Last summer, I dreaded every day. It was too hot. I had no energy. The kids were too noisy and watched too much television. I pretty much hated every moment of last summer. In 2013, from the first day off, I had a countdown going for when they would go back to school. Seventy-six days and counting was my familiar refrain. With the number of days changing, of course.

I was very worried that this year would go much in the same way, and I was quite surprised at how well it went; not just that it went well, but that the kids had fun, I had fun, and I spent more days happy and content (for the most part) than not.

When the kids would ask me at various times during this summer when school was starting up again, I had to look at a calendar; I did not have it memorized and I wasn’t counting down the hours. Even they were surprised by my lack of knowledge.

Here in our section of the US, the students in the elementary schools are let out the last week of June. Camps and Summer Recreation programs don’t typically start until after the 4th of July holiday and they are expected back at school on the Wednesday or Thursday after Labor Day. This is usually about seventy-seven days.

In 2014, summer vacation was seventy days. Perhaps it was knowing that summer was ending a full week earlier than usual, but it started pretty well, and kept going that way. I could feel the difference. Part of that, I know, was my medication doing its thing, my continuing to focus on my coping and walking away when something was too much. I also asked for help. The kids were also a year older, which seemed to make a tiny bit of difference also.

With no summer school for anyone this year, the 4th of July was our first item on our summer to do list.

Our July 4th was spent across the river from the state capitol with a perfect view of the fireworks with a friend we hadn’t seen in nearly a decade. Good food, good friends, awesome view. The weather was comfortable with the perfect temperature to spend the evening outside. It was a flawless way to start out the season.

 

 

 

 

 

The kids spent a couple of weeks at the community center’s activities and one week at vacation bible school.

My oldest son spent a weekend away at the Junior Firefighter training and he passed his road test and is fully licensed to drive on his own. This means he’s not home that often anymore now that he can escape, even if all he’s doing is going to the grocery store, which he suddenly likes doing, especially by himself, no screamy siblings. He even took some initiative and brought us home some bagels one morning for when I got back from Mass. He has also made it easier for us by dropping his siblings off at their friends as those playdates come up.

 

I know I complain about being a taxi driver for them, but I hadn’t realized how much driving it truly is until now that I can see someone else doing it.

The library had some great programs for them throughout the summer: science experiments, cooking and Book Buddies, where the kids took turns reading to service dogs.

One of our annual summer adventures is Food Tasting. We pick a few foods that we’ve never tried and try them. My son has been begging for anchovies, so that was our main new food. Pizza for lunch with two slices topped with anchovies to share and taste.

We also tasted pink grapefruit, pluots, prickly pears, black plums, and prune plums. We liked them all except the anchovies and prickly pears. Next up is ugli fruit. Any ideas for others?

 

 

 

 

When his plans were cancelled, my middle son had Camp Mommy for a week with visits to Chuck E. Cheese, the library, the park and the comic store. We had lunch at a new sushi place in town. He decided that tempura is his new favorite chicken although he is not a fan of the sesame ginger dressing on the salad.

My daughter and I went to the first Fangirls Night Out at our local comic store. Costumes, comics, cupcakes and raffles! And the best of all to an eight year old – no boys! Even the store owner was banished to the street. A lot of fun and the start of a great tradition.

 

I think I’ve blabbed about GISHWHES quite a bit while it was going on and then some more right after. The kids grumble about it – grumbling’s their thing – but they love it! And they come up with some great ideas on their own – like the mustaches for our West Collins’ Jam Stand!

I went on a retreat that started me drawing – it was so many things that I will be writing more about that next week and beyond that. It showed me so many new things for my mental and spiritual health. It also showed me how to combine creativity with prayer and using it as a meditation.

 

 

 

 

Towards the end of summer, Peter Capaldi premiered as the Twelfth Doctor, and while I’m still not sure about Who this year, I love Peter and I’m excited for him to be the new Doctor. My favorite was last week when he said, “Shuttity up, up, up!” I started laughing and all I heard was, ‘fuckity fuck. Fuck! Fuck!’ I love an inside joke that I understand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My husband and I also celebrated our twentieth anniversary this summer with dinner and a movie, and no kids, much like our first date. 🙂 We saw Guardians of the Galaxy, which was phenomenal. Can’t wait until it comes to the cheap theatre and we can see it again!

We finished the summer with one more visit to Chuck E. Cheese and family movie night at the cheap theatre to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, with the kids, of course.

I would give this summer 9 out of 10. I think I’d do it again.