet of Jesus.

July was pretty much the busiest month for us.  We have friends that stay with us every 4th of July.  We look forward to this holiday almost more than Christmas and Easter.  Our two families have a great time together and the our kids think of their kids more like cousins.  We went to a Minnesota Twins game on July 3 that included beautiful fireworks after the game was over.  We enjoyed our house filled with four adults, three teenagers, a tweenie-bopper and four dogs ranging in size from 60+ pounds down to 5 pounds.  We enjoyed another Twins game later in the month with family.  Our Saturdays consisted of "Adventures" to wherever we decided to go that day...movies, waterfalls, requested favorite restaurants, mini-golf, school supply shopping...pretty much did whatever our little old hearts desired.

Faith found out her 4th grade teacher today.  She has had her fingers crossed for a particular teacher since the first day of summer and today she found out she got this teacher!  She is so excited!  Parker had the same teacher for 4th grade so I know we're in for a great year!  After finishing up classroom driver's ed the last week in July and first week of August, Parker has now moved on to football practice.  He's a freshman this year and the two-a-day practices that started last week have taken a little getting used to...but he loves it!  He comes home sweaty and stinky and tired and always with a funny story to share and a smile on his face.  Freshman orientation is next week as well as school open houses.

It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that it's mid-August and school starts in two weeks.  TWO!  In the past week I've talked to moms who are counting the days and minutes until their kids are back in school.  I am not one of those moms.  I've talked to more moms, however, who say they're not ready for summer to end yet and for their kids to be gone all day.  I am one of those moms.

Soon my mornings will be filled with packing lunches, making sure backpacks are filled with completed homework, feeding sleepy children breakfast and driving them off to school for the day.  Evenings will consist of football practices and games, piano lessons, homework, and back-to-school routine.

All good stuff.

But for now...we'll do our best to make the most of the remaining summer...playing with friends, children sleeping in late when they can and hangin' on the porch with a glass of wine (me...not the kids).

Wishing you a peaceFULLYsimple day.

peace.
jeanine