Slice of Summer

It’s different than any other time of the year.  That’s why we all love it.  At our house, the rolling cooler stays by the kitchen door, beach towels are ALWAYS in the dryer, the house has beach reminders scattered about, my folding chair is a permanent fixture in the back of the car, kids are up until who knows when, I am on fiction book number 3 and we’ve not sharpened a pencil in a month.  First round of summer laundry I realized my size 12 boy shouldn’t have size 8 underwear anymore.  Oops.  I hope I have not done any permanent damage.  And that their white school uniform shirts are a shade that no word really describes.  Trash. Can.

And today, B is wearing himself out at basketball day camp and there is an all-natural spa morning going on upstairs with Julia and Atlee.  And I have an hour— and  I am sitting here beside stuff I couldn’t finish perusing on a week long retreat.  But how much fun would that be to try?

Do you see the Passport2Purity?  If you aren’t familiar with it and have young children, make a mental note.  You will want this. I can’t emphasize enough-- be on the offense.  Talk BEFORE.  Even if you can’t imagine these conversations yet, you will grow into it.  You want to do this well- perhaps even before the questions come.  Julia and I started this on our trip to Maine and are finishing it up this week while B is at day camp.  I just decided to jump in without pre-listening— so I wouldn’t chicken out.  I figure if the Raineys say it’s time for her to know all the “e” words and all the “v” words and use the “p” word multiple times in several sentences, it’s time.  And I can do this.  So after Barbara Rainey explained why sometimes your parent’s bedroom door was locked, it made it a little awkward when Jeff pulled my chair close to his after dinner last night and started showering me with kisses.  Well, Julia is DYING on the bench— giggling, covering her face with pillows and then I can’t stop laughing and Jeff has no idea which just makes him pour it on even more.  The power of knowledge….. we’re here people.  She knows it all.

A few moms signed up our boys for basketball camp for this week.  It’s from 8:30 to 4 all week.  First, let me say, they need to offer “Organizing Carpools” as an elective in college or something.  Hours, I tell you.  Texting, emails, phone calls and you know what?  It’s changed 14 times— worthless.  The planning, I mean.  It’s money when it happens but the getting there is exercise for the brain.

I dropped off this bunch the first morning.

Our basketball team last winter was……… well, a debut season.  An underage, debut season.  I’ll leave it at that.  Signing half the team up is our hope for more points next year.  When I walked into the gym for pick up, I was trying to spot our boys and I couldn’t find Brighton.  Then I spotted him.  Prostrate on the gym floor.  After ONE DAY, the boys were exhausted—DRAGGED themselves to the car.  Once all the boys were out of the car, B said, “I can’t believe this but I’ve never been so pooped in my life.”  Yes, “pooped” and only minutes later, he asked, “Is it weird I said “pooped”?.  It sounds weird to me.”   Rumor has it one boy was ready for bed at 6:45.  To add to that, they are all wanting to do spend the nights this week….. and we are letting them!  Maybe not so smart on our ends, but BRILLIANT for the hostess for the night.

I give my kids a summer questionnaire each summer and to quote them — this is why they like summer:

Because we have free time and we get to play with friends and go to the pool and do awesome stuff as a family.   - Julia
 {This is all well and sweet but not much thought put in here.}

No school, friends, family, beach, break.  And get to spend time with Jesus. -Brighton 
{So……. as sweet as it sounds, that last one, was for points.  For something.  And note, NO basketball camp mentioned here.}

And so it goes on—- as I asked them “What are THREE things you want to be sure we do this summer? {Not trips}

Have playdates/sleepovers.
Make popsicles.
Daddy come to the pool with us.
Camp in backyard.
-Julia

{We aren’t doing that bad on these.  I need to find my popsicle molds and Jeff needs to make a trip to the pool.}

Get a load of this.

Spend time with God.
Have all of us sleep in the same bed. 
Go to the museum.  
-Brighton

I love that kid.

B’s answer to “How many times a week should we do Happy Hour at Sonic? How many times should you pay?”  His answer was, “We should go every other day like today not tomorrow but the next day.  Um, we pay once a week.”

Clear?  We don’t go every other day even though I think about that cold drink with crushed ice almost every day.  Julia’s answer was once or twice and she’d pay once.  Of course, it was.

I like to ask these questions because sometimes, their answers can be more conservative than mine— and sometimes NOT.  But I love knowing what they are thinking and the expectations they have.  Bedtimes, exercise, book goals etc.

Summer is a gift and it’s just June 26th.  I’ve got a heap of thanks for just that right there.

Happy Summer.