104 Days of Summer Vacation? Maybe Not, But It's Still Pretty Sweet

It has been a whirlwind summer for us so far. Not too many of the lazy days of summer here. Or are there?

Seattle beckoned the morning after school got out. The eldest went straight to church camp two days after we returned. Next we careened into VBS. And now, I'm rehearsing for the musical Annie at our church and preparing for church camp with the middle child. We have another trip in August right after Annie wraps.

Gymnastics, basketball and tumbling continue to energize and distract the kiddos as well, with day camps fit in here and there. Work and managing the chaos keeps us busy but we've also had plenty of friend time to fill in the spaces around these events and I am very thankful for the fellowship, fun and memories.

Pool time, sprinkler and popsicle time. Museum, family and treats time. Train rides, American Girl Dolls and Just Dance time. Library, golfing and trampoline time. Coffee and chatting time (Discussions of Dawgs and Dawters of cawse!) Thrift shop shopping time (I don't think we popped any tags, but I'm not really sure). Dinner, movie and laughter time (I'm talkin' to you: The Guru, Pork Chop, T-Bone, Sewer Rat and Queso Grande! We need to give The Nurse/Maid a nickname too!)

All of this has made Summer what it is supposed to be. Running kids in the dusk, sweaty and laughing, hoping to evade their bedtime for a few extra minutes. Damp and sticky faces, fresh from the swimming pool and otter pops. If fireflies could survive our blistering July heat, I know my kids would have jars full of them by now.

They definitely have bellies full of junk food-thank you Free Slurpee Day, Cow Appreciation Day and Happy Hour slushes! Junk food is even better when its free. Don't get all crazy, we have been slipping a steady diet of fruits and veggies in them this summer too. Some from our garden and some from gardens around the world, but all better in the summer-especially if they are shared with friends.

We continue to ignore piles of papers and clothes in favor of, well, anything else, but there will be plenty of time later for that. For now, we have just about six weeks left to "live deep and suck all the marrow out of life," so to speak. We don't get the luxury of Phineas and Ferb's "104 Days of Summer Vacation," but we can make the most of the 80 we do have. I am thankful for our friends and I hope you make some memories this week too!