summer vacation – Page 2 – Writes for all Mommies

children, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Summer Lessons

16/08/2014 WFAM

This is my first post after an unofficial break. I needed to decide if I should continue or if this blog had run its course. After consulting my massive fan base, all two of you, I decided to carry on. Thanks for continuing to care, to read and to show up for me. My readers are a huge reason I will keep showing up for this blog.

This summer blasted by faster than a Floridian thunder storm. I no sooner got us into a great little routine and then I had to chuck it all in to get the boys ready for 2nd and 4th grade. We had many adventures and a few mishaps. Overall, I truly enjoyed my summer with the boys. I was sad to see it end so quickly.

This is what I learnedâ€¦

1. Don’t try to be too deep with your seven-year old.

Here is an exchange I had with T.Puzzle at the beginning of summer. I was clearly outmaneuvered.

Me: “Do you know what I love the most about you?” (the response is supposed to be ‘Everything’)

T.Puzzle: “My armpits?”

He then went on to argue if I truly do love everything about him, then that means I must love his armpits, too.

2. My fantasy of family game night continues to be a bust. For some reason, I can’t let it go. I keep trying and trying. All three of my boys are WAY too competitive so we end up with STINKY FACES,

CRAZY FACES,

and, eventually, I recruit my dog to play because he is the only one capable of maintaining a CHILL attitude.

3. Raising a family will never be a perfect science. Things rarely go the way you picture them in your mind. Just roll the dice and try to have fun in the process.

Have a great school year Everyone!

children, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Summer Vacation Highlights

07/08/2013 WFAM

1. On our trip up north, Full Speed showed us some genuine gratitude. We were all set to get him a soccer t-shirt while we attended the USMNT‘s Gold Cup Championship game at Soldier Field. He was so thankful to be attending the game, that he politely declined. He said being at the game was more than enough. Needless to say, he got a t-shirt anyway. I would have gotten him a car, too. I basically would have gotten him anything he wanted.

2. Even though T.Puzzle continues to insist on asserting his independence from me, when he won 1000 tickets at an arcade, he rushed to tell me all about it. I guess maybe he hasn’t outgrown his Mom after all. That’s a relief. Seriously.

3. We did lots of spectacular things this summer especially in Chicago. Watching the men’s team win the Gold Cup, eating on the 95th floor of the Hancock, riding the ferris wheel and a surrey bike at Navy Pier and carriage ride at night downtown just to name a few. Out of all these things, some of my favorite moments were the ones where conversations with my nieces and my boys would unexpectedly flow. Sure, we were experiencing unique and awesome events, but the true wonder was simply being together.

Too bad summer can’t last forever.

children, family, motherhood, parenting

No Such Thing as Summer

02/06/2012 WFAM

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Full Speed’s version of relaxing on the beach.

The school year is almost over and summer vacation is right on our heels. I am arming myself with positive self-talk (‘you can do it!’/ ‘they may steal your energy but never your soul!’ / ‘it really is five o’clock somewhere!’), signing the boys up for a myriad of day camps and activities and my personal favorite, good old-fashioned denial.

Ready or not, here summer vacation comes.

I have noticed that Full Speed has cranked up his hyperactivity quotient (I honestly didn’t know this was humanly possible) as his first grade year draws to a close. I still find it hard to believe that he holds himself together in the classroom. His teacher insists he is very well-behaved. I imagine even the best behaved kids are prone to losing it as the excitement of summer fills the school. I worried for his teacher because if he was acting this out of control at home, what would he be like at school?

“Full Speed, do I need to call your teacher? Does she need to know you are way too hyper today?” I ask.

He snaps to attention. “No, Mom. I know what self-control is. Sometimes I really want to be hyper at school but then I just don’t.” His serious expression told me he was telling the truth.

Guess he’s saving up all his hyperactivity for summer vacation and for me.

I have no response to this because in my mind, there is no summer. It’s the only way I’ll survive until the fall.

children, happiness, humor, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Home VS Away

27/07/2011 WFAM

On one hand I am silently counting the days and minutes until I can send the boys back to school. On the other hand, I’m not ready for them to go.

Every day is up and down. One minute they are bouncing off the walls and pushing me to the brink while in the next minute they surprise me with an unexpected laugh or hug.

Full Speed is becoming quite skilled at cracking me up. He realizes this and now makes a daily effort to do so.

T.Puzzle says random things like, “I don’t want any Mommy in the world but you” and “I love my whole family soooo much.” He usually accompanies these statements with a downpour of kisses, too.

Maybe I can negotiate with their schools and if they are having a really great morning, I’ll keep them home. In return on the nutso mornings I will have them promptly to school at eight a.m.

Problem solved!

children, gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Welcome to Our Special Show

09/07/2011 WFAM

Apparently since T.Puzzle and Full Speed are thoroughly enjoying their summer vacation, they would like Mad Dog to join in their fun. On a ride home from errands Full Speed asked me if I knew Mad Dog’s work number.

“Why?” I asked.

“Maybe we can call his bosses later and see if they will let your husband have a week off. Then we can make him feel very special all week long,” he replied.

I liked his idea. I also enjoyed how he referred to Mad Dog as my husband and not as Dad. I think he was trying to be more formal sounding so Mad Dog’s bosses would take his request seriously.

I didn’t want to dampen the sincerity of his spirit so I quickly devised a plan.

“Why don’t we make a video for Dad’s bosses and we can send it to Dad to share with his bosses later?”

T.Puzzle and Full Speed were quite happy with this notion. They enjoy the art of video as much as a wrestling smack-down.

Here is the result:

[wpvideo 4QCF3zz3]