Summer is coming!!

 Watermelon just screams SUMMER!!!

And for Justin...
(who won't eat watermelon)...
CANTALOUPE!!

The end of the school year

I am SO excited! I LOVE having my kids home for the summer! I get more sleep. The house gets CLEANED. The kids get more sleep. I GET MORE SLEEP. Again, VERY excited.

I actually LOVE spending time with my kids. They challenge me. They stretch me. They give the best hugs!

I am also really looking forward to some really focused teaching time with them this summer. We have been reminded again how opposite the curriculum in the public schools is to what we believe. And we are finding that our children are in need of some focused study into what God's Word teaches regarding truth, Creation, environmentalism, friendships, and respect for others. So, I have my work cut out for me.

Meanwhile, there are only 5 more days until they are FINISHED. One full day of school for the high-schooler, and then exams. End of the year celebrations, gathering of the left-overs of the school year, saying goodbye to friends, and making big plans for the summer. And most of my children are sad to see the school year come to an end. They LOVE school.

And our summer plans include sleeping in, trips to the beach, lots of time with friends, some lessons at home, a possible move (across town), a visit with extended family, and lots of fun. And maybe I'll get to hang out on the beach with my drink in hand, relaxing. Then again, maybe not...NOT my scene...

Summer time...

...and the kids are driving me crazy. They all are feeling severely deprived of their school friends. They MUST spend every available moment at their friends' homes, having sleep-overs, parties, play dates, time at the pool, playing on the slip-n-slides. THEY are having a BLAST this summer!

I am, however, fighting a losing battle with each and every one of them, every day. I am DETERMINED that we WILL get the house picked up and the bathrooms and kitchen cleaned, EVERY DAY. For some reason, those 13 loads of laundry per week (or more right now, since we're going through copious amounts of towels and bathing suits) do not wash or dry themselves, and certainly do not fold themselves up and walk up to their respective homes.

So, I get to be the mean mom. I grounded my eldest from her Facebook page (yeah, I finally gave in and let her have one...). They are all MINE until after lunch. Oh, and the oldest is taking an AP class this summer...she is going to be glad I am making her work on it now, instead of waiting until that last week before heading back to school!!

Meanwhile, I am in denial about how much summer we have left...no school shopping here yet. I'm not even thinking about it...though I *do* have my lists hanging right there on my bulletin board above my desk...just ignoring it for now!