Goals.

Yesterday, Sadie completely surprised and blew me away by putting her face in the water and paddling several feet across the pool. This kid, who is somewhat terrified of the water, and who despite two years of weekly swim lessons, sinks like a rock the moment her feet hit the water, decided that she was going to teach herself to swim. And she's doing it. At the beginning of the summer, she and I talked about how I really wanted her to learn to swim and to ride a bike this summer. We talked about how those could be goals that she worked toward. To be honest, I really didn't hold out much hope on the swimming goal, and I figured if she learned to ride a bike, we'd call it a successful summer.

Besides being immensely proud of her progress, it has made me think a bit about where I stand with the goals I set for myself for the summer. After all, the summer is nearly half over (wah!). I had basically set one significant goal for myself, and that was to enjoy--really, truly enjoy--the time off with the girls. to stop myself from getting hung up on 'getting stuff done' at the expense of making memories. This time is so precious and fleeting and before I know it, they won't want to spend entire days with me. A year ago, I think it fair to say that I wasn't making the most of my time off with them and I made a promise to myself that this year would be different. And you know what? It is! It really, truly has been pretty great so far.

In part, I have just adjusted my expectations about what having a day off means, and that has helped. So that means that my floors are filthy, my laundry is piled up higher than can humanly be tackled at this point, and dinner is often whatever is easiest to throw together. We get out and to the beach when we get there, rather than me being on a clock all the time and rushing the girls constantly. We stay until we feel like leaving rather than rushing home for naps or so I can run errands.

The other contributing factor has been my attempts at 'options for spontaneity'. Each week, I scan the community pages to see what is going on in the area (last week it was a children's theartre production of Rapunzel and a free outdoor showing of E.T.). I don't tell the kids about any of these things, and more or less at the last minute, if the fancy strikes me, I suggest something and we go. If the ice cream truck comes by 10 minutes before bedtime (which it has the infuriating habit of doing), sometimes I let the kids run out in their pajamas and partake. Again, this goes back to not having grand expectations about things. Going to see E.T. was a lot of fun for all of us, but by 10pm, Eden was done and we left, long before the movie ended.

So overall, I am really happy with how I'm doing on this one. Last year at this time, I had my doubts about whether or not any of us were truly enjoying the summer. This year, I have no doubt whatsoever that we all are.

An Old Friend

This is the first year in my memory where I can say that summer seems to have just kind of sneaked up on me. Usually, I start pining for it sometime after the new year and work myself into an excited frenzy about it by early April. I don't know if it is because we had a very mild winter, or if perhaps it is because the older I get, the faster life seems to just whiz by, but for whatever reason, I feel as though in the past few months, I've had a moment every few weeks where I think "I can't believe it's April already!" or "Memorial Day weekend is next week?!?!?" before I am drawn, inevitably, back down into the busy, chaotic buzz that is our daily lives, only to be caught offguard by the passing of time once again a few weeks later.

That was a pretty lengthy introduction to announce that summer seems to be here, in full swing, ready or not. The weather seems to have finally shed the rainy, cool act it was carrying around for much of the spring in favor of sunny, 80 degree days. The not quite ready for the beach bodies (mine included!)--untanned and still carrying a bit of that winter weight--have made their way back to the beach. Sunscreen and a swim diaper have repositioned themselves as permanent items in my purse. Sand is finding itself in all sorts of places it shouldn't be once again (I think it was close to November last year before I stopped finding bits of sand here and there in the house and car). The car is being ditched in favor of the bikes whenever possible. Popsicles, roasted marshmallows, and treats from the ice cream truck (which makes a very noisy loop through our neighborhood each night at just about the time I would normally consider corralling the kids inside to get ready for bed) have become daily staples of our diets once again. The lingering evening daylight has made me discard the normal bedtimes with abandon, and the girls can be found running around the neighborhood backyards well past what any sane parent would consider a 'reasonable hour.'

It is glorious, I tell you. I may not have been pining for summer this year, but having it back has made me realize that I should have been, all along! Here's to June, July, and August!

The Stuff that dreams (and perfect summer days) are made of

We had such a great day today. One of my girlfriends from way back when (think 9th grade, 1986, acid-washed jeans and peroxided bangs) and her two little boys joined us at the beach today. Sadie and her five year old, Preston, play together so well, and all four of the kids ran themselves ragged while MB and I had a chance to just sit on the beach and catch up. It was so much fun. Originally, we thought we'd be there for maybe three hours, but the kids were playing so well, and we were so busy talking that we ended up being there almost the entire day. Inspired by Preston, who is quite the adventurous little swimmer, Sadie even got up the nerve to really play in the waves, instead of her usual stand by the edge and get her feet a little wet routine. Between hours of that and lots of time in the pool, she was completely wiped out by dinnertime. I think her eyes were closed before her head even hit the pillow this evening.

I only have three weeks, give or take, until my summer schedule is over and it is back to the grind at work. In spite of my whining post of a few weeks ago, overall, I've been enjoying the summer so much. I'm sad to see that the end is in sight already.

Is this June?

It is so cold and damp out, it feels more like April. This weekend the beach club opens, and so this better be the last of the cool, rainy weather until September. All week, I've been amassing our 'beach supplies' (chairs, towels, sunblock, boogie boards, sand toys), so I think we're all set. My sister-in-law and her family are coming up - it is going to be great to get all the kids together in the little pool. We had such a fantastic summer last year, and really enjoyed the beach so much, that I'm really hoping for a repeat this year. So, fine...it can rain for two more days, but by Saturday at 10am, I'd better see nothing but blue skies and sunshine.

three day weekend

Enjoyed another long weekend, just passed. Friday we started 'summer hours' at work, where everyone gets every other Friday off, so that was my day. It was also Sadie's pre-k graduation. It was a very cute ceremony, and even though Sadie had a crying spell in the middle of it (why should that day be any different than any other day, right?), it went off without a hitch, more or less. Here's a couple pix of the graduation girl:







Afterwards, we went to the beach. I left Eden in daycare, and just took Sadie and met my mom there. For the first time in...probably years...I was able to just sit and relax at the beach, while Sadie either amused herself or played with my mom. It was heavenly.

We met my in-laws out for dinner at Sadie's favorite grown up restaurant and enjoyed a nice dinner out on the patio, followed by some 'let's tire them out before bed' time at the nearby playground.

Saturday, we went out to visit friends and had a cookout with them. It was very cute to see all the kids playing together, and Eden was really right in the thick of it with them. She's turning into one of the 'big kids' right before our eyes.

Yesterday, we rode our bikes down to this festival and enjoyed some good food and good music. It was a great ride down there and back, too, and the furthest we've ventured with the kids in tow on the bikes yet. All in all, a great day.

I love three day weekends.

Its here, its really, finally, here!

Photo credit: Crowds hitting the Belmar Beach, courtesty of the New York Times, May 25th, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com

Summer! The beloved season I wait all year for. Ok, so, by the calendar, summer doesn't officially start for nearly a month, but for all intents and purposes, Memorial Day weekend launches the start of summer. The weather certainly thinks so - it was HOT yesterday! We ended up eating out last night and dined 'al fresco' and it just felt like summer.

It is so beautiful today that I may have to leave work a bit early and head down to the beach for a bit.

We have another busy, busy weekend ahead of us, but all good things--horseback riding, a Strawberry Festival, beach, beach, beach and a couple of cookouts.

I may be scarce for the next few days, so have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

I almost forgot to mention

See the hottie on the left? That's me! Er, that will be me. What I mean is, I bought that bathing suit this weekend, and while it looks a bit, er, different on me than it does on that freakishly skinny and unmarred by the wrath of multiple pregnancies and breastfeeding model with the glowing mocha skin, it doesn't look too bad on me, either! Thank god for the uplifting powers of the halter tie top, and the full coverage powers of the boy short, is all I'm sayin'.

I haven't worn a bikini in years, but I've been working out and really trying to get back into shape, and am very excited to wear one this summer.

Bring it!