Our Summer.

Time is a wonderful thing. Two weeks after the school started and already my summer memories of constant bickering, disobedience, misbehavior seem to be non-existent now and instead are replaced by the following images. Luckily for me, I have lots and lots of sorry notes from my kids written to me, the bugs that were stepped on accidentally or not and to each other to remind me of our challenging times.

Before I forget even good times we had (and we did plenty of them), there it goes.

June and July were busy with swimming. David had team and private practices a few hours a week in addition to swim meets twice a week. He did well and at the end of the season he represented his 5, 6 and 7 age group in a league championship where he placed second. He loved every second of it although he told me that he wouldn't participate in a swim team next summer because they swim longer distances. I really hope it's not the case.

We visited Six Flags which was more fun for both kids this year as they don't seem to have fear of any rides. As long as they are allowed to go on a ride, they are game.

By the end of the swim season, we were all done with our local pool. I kept looking up the hill where we go sledding in the winter and was dreaming of a cooler weather. So, in August I would take the kids to the lakes nearby just to have a change of scenery.

Julia was hatching butterflies in her room this summer. She really enjoys all kinds of bugs... when she is not stepping on them.

We went on many hikes and picnics in the woods.

A day after hurricane/storm Irene hit Vermont, we left NJ and headed there. We had planned a trip to VT for weeks and didn't think we should cancel it. Apart from having a very difficult time driving there we enjoyed New England very much.

David found that it was more fun writing about his experience in VT rather than wander around the museum in VT.

What's better than peach picking in August? Eating peach cobbler for an entire week in August.

Finally, after months of having a playset in the backyard, the temperatures were low enough for the kids to play on it.

First day of school and my cell phone gets attached to my hip.

I hope the kids are happy in their school this year and it wouldn't hurt if the older one matures just a bit.

Happiness.

Why do these two have the biggest grins on their faces and most importantly why are they so happy standing next to each other? It's unimaginable and that's why it needed to be photographed.

Actually, the reason why David is so happy is because he passed a diving test which consisted of swimming across the pool using the right technique. Julia was congratulating him and considering she has no interest in going on a diving board, there was no jealousy and she was sincerely happy for him. She had been witnessing him sitting on a bench for hours staring at the kids jumping off the diving board and water slide.

Now, when we are at the pool, I know exactly where he is at any given minute. Four hours on a diving board without a minute of rest, that's what I call summer.

Summer Fun.

Our past weekend was packed with a lot of exciting events. Saturday, David had his first swim meet. I'm not going to elaborate on the significance of this event for me because I'm trying to keep it sweet and short here for once. I'm just going to say that for a child who wouldn't get into a pool for almost 5 years of his life, it was a big deal. He loves team sports in general whether it's t-ball, soccer or hockey, but swimming seems to be his favorite right now.

As David was getting ready to swim, he said to me "I'm going to kill them". What? According to him, that's what a kid in a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book says. Ok, so after explaining that it's not really nice to say, I made a mental note to check the book myself. Not only does is say it in there "kill 'em" while referring to a child participating in a swimming competition, but the first few pages are filled with how much the kid dislikes swimming. I think the book will be going back to the library tomorrow. The only reason David picked this book in the first place was because the older kids, including his 3rd grade book buddy, read it. After all, there is a reason why many books have suggested age printed in the back of them.

Julia and I spent Sunday at the beach while Seth and David hung out in the city an entire day. They went to a museum, a street festival and visited Seth's uncle and aunt.

It was a great, yet another exhausting weekend. Every summer I wonder what we preoccupy ourselves in a winter with. I know, we don't sit around watching tv, but still it doesn't seem as fun, busy and sometimes tiring as these summer weekends are.

A Day At The Beach.

The summer is almost over and it seems as though it flew by. We squeezed a few days at the beach, amusement parks, zoos, but the most memorable among them was an adventure to the beach this weekend. The kids, especially David, spent hours digging, working on some construction. Other kids came, helped and left and David still continued digging to China. I don't think he even noticed the ocean until hours later. Of course, then he wouldn't get out of the water. I just sat back and watched David and Julia interact with each other and other kids. I might not say this in a few years, but right now I'm very happy that they are getting older. They are getting more mature (just a tiny bit) and our summers are getting easier and more enjoyable every year.