Done for the summer

Earlier this evening, we returned from spending the weekend at my in-laws.  I am happy to report that this is the final trip (of the very few we've taken) this summer.  I recognize that I am simply happier at home.  It is my comfort zone, and I simply don't care for being elsewhere.  It is also rather challenging to sleep at my in-laws' house, although I am grateful that they were willing to attend Mass last evening so that we were able to sleep in both yesterday and today.

My mother-in-law had surgery almost three weeks ago on her shoulder nearly three weeks ago.  Andrew was over there last week to help with a few household chores, and we went over for the weekend.  It was a nice visit and we took advantage of the lack of sales tax on clothing.  We were able to save some money, and with the exception of some shoes, all of the kids are just about ready to begin school.

This week, we have six cross country practices, four doctor appointments, three band practices, five football practices, three days of work for Robert, at least one, if not two, days of work for me, three cook outs, two meetings, an overnight visit, and who knows what else along the way.  It seems so crazy already, but this Friday evening we have nothing on our calendar.  I am hoping to soak up a bit more family time before the school year kicks into full gear...in just ten days for Robert!

Things start to heat up

This actually isn't about the temperatures...they have already been PLENTY hot.  Fortunately, I've been able to stay indoors most of this weekend so it hasn't been awful.

Nope, I'm talking about our schedules heating up.  Robert is at his first cross country practice this morning.  This week is still informal, next week is the official beginning.  Andrew begins football conditioning this evening and has it three days this week.  Next week practices begin every day.  Catherine is back to three times a week of band practice, and of course I still need to get a few hours in at the office and Robert works as well.  We did manage to keep this weekend completely clear and we are headed to visit my in-laws for our last trip of the summer.

While I do at times dread the hectic schedule, I am beginning to look forward to the routine.  While we have had lots of fun this summer, I've missed our dinners at the table (not sure this fall is going to allow for much of that either) as well as our bedtime routines.  I'm looking forward to the coziness of fall and winter, although I wouldn't mind getting to sleep in more!

Robert begins school in just 2-1/2 weeks.  Holding onto summer while we can!

Most improved x2

Tonight, I was astounded that the most improved swimmers in two categories live in our house.  I thought that Robert had a shot at earning it.  He had never participated in swimming before, and he's decently competitive by this end of season.  As strong as he is, he could be decent if he'd really work at it.  I'm a little concerned about the time commitment for the winter, but I'm pleased that he's excited.  I was stunned however, when Catherine also won.  Personally, I had been disappointed in her lack of improvement this year compared to last year, but I guess the coaches saw things that we didn't.  I'm a proud Mom!  I think Thomas was a little disappointed that he didn't win the award for his age group after he showed so much improvement this week.  The award is decided a week earlier though, and although he did improve a lot, I understood that others did as well.  Ultimately, he was just excited that he got to hang out at the pool after the awards so all is well.

I'm grateful that swimming has been such a positive experience for the kids.  And more than anything, I'm grateful to be their mom!

Five years since the lake

Five years ago last week, my Dad moved out of his lake cottage and we were there for the last time.  I've found the fifth anniversary of things tends to be a strong feeling for me.  I've found myself really yearning for the lake this summer.  I had hoped we could take a day and just drive around that area, but since we've moved farther away it's tough.  It's over a two hour drive just to get there, then two hours home, plus the time we would want to spend in the area, and we just don't have those days.  The thing I am most grateful for though, is that we have the memories that are so special!

Three nights apart

Andrew left after the swim champs to go visit his parents.  His mother had shoulder surgery last week and Andrew wanted to go over and help out around the house.  He'll be back Saturday.  We knew the kids wouldn't want to miss their swim party Friday evening, and as it turns out both Robert and Catherine need to be at the swim finals tomorrow.  Robert also works Friday and Saturday.  Right before he left, Andrew and I realized we've never been apart for three nights before.  There have been several times with two, but never three.  I know that most couples can't say that, and we are very blessed that is the case.  I don't want to wish away days in the summer, but I'll certainly be happy to see him on Saturday!

A fabulous end to the swim season

This morning was swim championships.  My kids are not the team's best swimmers.  They aren't even really competitive.  I was beginning to wish we weren't even participating, especially since we had to be out the door by 6:30.  I am so grateful that we did though.  Robert showed some improvement, and Thomas's improvement was amazing!  In one race he cut 20 seconds off his best time, and in another he won his heat against five other swimmers!  To see the joy and feeling of accomplishment on his face...there just aren't words.  In fact, he finished well ahead of others in his winning heat and I loved when he looked back and saw that everyone else was still swimming, and he had cut 11 seconds off that time.  I had a few tears in my eyes seeing him be that happy and feel that sense of accomplishment.

Catherine also had an accomplishment, but she's just in a "mood".  She swam the 100IM for the first time ever.  I wasn't even sure she knew what order to swim in, but she did.  The parents were kind of joking that swim championships didn't seem to be the place to make such a debut, and we were just happy that she swam in the correct order and finished.  She swam so cleanly in fact, that she didn't get DQ'd.  Quite a few did...so many in fact that Catherine is the alternate for the finals tomorrow.  You can't imagine our shock!  She wasn't very pleased about it as I had made arrangements for she and Thomas to stay with my mom tomorrow evening because Robert is an alternative for the relay team for his age group.  She wants to go to my mom's and tried announcing that she wasn't going swimming tomorrow.  I've explained that I'll ask Mom to reschedule, and she started to feel better.  We chose not to explain to her that with the DQ's only 13 swimmers had recorded times, and she was #13.

I hadn't really planned to be involved in the finals tomorrow, and there is still a chance that we'll have to go and no one will actually swim.  Regardless, I'm proud of how strongly the kids finished the season!

We miss the way it used to be

Today was the annual pool party at my aunt's house.  We were all there, along with my mom, grandma, aunt, uncle, a cousin, his wife, and his two children.  My sister wasn't there, and an entire branch of the family wasn't there...this is the family that tends to be full of drama.  It was a nice visit though, and I always enjoy visiting with my cousin's wife.

On the way home though, Andrew and I were commenting on how we miss the way it used to be.  When all the kids were little, there would be seven of them in the pool, and a few adults as well.  The kids would play for hours and hours in the pool, and it would often be 8:00 or so before we would venture home.  My Dad always came down, and we have great pictures from over the years.

Now, a lot of the kids might have jobs or plans, and of course there are certain relatives not speaking to certain relatives so you just never know.  My dad is gone, my sister doesn't like coming down, and we were all out the door by 6:00 or so.  It's just not the same.  It feels more like everyone is just there because they feel like they have to be, and you are never sure what you can say to whom or what might set someone off.  We really miss the fun that we used to have, although we are grateful for family.

We've shaken hands

Our family is both excited and appalled that we have shaken hands with the republican vice-presidential candidate.  I don't want this blog to be political, or even this post, but excited and appalled are the words.  Three years ago for spring break our family visited Indianapolis for a few days, and while we were there we visited the state capital.  Because we were a family with children, we garnered attention.  We mentioned that we wondered where the governor's office might be, and an aide overheard us and offered to show us.  While in the office, the governor left a meeting, and our family (including Thomas's stuffed animals) were able to shake hands with Governor Mike Pence.  Today, he has been named Trump's running mate.  While it is exciting to have shaken hands, my personal feelings about Trump negate any excitement at all.

Having said all of this, this election season can not end soon enough.

Six weeks ago on vacation

It doesn't seem possible to me that six weeks ago today was our last day on vacation.  Six weeks have gone by since then!  To be honest, there is a part of me that almost physically aches about this.  Our vacation was literally THAT awesome.  Our family is just absolutely amazingly blessed.

We are down to just a month (or less in some cases) of summer left.  I think I'll be ready when the time comes for more of a routine, but it's going to be a heck of one.  Robert will be attending vo tech school 1/2 hour away and running cross country.  Catherine will be doing marching band, and Andrew will be coaching middle school football.  I had encouraged him since we moved here to get back into coaching, especially at the middle school level.  That way, he never misses Robert's Saturday races.  We have talked about me going back to subbing, but with my part-time job added on top of my taxiing responsibilities, and not have Andrew's after school flexibility,  it definitely won't be first thing this fall.  It can make me anxious and tired just thinking about it, especially when I reflect on how fabulous and relaxing vacation was...six whole weeks ago!

Just as exhausting as I'd remembered it

Getting ready for band camp is just as stressful and exhausting as I'd remembered it.  On the upside though, because I remembered it, I am being proactive and things are going along well.  I'm exhausted because I'm not sleeping well either, but we are hanging in there.  Andrew has been awesome about things at home and I'm so grateful for him.  We have added stress this year with band directors' health issues, but we'll get through.  One week down, a whole bunch to go.

Happy to have it in the rear view mirror

To be totally honest, I'd been dreading this weekend for quite some time.  I had agreed to help out with vacation bible school at our church, and it was Friday evening, yesterday morning, and this morning.  Because I am on the religious ed committee, it seemed something I should do.  It isn't my passion though, so I agreed to help as needed rather than as a specific placement.  Catherine spent her time in the nursery, and Andrew and Thomas spent hours at church on Friday helping to set up, and then hours again this afternoon tearing down and cleaning up.  Robert was working his job during most of this so he wasn't around, and I mostly floated back and forth between registration and kitchen.  It was just as exhausting as I thought it would be, and I'm so grateful it is behind us.  It's still going to be a really crazy week band, swimming, and other obligations, but I'm glad to be finished with VBS!

The unofficial beginning of her high school years

Last evening Catherine began her marching band practices.  My girl looked so young and little among all of those high school kids!  I'm so grateful I was able to be there though and just kind of be around and keep an eye on things.  She is also in a really great section in terms of the other students who play the clarinet, and I have confidence that she is going to enjoy this experience.  They are some fabulous incoming freshmen participating in band, and I think she'll have a good year.  I'm grateful to have her through the wretched middle school years, but I just can't believe high school is almost upon us!

Presidential Planes

It is still swim season, band begins this evening, and Andrew's middle school football coaching (have I mentioned that?) begins officially in two weeks.  Yep folks, we still have a schedule.  Especially with Robert's works schedule, my job responsibilities, and volunteer obligations.  We try though, to squeeze in one day a week for some real family fun.  Yesterday was a trip to the United States Air Force Museum.  I grew up going there rather frequently as a child given the location and proximity to my home town.  Andrew and his parents took the kids three years ago but I couldn't go...so it's been a while for me.  Recently though, they've opened the "fourth hangar" and Andrew couldn't wait to see it.  I hadn't realized that the retired Air Force One planes are there, dating all the way back to Franklin Roosevelt.  I enjoyed that part the most.

I was grateful that Andrew didn't necessarily wish to see absolutely everything.  Most of the things have been there since my childhood and I don't need to see them again.  However, the Doolittle Raiders display is more recent than my last visit and I enjoyed seeing that as well.  The best part was dinner.  Andrew took us downtown and we ate at the pub that serves pub fries that just make my mouth water.  For Thomas and I they are our favorites.

We were exhausted when we got home and Andrew and I couldn't wait to take a nap.  I didn't sleep long, because, well, I'm a mom.  But a few minutes sure felt good before swim practice last evening!

Hoping we have an opportunity to make a few more memories this summer!

Half way through summer

Six weeks from today Catherine and Thomas have their first day of school...and six weeks ago today was the last.  So yes, officially half way through summer.  Technically, Andrew and Robert were half way finished a couple of days ago, but for me this is the marker.  This is always the point where things start to fly, I always feel.

Overall, it's been a summer for which I'm very grateful.  Robert has (knock on wood, almost afraid to write this) been truly a joy to be around.  We've been making sure to take time to do fun things together as a family.  Catherine and Thomas have been extraordinarily challenging in terms of each other, but overall I've really enjoyed the summer.

Marching band begins this evening, and honestly the freedom and carefree schedule we have is pretty much in the tank right now.  I have to be there at 5:30 to help run a meeting, and I suspect I'll be there most days through the beginning of August.  I don't love it, but it is what it is, and I hope it will be something that Catherine will enjoy sharing with me.  Robert isn't doing marching band this year.  He will only be running cross country.

In spite of how quickly I know it will go by, I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of our summer and making the memories that go with it!

A very wet and rainy 4th of July

It's definitely a wash out of a day...just like yesterday was also.  Originally our plans for yesterday involved traveling to a friends' house for a big group cook out, but they had to cancel so we agreed to step in and host.  Most of our friends didn't want to make the trip down, so it was just Thomas's godfather and wife, and we had a blast.  We had originally planned to take in the town fireworks, but we were not interested in attending in the rain.  We ended up just hanging out here and enjoying the visit.

Today we knew would be a pretty wide open day, although Robert is working for a few hours.  I would love the opportunity to scrapbook, and I might still, but for now I need to get organized for band this week so that will be how I spend my time.  If I get that finished, maybe I'll get to let my creative juices flow.

I'm also looking planning to remember our blessing in life that we were born in this country, and the many blessings that it brings!

Awake even though I don't want to be

I woke up a little after 4:00, and about 90 minutes later decided I might as well get up.  We are having company this evening, and I might as well get some things done now that way maybe I can sleep later when I feel like I can.  I'm grateful I rarely have nights like this, but they sure do stink when I do!  No one likes being up four hours before the alarm is set to go off, but the good news is that I get to sleep in again tomorrow!

The beginning of July has arrived

Six weeks from today, Andrew is back to school for teacher's day, and Robert will have already started.  By the end of the month, I know we will be seeing "back-to-school" sales...and I'm just not ready for any of it.

Going to keep all of that off the radar right now though.  No one is half way done yet (though VERY close), and we are at a long holiday weekend.  We don't have a whole lot of plans, but some friends are coming over Sunday late afternoon for dinner.  Next week with marching band and VBS commitments things are going to be INSANE.  But for this weekend, we get to celebrate our country and even sleep in!