Summer's Sad Sayonara

This is my sixth beginning to a new school year. I love newness. New ideas, new stuff (school supplies aisle, Mom?! Hello!), new kids, new spaces, new beginnings. It's awesome. It's like New Year's Resolutions dialed up. Five times in a row, I've been thrilled about it. But this year...

Summer was like it should be.

• We had a real vacation. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
• I played with my babies and have the dusty furniture to prove it.
• Jason and I got to eat lunch together more than Saturday.
• I taught 4 & 5 year olds at VBS and ... enjoyed it. (Surprised myself.)
• Gabby swam with hot pink floaties.
• Ben popped two teeth through.
• We slept in and stayed up late.
• We played games. That's why we stayed up so late.
• I learned how to sew a teensy bit.
• Jason accomplished some riding milestones. Like the 50 mile one, and the I'm-not-scared-to-cycle-with-my-sister one.
• Ben learned how to sit up mostly.
• Jason and I hiked with my dad, and Gab/Ben/myself had a picnic lunch at Morrow Mountain with Roger/Linda.
• I recorded a song.
• Gabby proved that she gets veiled jabs, would probably make a great policewoman, and is extremely tenderhearted. You wouldn't think those last two would go together... "Ohhhh, I'm sorry you're upset. It's okay. Go ahead and finish beating that guy up, and then I'll arrest you."
• Jason got voted in as Pastor, though that has nothing to do with the whole "Isn't Summer fun?" theme. We've been having fun calling him "Pastor Lutz" because it's suh-OH much more formal than he is. Makes him shrink about 3 inches.
• Ben said "Mama" and is still saying it. Only when he's mad, though.
• I ran a mile (without stopping to walk) for the first time ever and then proceeded to run some more! Hmmmm... gotta get back on that.
• I had my first EKG, and it turns out that I'm acceptably abnormal. I guess that doesn't fit in the Summer Fun category, either.
• Gabby spent two nights with MawMaw and PawPaw.
• Saw some friends here and there, though there can always be lots more of that for my taste.
• My toenails are still red.

Even without the TV for half the summer, it was fabulous. And as to that little experiment, we haven't missed the TV a bit. That may change now that sports are gearing back up, but the only time I've regretted not having any cable was on the fourth of July. We couldn't take Gab to see fireworks, and I wanted to turn on PBS and show her Boston. (Best 4th ever in Boston, by the way.)

This year, I've not been pumped up to go back to school, because Summer was so great. (It doesn't help that my first day back was spent learning how to use a new math textbook. I teach music, ahem.) I love all the time to hang with my kiddos, and I'm not apologizing for that. So what if Ben turned into a mama's boy and really can't be consoled by anyone else if I'm near? I hear you with your "You must be spoiling him." You're just jealous.

*Pictures and video to follow once I buy some new batteries. I charged them, but it turns out they're past recharging.