This and that: Our summer

EEEEK! Summer is almost over. I have been enjoying our laid back free schedule this summer and will miss that in a few weeks. Suddenly my schedule is filling up, my to do list behind (like, uh, register my 7yo for school might be a good start and find out when my first day back to work is, yeah, I'm on top of things!)

I really have to learn to let things go, you will notice that is a predominant theme on this blog. If I can't get to it, if it doesn't work out, if the kids are resisting, if it feels overwhelming, then we ned to just skip it. Pick and choose. Not try to kill myself squeezing in every activity that I think will be of value and learning to stop and enjoy the ones we do manage to accomplish. Learning the fine art of doing nothing, of wasting the day reading, sitting in PJ's watching movies, eating junk, letting the dishes go and just enjoying the day. If I could do that more often, I think the whole family would benefit. Boy, that is easier said than done. I need a personal coach to come take care of me!

I look back at the list we made at the start of the summer and realize we only did about half of what we wanted to accomplish. Vacations, camping, amusement parks, bicycling, none of that worked out. And I am OK with that. It's just not the season and trying to push "fun" or "adventure" doesn't work out well. We end up with tears, whining,and on each others nerves.

But we have had so much unexpected fun. Little things, simple things that have made this summer great. First of all, I am not sick and pregnant and could simply enjoy the summer. I love being outside with the kids and being on the go. I dread winter and I seriously think a time will come when I will need to move to a more temperate climate.

Anyway, here is a list of some of the memorable things we did this summer. Notice they are the small, often overlooked things that I am beginning to appreciate more and more as Iget older.

-library reading program, great new library for us
-daily walks around my new beautiful development
-kids learning to play golf with daddy
-daddy taking them in creek skipping rocks, finding crayfish, they loved this!
-picking sweet berries at my friend Kathy's house, ummm!
-hanging out at friends houses this summer and reconnecting with old friends
-sitting in our yard and watching kids do "kid stuff" like catch lighting bugs, play on swings, practice golf, trampoline, just hanging, something I am working hard on doing more of
-a homebirth client with a beautiful birth
-playing at the local parks which rock, trying to just let kids play and not always be worried about the time, to realize we have plenty of time to play, there's no hurry
-spending lots and lots of time at the pool, kids love it and I love the pool because it promotes fun and family togetherness. Promotes parents to jump in and play. Something all adults need to do more of
-Kids playground: they got to do so many activities we wouldn't be able to do with baby like crafts, water games, bowling and skating weekly, weekly field trips, plays, it was a great experience for them
-taking up a new sport: tennis, I am really enjoying it and it is probably the only sport my husband and I have done together that I can beat him!

We still have a few things left this summer, I am sad to say goodbye. But I look forward to the fall with all it's potential and I love the weather, hot apple cider, apple festivals, back to school shopping, all of it.