SUMMER!

School ended on Monday, so it's officially SUMMER!  I don't know why I continue to be shocked every year when the first couple days of summer are closer to torture than fun.  I think it takes some of us (ahem . . .especially a certain child) a few days to adjust to the changes.  The sibling fighting, yelling, and even occasionally punching was out of control at first, but hopefully now it's been reigned in because we had a fabulous weekend!  I asked the kids why they saved their sweetness for the weekend when Daddy was home and gave me all the nastiness during the week.  They replied that they don't listen to me because I'm always with them.  Hey, at least they admit it! 

The girls started play practice this week for the Alladin play they are participating in this summer.  Brynlie, Lindsey and Logan also started swim practices for the Liberty Hills swim team.  Logan is the youngest kid on the team, so it will be a great experience for him.  I can't believe all the years I spent putting my kids in swimming lessons because Tammy, the swim coach, has the beginners swimming in the deep-end by the third day and swimming the length of the pool by the end of the season.  So far Logan has been super excited about swim practice each day, and there have been no tears shed!  I was afraid he would get too scared to participate, but it's amazing what a little bit of peer pressure can do!  Brynlie and Lindsey are both very confident in the water, so they are working on improving their stroke techniques.

I've been doing a ton of yard work the past few weeks, and I'm quite proud of my progress.  I took some "before" pictures and will take some "after" pictures as soon as I finish a few projects I'm still working on.  Here's to hoping I can actually keep all the plants alive!

On Thursday night we had a "So You Think You Can Dance" party, to kick off the new season, because we're dorky like that.  Friday night I went to a dinner and movie with some of my best girlfriends, and Saturday we hit the lake for the first time this summer.  We didn't get the wakeboards, tubes or skis out the whole time, since it seemed like half the world was on the lake, but we enjoyed the relaxing time together and Ryan let the kids drive the boat.  Our laid-back Sunday has had it's usual ingredients:  feeling uplifted after attending church, Brynlie making dinner and dessert, Ryan and I taking a long nap, and the kids playing games together.

Tomorrow I leave for Young Women girls camp for 5 days!  I will be cooking and cleaning for every meal, which has it's advantages and disadvantages.  Best advantage?  Sleeping on a cot in the air-conditioned lodge.  Disadvantage?  Hardly any individual time with the girls.  I love the leaders I am bunking with, so I'm excited for my adventure.  I'm praying all goes well at home while I'm gone this week!

Some pictures from our time on the lake yesterday . . .

And one picture of Darth Vader in the new goggles he's sporting for swim team.  They are enormous, but help the newest swimmers adjust to swimming by plugging their nose while giving them a large viewing area.  He looks so stinkin' adorable in them!