Summer Recap

Every year in the past my kids have looked forward to school starting again, except this year.  In my eagerness to keep us busy and engaged (i.e., away from computer screens, video games, and TV), I think I may have overdone it.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted us to have a great summer, but I didn't want to create an aversion to school.  So here we are, one week out, and no one wants to go back.  Hopefully, despite their hesitations now, once they actually start school again, they'll like it.

Each child got to do one thing this summer as well as spend one week in summer school.  So Jacob chose basketball camp.  He got to play basketball from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  Having a two-month break between now and the camp, he says he'd like to do it again, but I still remember the exhausted kid I picked up Wednesday and Thursday so I think perhaps a shorter camp would be better next year (you know me, I researched until I found the camp that offered the most for the money . . . well, sometimes, it's healthier to pay the same price, but attend for a shorter period of time - plus this camp was across the metro and I have truly learned that I am not a super woman who can run one child to Timbuktu - closer is better for us).

Charlotte chose Irish Dance.  Oh how we love Irish dance.  She passed off all of level one soft shoe and started learning the level two reel.  Charlotte will begin level one hard shoe (my favorite) in the fall and is currently wondering if she wouldn't like to try out for the performance team or take two Irish classes next year instead of splitting her time between Irish and basketball like this year.  It will be fun to find out what she chooses and goes with.

Laurel did a volleyball camp.  And while I believe she's still too young to really have the appropriate coordination for the sport, she did really well and learned some solid skills.  Laurel also completed two levels in swimming making it possible for her to try out for swim team in the Fall.  If she and Jacob make it, we will be running even more.  David keeps assuring me we can do this . . . I'll keep you posted.

Mary took swimming lessons and also passed two levels.  She enjoyed the whole summer because there was always someone around to play with - the first week of school may be tough.

In July the three older kids went to summer school for a week.  Jacob learned to scuba dive and studied a fish of his choice (the blue parrot fish).  Charlotte dissected a pig, a frog, a grasshopper, a crayfish, a sea star, and went on three field trips. Laurel solved puzzle after puzzle and made a marble run out of garbage.  We love the summer school program - the kids get to use their brains again in a fun, hands-on environment, and Mary and I get to hang out together for a week.  While Mary has loved having her siblings around, she seemed quite content when they were gone :).

In addition to all of the above, we bowled 2-3 times a week via the summer program; went to the lake once a week; went to Como Zoo and Como Town; honed our housekeeping and dish-washing skills (oh the whining!); made one visit to Chuckee Cheese and to Old Country Buffet; played in our pool; helped our friends fill and donate school bags for children in need; and visited the community pool one time so Laurel could climb the rock wall.  I wasn't kidding when I said we've been busy.  But most importantly, we've had a lot of fun and strengthened our bonds as a family.  And most of that happened before August (which deserves a post of it's own).

Now that I think about it, I'm not looking forward to the first day of school either!


Filling our pool (a 2010 purchase) in June.  Note Laurel's jacket - it was quite chilly the night we filled the pool, but the cold had little affect on our kids enthusiasm for swimming in our own back yard that night nor throughout the summer.  They are true Minnesotans.