Summer

Summertime. When school is out and teachers rejoice. When kids abound with excess energy and parents wonder "What the heck am I going to do to entertain you all summer long? Because if I don't do something, I will go crazy." Or at least, that's what THIS parent is thinking.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being home with my kiddos in the summer. But if I don't have sufficient activities planned for the week my kids might kill each other. Abby absolutely adores her older brother and wants to do EVERYthing that he is doing. I think it's quite cute. After all they say the highest form of flattery is imitation. Unfortunately I don't think that means much to a 3 year old. To 3 year old Nolan that's just plain annoying. Hence his declaration the other day: "I don't want to be a brother anymore!" So anyway, in an effort for all of us to keep our sanity, here are a few things we've done so far this summer:

• Pool - we have access to a neighborhood pool this summer, so we've been trying to take advantage!
• Movies - the theaters around here offer a selection of FREE movies in the summer. Abby could care less, but Nolan enjoys it, and I enjoy getting out of the house and the fact that it's FREE. 
• Visits with friends - trying to do this as much as possible!
• Day trip to the beach
• trips to the library
• Richmond zoo (Jack and Nina went with the kiddos while I was away)
• Science Museum
• Trips to the farm (where there is always something interesting going on)
• Playgrounds
• Playing in the rain

The summer is still young, so here are some things that are still on our to-do list:

• Go to an amusement park (or 2 - Hershey Park and Sesame Place are on the list)
• Visit more friends/family
• Bowling? The bowling alley has some good deals during the summer - thought it might be something worth a shot
• Reading (mostly for me)
• Potty training (for Abby - looking forward to the end result but not so much the process of getting there)
• Some sort of fire pit/s'mores making
• Several weddings, bridal showers, and birthday parties
• Movies - lots of fun movies (for all ages) come out in the summer! 
• go to the lake

Etc. Etc!! 

While there are plenty of "work" and "project" things to do this summer, I hope we'll take the time to enjoy some of this "fun" stuff too! Either way, I'm just excited and grateful for a job that allows me this time with my kiddos - even if they do make me crazy sometimes.