Summer Hiatus Anyone?

You’d think summer vacation would mean a slowdown and I’d get time to relax and maybe post more. Not so much. While we are home more and don’t have the morning rush the kids and I are still keeping busy with a not-so-routine schedule of activities. Bike riding (We took off Jack’s training wheels and he’s working on the whole two-wheeler thing….balance is not his forte), trips to the pool (both kids are motivated to pass the swim test – lap across the pool and back – so they can jump off the diving board), summer reading program at the Library, back yard campouts, and general all around warm weather shenanigans that usually involve a hose.

What this means is that my posting becomes sporadic at times and there is a chance you won’t hear from me until September when the kids go back to school.

Speaking of School. Both kids are done for the summer. We now have a soon to be 1st Grader and a soon to be Tiger (4/5 preschool).

Jack had Kindergarten graduation a few weeks back which was both hysterical (You never know what you are going to get from 90+/- 6 year olds) and emotional (for me anyway). I’m going to miss all those little faces I worked with every Wednesday. Such is Life. Well, Jack did fantastic at the ceremony. He got to hold the “O” during the vowel song. A perfect fit for him since a speaking roll would have resulted in wide-eyed staring and chirping crickets, holding up the ‘O’ though he did to perfection…whipped that sign right up high when the kids said, “O!” When they handed out his diploma he impressed us with his athleticism. Never have I seen a child book it off the stage so fast. He almost missed the grab of his diploma in his hustle to get out of the spotlight.Since then he’s been asking, “How many days ‘till I start First Grade?”

In other news we finally broke down and traded in the truck for a mini van. We were hoping to get the truck paid off and perhaps keep it, but when we looked at the summer schedule (i.e. the amount of kid-hauling space needed) it became apparent the van would come in handy now. Because it wasn’t full-sized (read only so-so in the towing department) and lacked 4-wheel drive we couldn’t justify keeping it and the two car payments that would come along with. The budget just said. “NO!” We did get a good deal on a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. It has less than 30,000 miles and should last us for several years to come. I’m loving the sliding door and easy access for the kids. A useable trunk is also fantastic. It does have a lot of buttons…most not essential to everyday car operations…and I’m still figuring out what many of them do.

In an effort to welcome in summer Emilie cut her hair…again. So we went down to the beauty parlor and got her a bob….again. She looks adorable as usual, but it was just getting back to the length where I could do ponytails, and other fun things with it. Oh well, she’s rather dramatic about me brushing her anyways….guess it saves us the daily trouble.

Well, the kids are up with the birds and down with the bats this time of year so I’d better get to it before they do. Enjoy you summer and hopefully you’ll hear from me before school starts again.