Signs That Summer Is Here

I am starting to get that feeling that summer might officially be here. No, not officially according to a calendar but officially in the hearts of everyone in my family. As the weather has warmed up and it is continuing to get lighter outside at night- we are talking more walks, playing outside, swimming, playing sports in the backyard, barbecuing, and are just seemingly more relaxed these days. A change is a comin' and I can't wait! It's almost summer vacation!

Yeah, I know what it means. Summer vacation with all my kids in one place. Four kids running/crawling around the house all day long. To some that might sound like a lot to handle but I am so excited I can't hardly stand it! No more washing uniforms and deciphering if Michael and Claire should wear their PE sweatshirt or their regular sweatshirt. Did I mention I can't wait to not have to pack lunches at night? Sometimes after a long day, I can't wait to put my feet up and watch some mindless television. Nothing spoils that more than knowing that I have to pack lunches. But soon, I will have a three month break from that! And you know what else comes with summer vacation? A welcome break from the alarm clock. Soon I won't have to listen for a beep beep to wake me up but instead, Emily. Michael, Claire, and Matthew will wake up and go watch cartoons and leave me sleeping. (How nice is that? Oh, and Claire will get up and pour them all cereal! Summer is the best!) And although I love my carpool, I am looking forward to not having any pressure on me/Damien to make sure other people's kids get to school on time. At this point, summer vacation can't get here fast enough! (If you are wondering what is wrong with the right side of Matthew's mouth- he got hit in the face with a swinging hammock. Anything on the left is probably just something sticky. Lovely, I know.)

This summer will be so much different than last summer. I gave birth to Emily the day after school got out so my summer was all about survival. I tried my darnedest to enjoy my kids last summer but it was a lot of work. For one thing, it was super hot so we stayed inside most days with the AC on. I was afraid of sweet newborn Emily overheating! I was also on a mission to lose a good portion of my ginormous baby weight gain. This summer I can be happy knowing I got the large bulk of that off and now am focusing on toning and just working out to be happy! As a family we are a lot more durable and less weighted down now that Emily is older and more independent. You have to pack sooooo much stuff when you travel with a newborn. And lastly, I think that as a family we feel very content with where we are in our lives. Not a lot of change going on here. Just trying to stay happy, make sure everyone gets what they need, and a few fun tricks up our sleeves to guarantee a fun summer.

I asked the kids what they were most excited for this summer and their responses go a little somethin' like this:

Michael: "I am excited to go to Lake Chelan and have fun with my family and friends. I want to play a lot of soccer and tennis. I am also excited to listen to The Beach Boys!"
Claire: "I am excited to go to Lake Chelan and probably Raging Waters. And play soccer, basketball, and probably tennis. I'm going to have a fun time!"
Matthew: "To get wet! To play with water guns and water balloons. I can't wait to eat chicken nuggets!"
Emily: "To have my sister and brothers around all day. I missed them when they were in school!"