This week was the beginning of summer, our 10th year of marriage and my amazing tan. (The beginning, I said.) So it’s no surprise it was packed full of entertainment along the way.
Lesson #1: When Mom finally gets kicked in the head by her high horse and says you can get water guns, be sure it’s Dad who takes you shopping. He’ll buy you the really cool ones—you know, the ones you practically need a permit for.
Lesson #2: It’s kinda hard not to laugh at your kid when he’s sick the first (rainy!) day of summer vacation, but insists on going to the school supply store to get the perfect journal so he can get started on his Somr Wrtrs Wrkshop. (My suggestion for entry #1: Nerd Alert…The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree)
Lesson #3: While we did squeeze in a fun day trip to the Academy of Sciences in SF, having no real plans this summer is already forcing the kids to get creative. Big’s been writing in his journal, trying to teach Little to read (you can imagine how well that’s going), playing baseball, and making Little run in circles around him declaring they are Target.
Lesson #4: Telemarketers hang up when a kid answers the phone. Then again, maybe Big hangs up on them. Either way, it’s the best discovery ever.
Lesson #5: As Pink gets older, I don’t think anybody is going to be surprised to learn that she has two big brothers. Especially if she continues to show off her new trick. She makes herself fart (yes, she can do it on command—luckily she’s still in diapers), then looks around at everyone waiting for them to laugh as hard as she does.
Lesson #6: While you know the years have been adding up, it’s a cruel reminder when you spend your anniversary morning looking back on wedding photos and your kids keep saying, “Wow, you look so young!”
Lesson #7: Another sure way to tell you’ve been married awhile (and had a few noisy kids along the way) is when you’re three hours into your 24-hour anniversary getaway at a nearby resort and you haven’t seen each other. And you’re both totally ok with it. (Because, of course, the next 21 hours are pure romance.)
Lesson #8: When you decide on a stay-cation, going with the whole I-can-wear-a-bikini-because-I’m-not-going-to-see-anybody-I-know-anyway theory doesn’t apply. (You can all be grateful that’s not the picture I used for this post.)
Lesson #9: Sunscreen saves lives. And destroys ear buds, books, notebooks and snacks when it spills all over your bag.
Lesson #10: When a bird poops on your arm walking your groceries out to the car, tell the guy who sees you wiping it up that you’re going to take this as a sign that it’s your lucky day. You’ve beat the odds. Because when he offers to walk your cart back to the store, you might just find you’re right.
May the odds work in your favor, the sun shine on your summer and all that good stuff. Because, let’s face it, in between those chaotic moments, most of it really is the good stuff.
Amy, Please don’t give up on the sunscreen. I recently had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my nose and it’s not fun. Right now I’m recovering from plastic surgery to correct the damage done while removing the bad stuff. When I was a kid, sun tan lotion was nothing but an add on a billboard. We never used it and always tried to tan which was more like a burn. Anyway, I’m on the official sunscreen soap box now. Hope your summer is fun and consider this – white might be the new tan.
Yikes, Lolly. I’m so sorry to hear about your nose! I actually have a few friends who have had similar issues and I definitely realize sunscreen is no joke. Thanks for the reminder and sending love to you for very quick healing.
Thanks, Amy I loved hearing about the summer writing journal project that Big is doing. I don’t know if you know that your great grandmom was a “writer”, too. Gangy was a woman of “letters” – long letters with lots of detail, often exagerrated detail. At one time she had something like 300 people on her birthday list. She was a great story teller and even wrote a book for the family. “Using Our Words” eclipses all of the writing projects that I’ve seen from our family. I really enjoy it. Thanks for keeping me in touch with a younger generation of folks – both family and others. Love to you all, including your mom. Lolly
Cracker has been great about telling me about Gangy, but I hate to admit I have yet to read her memoir. Hopefully I’ll get to read it this summer! Love to all of you as well!
I can’t wait until the boys increase pink’s repertoire of “tricks” and teach her how to “zerbert” a fart AND make farting noises with her armpits. That gal is going to be ready for the talent portion of any competition!!!
And I’ve got one more week of school with Seamus and 2 with Finn… then our summer shall begin! So far, there have been no preparations whatsoever… except a recommendation to make some purchases at discountschoolsupply.com … 🙂
Enjoy your summer! Turns out those much needed school supplies haven’t gotten a ton of use now that the weather is better (and tummies are too).