Wednesday, July 25, 2012

We Love Summer!

Jackson has been attending a VBS in our area this week. He whined and groaned about going, but I reminded him that last year he'd gotten in our car after the first day and said something to the effect of "This was the greatest day of my life." This is a seriously amazing VBS, people, but my 6-and-a-half-year-old is suddenly too cool for certain things.  Guess what he said as soon as he got in the car on Monday? "This was great, Mom!" And I got an apology!

I've been hurting for alone time since school got out in May, but I think I'm adjusting to it. Thanks to VBS, I had several hours completely to myself yesterday and it was almost a foreign feeling. Those hours had to be spent in the hair salon and I think everyone who's forced to see me on a regular basis is glad.

Annabeth goes to day camp twice a week and on those days Jackson and I try do something special together. So far, we've been to Splashtown twice, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, an ice skating rink, a trampoline park, and we've spent a lot of time in the pool. We've grown a lot closer this summer and I've just been eating up this time with him. 

On the way to Splashtown last week, I had to access my inner boy-mom, so I started a burping contest with the help of a Dr. Pepper. (This was an hour after I'd danced oh-so-elegantly in the living room with Annabeth.) I truly believe that I won, but Jackson insisted that his series of three rapid burp explosions outdid me. He can now burp on command - someone give him his man card. 

After school got out in May, Annabeth definitely had to adjust to not being the only kid at home most days. Whew! It was a little rough while kids re-established their pecking order. Annabeth was in Dora withdrawal while we searched for shows on Netflix that they both liked. Shaun the Sheep, anyone? 

Getting Jackson ready for VBS every day this week has made me appreciate the slower pace of our summer days. We've done a lot, but it hasn't felt rushed. We're about four weeks out from the start of first grade and I'm NOT ready. Maybe I will be by then. But I love not setting my alarm, I love staying out late with the kids if we want to, I love living in our bathing suits, and I love not having so many school papers accumulating on every surface of my house. I know lots of moms miss the structure of the school year, but I guess I'm not one of them.

This is Annabeth and me after church. The kids always get to run around with the balloons used in the kids ministry.


Curt and I went to the Coldplay concert with my sister and Colin. It was quite a show.


That is Chris Martin doing part of the encore a few feet away from us.


My children are growing gills.



Earlier this summer we visited Galveston with some friends.



The best way to get kids to leave the sea shore is to promise them a visit to LaKing's.



Splashtown day.



Ice skating day. (Those are soccer socks, not tights, FYI.)



We took the kids to see Brave.




Annabeth continued enjoying her 3-D glasses for a few days after the movie.




We visited the Blue Bell Aquatic Park and then got some $1 ice cream at he Blue Bell factory.






We spent a week in the Hill Country with some dear friends.



Annabeth got to feel what it's like to have sisters. She loved it.



We watched fireworks from a pick up truck.









I got to see an old hotel that my mom, sis and I stayed in 1998. It was a Twilight Zone experience that I should probably write about someday.



Disclaimer: The hour I've spent blogging has resulted in both my kids being put in time out and me way overreacting to Annabeth trying to put a yarn necklace on me while I was trying to spell check. Awesome. 



21 comments:

Kelly Seelow said...

I love your disclaimer, it blesses my heart to know I'm not the only one! :)

Mica said...

So glad to hear from you. I just knew that you were taking time off to be with the kids. Good for you. I always hated when my kids went back to school and most people thought I was crazy! Have a great summer, trust me, these are memories that will last a lifetime.

Anonymous said...

Amanda . . . if your kids are like mine, they are perfectly content to play until Mom gets her mind on something she either needs or wants to do.

Hugs

Anonymous said...

I commiserate.. 2nd grade starts in a week for us! That means volunteer-mom duty starts tomorrow for me... pulling out and organizing worksheets for all of second grade. Wahoo.

I don't wake up much later,but I lay in bed for a really long time in order to get the dizzies out before I have to stand up. My kids stay in pajamas til after lunch time a lot & have watched way too many cartoons in the past couple weeks especially. I felt really old thinking about how telling the 1 year old to "Go play the ipad, it's sissy's turn on the computer" is something that never would have been imaginable when we were that age.

Did I mention I feel old?
Waking (everybody) up is going to be hard to do!

wmcswain said...

We love summer and have had many days together and quite a few fun activities. I'm just now settling into having them with me all the time. Oh, the fighting! My oldest is starting kindergarten and I'm not ready either. How could we be here?!? Thanks for sharing your life with us. It's nice to see others on the same lovely journey.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

Summer is the epitome of "the days are long but the (season) is short. Enjoy it while you can! If you can! Fun update. (And your disclaimer killed me.)

Sarah said...

And THAT'S why we take month-long hiatuses (sp?) from blogging. :) The kids are much more important. Loved reading, you have a beautiful family.

Erica said...

I had fun visiting with your sweet boy during crafts today.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that has to discipline my kids while writing about how much fun we are having!

glorygirl said...

I love your honesty! My trying to put my hair up uninterrupted today resulted in both of my kids in their rooms and water overflowing all over the kitchen. It's so nice to know I'm not alone :D

Annika said...

Shaun the Sheep rocks! My younger ones also love Timmy Time (based on the baby sheep, Timmy, who goes to preschool). Thankful for Shaun the Sheep because my 2, 4, 5, and 6 year olds all enjoy it. Even my 1 year old dances when the music comes on. :) Happy summer!

Meggie said...

Glad to read an update... sad about drama an update brings. Haha. Hope your summer continues to be great!

Unknown said...

ya for summer! What a great post:)

Kimberly said...

These are the days I look back & long for ... enjoy those precious kiddos (looks like you are!) ... thanks for sharing! :)

This Is The Day said...

Thank you so much for that disclaimer! It's so nice to know I'm not the only one. I get so mad at myself when I realize I've over-reacted to something because I'm on the computer. :{

P.S. We LOVE Shaun the Sheep around here! We've watched all Netflix has to offer and have started watching again. :)

Unknown said...

I feel like we have so much in common and we're friends. Is that weird? :) I have a little 6 year old going into 1st grade as well and I am SO NOT READY! On so many levels. It's happy sad.

Dionna said...

I love, love love summer! It's my favorite time of year. Mainly because I soak up the sunshine and warm weather but also because of the reasons you mentioned. I love sleeping in and getting out of bed slowly and casually. I love having lazy days to do what we feel like and I love having my girls at home with me. I always have. I've never been anxious for school to resume!
They are now 13 and 15 and school starts in just a couple weeks. Every time they mention it, I tell them to "shh!" I don't want to hear of the word just yet. Summer stay a little longer... please???

ashleyalden said...

So sweet...love the pics AND the disclaimer! We can love with all we are...and we can still be very much human...and it's all perfectly ok. Wishing you a wonderful last few weeks of summer fun!

Lanita Anderson said...

Loved your updated blog - I've missed you! I'm ready for cooler weather, but not quite ready for school to start. Even though we don't start back until September
4th, I will have a Senior this year!!! Yikes! Where did the time go?!
Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Lanita Anderson said...

Loved reading your blog = I've missed you! While I'm ready for cooler weather, I'm not quite ready for school to start back! Although we don't start back until September 4th, I'll have a Senior this year!?!? Yikes!! Where did the time go......???!!?

The Wootens said...

My favorite part of this entire post was the little disclaimer in italics at the end...reminding us all that yes, blogger moms are real mamas, too! :) Enjoy these last few laid-back weeks with your blessings!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, Amanda! I laughed and nearly cried while reading this :) I love the laidback summers, and really don't want school to start :( We live in Illinois, went RVing in Kentucky, and plan to try a state park in Missouri soon, so I appreciate your pictures of Hill Country. Your burping contest cracked me up...my husband thinks I should not burp loud in front of the kids, so I will make him read your blog post...lol. And I am so glad I'm not the only one whose kids act out while mom is on the computer or phone and freaks out when my 3 yr old tries to jewel me. Your post made my day...thanks for sharing!!