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.