Summer 2009

I am really looking forward to this Summer. Last year Dave was unemployed and looking for a job, I was working and starting my Virtual Assistance business. I felt like we lost a Summer with the kids and each other. This Summer, I'm determined for us all to have a wonderful Summer together. There are so many things I have let go this year, including:

• my weight and health
• scrapping and having a creative outlet
• photography
• spending quality time with my husband and family

No more regrets. No more feeling guilty. Moving forward only!

Last week I stumbled upon a great Mommy blogger site - The Motherload by Amy Clark. She has a "Notebook Chronicles" series and one of the things she did was make a fun summer list (click here to visit her blog). So, Saturday morning I sat everyone down and we made a list of fun things we want to do together this Summer. It was a family brainstorming session - all ideas were allowed. We came up with a huge list. I wrote it down on a large piece of construction paper, the kids colored it and we hung it up on the refrigerator. So now we have a goal - see how many of the things on our fun summer list we can do!

We started our Summer Adventures with a bang and knocked off 2 things from our list right away - Going swimming and going to the Missions game. Saturday afternoon I donned my new Land's End bathing suit and loaded up the kids and headed to our community pool. We took along a few of those dive sticks and some nerf like balls and had a blast throwing them to each other and going after them. We learned that Aidan is getting a little too big for Mommy to throw him as he hit his head on the bottom of the pool (yikes! we won't be doing that anymore!). Zoey was thrilled to run into a school mate at the pool. Our first swim of the year was a great success and one of the things the kids put on their weekend favorites list at dinner earlier.

I was a little worried how the kids would hold up after swimming and a lengthy bike riding session earlier in the day, but nonetheless we went to the Mission's game, dodged foul balls and a lightening storm and stayed long enough to see the fireworks. Eli fell asleep on my lap before the fireworks started and Zoey just barely made it. At the end of the night Zoey proclaimed it one of the best days of her life! Success! It was nice sitting on the bleachers with Aidan teaching him about baseball and watching the game. Dave took the boys to the grassy area so they could run off some excess energy which game me nice time with Zoey at the game too.

Tomorrow I am sure I will be paying for my activities today. One of the things on the kids list is a family bike ride. My first thought was "yay, this sounds like fun!" but then the realization that I hadn't been on a bike in almost 10 years set in. You've got to be kidding me was my next thought! Can you ride a bike easily after not riding one for so long?? Well it turns out you can! Although I have to say that I don't remember the bicycle seat being so darn uncomfortable. I would think with the extra padding the last 10 years has put on me I wouldn't even notice but no - my extra padded behind was no protection for the uncomfortable seat. Makes me think of that Cottonelle commercial where the little girl stuffs her pants with tp to cushion her on her ride.

Well that's enough for tonight. I have some "real work" to do for a couple clients before getting to bed. Fortunately it was a wonderfully refreshing weekend and I look forward to a productive week and fun filled days with my family ahead.

Night!