Summer Adventures 2015....Wrap up.

We have one more week of Summer vacation before school starts.  Other than the kids fighting with each other (it's gotten so out of control!) and that little snafu where Jeff and I slept on couches for 7 nights at the beach, it has been a most excellent summer.  I called the Summer of 2014 "Epic" and didn't think I'd be able to top it, but I came close.  Very close.

It was a dream of mine to show the kids NYC and I was able to make that happen.  It feels like a lifetime ago we did that trip, but its only been 2 months.  Since school let out, it has been a whirlwind of adventures, fun destinations and making the most of each day.  The short list is this:  NYC, Cruise with Jeff's parents, Ian spent a week in Connecticut with his cousin, Orlando for 3 weeks, and Ocean City, NJ.  Oh yeah, Jeff and I went to Wisp for a weekend.   You can't say we watched summer pass us by.   Have suitcase, will travel.  :)

I don't have a favorite thing we did or place we went this summer.  I loved all of it.  The best part is all the time we spent with family.  For not living close to anyone, it is so wonderful that my kids are growing up spending so much time with grandparents, cousins and aunts/uncles.  This means more to me than anything.  Family is so important.  

I believe one of the coolest aspects of a being a parent is watching your kids experience new things.  Seeing it through their eyes is wonderful.  It makes me want to give them the world and go along for the ride.  You know you are on the right track when weeks and months later, they are still talking about some of things we've done and seen.  There is nothing better than getting nostalgic and reliving the memories.

We are slowing down our days and gearing up for the coming school year.  Sam will be going into 2nd grade and Ian will be entering 5th grade. I am still in awe that I am mom to a 5th grader.  Yowzer!  When did that happen!!?!?

I am continually grateful to my husband who supports me in my decision to be home for the kids.  Having all these flexible part-time jobs gives me the opportunity to provide summer vacations I hope my kids never forget.  While not all of our days are ones you want to brag about (I am pretty sure there were a few days I was ready to put the kids up for adoption, but I do a good job of blocking the horrible-don't-even-want-to-think-about-how-I-survived-without-turning-to-heavy-drinking-kind-of-days from my memory), our good days outweigh the bad ones. 

The years are flying by.  It's important we do the most with our time off because before we know it, the kids will be going in separate directions and will be busy with their own lives. As Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop to look around once in awhile, you could miss it."