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.

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.