Those Crazy Wonderful Summers

Caleb has it soooo easy around here

Today we went to a birthday party for a friend's kid and when dropping them off, we saw how cool of a place it was and didn't want to leave.  When we were there a friend asked us if we were so happy to have our kids going back to school now that summer break is over.

No way.

I enjoyed every bit of this summer and my only regret is not getting out more.  We just had a tough summer and couldn't do a whole lot.  We had plans for different adventures around town but mostly stayed in and just hung out together. I CAN'T believe they are going back to school in just a few days.  Sigh.  I don't know.  It just is so hard to think that they are gone ALLLLLLL day like that and don't get home till around 4pm. That's hardly any time I get with them.

Sigh.....again.

The girls put him in a padded basket w/ his
favorite cereal and carried him around.

Yet when I think about homeschooling, I fall short.  I have no problem homeschooling the younger grades but when they start getting up there, I worry that I could keep up with their training.  I'm 32 years old and I have an extremely short attention span already.  You should've seen me in school.  Teachers dreaded me because of my short attention span and extreme hyperness.  Getting me to sit down for hours to this day is impossible.  I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E. Ask Michele.  <--- Ha. I always tell you to ask her because she knows me more than anyone.

My days have NEVER EVER been busier than these last few weeks and I don't know why.  More than just my kids being here.  I think it's been more about decluttering and other odds and ends that are not part of a normal day.  Another thing is I've been really focusing on really listening to the kids when they talk to me. Even if it's something I think is silly.  I'll take the time to discuss it with them.  (Even if I'm holding back a smile because their issue is so small to me but SOOO HUGE to them.)  I guess it's harder being a parent that really builds a relationship rather than one who throws them on the back burner to watch the boob tube or do my own thing all day.  I really treasure our time together.  Sigh.  I just don't want to to go away for sooo many hours a day.  Wouldn't part time school be awesome?  Can't they cut down the hours some?  Often I lose track of what I was doing because I LET the kids interrupt my activity so they can show me something.  

It really has been a peaceful summer because no one broke a bone or got airlifted to the hospital for any reason.  I mean, Kyle did bash his face on a friend's door frame at her house.  He now has a permanent face dimple (right on his cheek).  Not sure what to do about that.  The doctor said you can only fix it by surgery.

I really like these pictures because it shows the activity in our living room.  Calie (my friend's kid staying over) playing a game, my son Kyle being himself by falling over, and his friend sitting on the couch.  The other 5 kids were running around outside the view of the camera.