School Is COMING!!

I am enjoying my long vacation on the surf and sand. But let’s talk about summer-honestly. Don’t slap your hands to your cheeks in horror over my down and dirty kind of entry. Those of you that know me well, know I practicing humor and not malice!

I love the pool, beach, vacation, less running, but I crave structure. I am secretly envious of my friends that create super structure to summer days. You know the organized souls that still have nap time, reading time, bath times and bedtimes. (I won’t mention any names. You know who you are and are probably smiling like the Mad Hatter right now.)  The most structured thing I do in the summer is take up electronics at 10 pm. and even then it isn’t straight up “10” every night. 

I would love to blame this laziness on cancer, but alas, I cannot. Long before cancer, I fell into the summertime doldrums. I would also love to blame Joe, since he is gone for the summer, but let’s face it I would be like this even if he was home.

Summer habits that start to grate on my ever-loving nerve….

1. the longer and L-O-N-G-E-R nights where kids saunter downstairs or appear in my room like pop goes the weasel at midnight sometimes. Goodness…if you turn on the t.v. or open your computer-they march in. It is what I call the magnet. Too bad that doesn’t happen when I open the dishwasher.
2. the way their heads are bowed over the electronics. I would like to take up the iPhone, iPod, and cell phone and replace it with a book. Wait, that is a great idea!  
3. the way they kind of shrug when I say “bedtime now”. Shrug away-those 6 am buses are going to be a rude awakening next week!  Yes, I make my kids ride the bus and I am still a good parent. 

Be alert, O’ Young Ones. School is exactly 6 days away. I don’t get emotional when my kids start school. (I am anxious for teachers and smooth schedules but them GOING…I have NO problem with!)  I do this really awesome-Tom Cruise-Risky Business-type of dance across the hard wood floors when the last bus pulls away. Doing this dance is completely appropriate when you have five kids and your husband is out of state ALL SUMMER. Even when he is not gone all summer-still OK. Not feeling guilty about finding joy in a quiet house. I find joy in a busy house too. Just a different kind of joy. 

It is really a healthy thing to dance because they are flying on their own. Start your music…let the dancing begin!  WHOOOHOOOO. School is almost here!