Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

This is our lake that we camp on. My caption on Facebook was "Life is good."


Today is the official start of Summer. Not only the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year (as far as daylight is concerned, that is), but it is also Pal's first day of Summer vacation. It is the day you live for when you are a kid. Or, if you are me and you have Summer's off, too! I've been out for a month, so I had some quiet, luxurious hours alone for the last month. Now that will all change!! But that's okay, because I love that Pal is out of school. No more schedules, packing lunches and backpacks, homework, etc.

For the last day of school he asked if he could walk home instead of taking the bus, and as far as I'm concerned, if he wants to exercise - I let him! So I said yes, and while he was walking he met up with some friends who asked if he wanted to walk down to the local pizza place for lunch. Yikes - he is growing up so fast. I said yes, and of course he didn't have money on him, so I had to bring him some. Then I went on to the grocery store and he proceeds to call and ask if I can pick up him and his friends at the pizza place. They've been out of school for 2 hours and it's already starting!!! But, I went anyway, because I have Taxi & Sucker written on my forehead.

When I picked them up, they all start telling me this story and I was stunned into silence: On their walk to the pizza place, they notice a ziploc bag with "suspicious contents". So, they called the police to report it! I wanted to laugh here, because the thought of four 12-year-olds (or almost 12 in Pal's case) taking it upon themselves to call the police just cracked me up. I would never have done something like that as a kid! When the police didn't respond quickly enough for Pal's liking - he called them a second time!!!

When the police officer came, he smelled the "contents" and determined it was tea leaves. But, he thanked the boys for calling him and told them they did the right thing. In town just that morning, an 8th grade boy was found in a parking lot and the rumor is that he had overdosed on heroin. That's the saddest thing I've heard, and I'm sure the officer was thankful that our boys thought enough to call them because if it were drugs they'd found, at least it would be off the street. We've heard nothing further on the condition of the 8th grade boy, but I sure hope he is okay.

This is the world we live in, and I am scared for Pal to be out there experiencing the harsh reality. I would have preferred he came home from school and lived in the safe little bubble we've created. I just hope he is smarter than the 8th grader and chooses to stay on the safe side of drugs, like calling the police about them.

Vacation is off to an exciting start but I hope it gets "boring" very quickly!!! I love to think of Pal and I waking up late, going to the beach or hanging out at my brother's pool. That's the Summer I am hoping for, anyway!

Happy Summer to everyone!
- G

Marathon Start

I feel like I have been running a marathon since I last blogged. (Okay, stop laughing NOW!). The last post was all about our Summer activities. Since then I have gone back to work, Pal has gone back to school, and it is now October. I didn't even have ONE post in September! I will catch you up as best I can:

Pal was at Cub Scout Camp during the week of my last post. He didn't really like it this year because they decided that the Webelos II scouts would go to an offsite Boy Scout camp instead of staying in camp with all of the others. So they would pile onto a bus for a 45-minute ride to the other camp every day. Then on the last day they brought them back into the camp with all of the other kids and it was (to quote Pal) "awkward". Plus this was the first year that I had to be back to work and couldn't go as the "Den Escort". I like to think he missed his Mom. =)

Back to work came early for me this year. Myself and 2 others got a promotion and this brought on a ton of new responsibilities, (it was a whole other job on top of our regular jobs), and boy were we in shell shock. I have never had so much work to do in such a short period of time before. I was EXHAUSTED at the end of each day! I would rather be busy than bored, but at this point I could have used enough time to take a bathroom break!! Especially since I was looking around and it didn't seem like the other 2 had as much work to do as I did. Thankfully they noticed, too, and everyone pitched in to help me when I needed it. When I got home every night it took all I had to keep my eyes open!

Pal started school before Labor Day. He seems to like his new teacher and isn't getting loaded down with homework, yet. This teacher likes them to get as much done IN school so they don't have to take it home. I love that theory, but I worry about next year when he goes to middle school and has to manage his work himself. This is not his strong point! He is also doing Karate twice a week and has decided to keep learning trombone in the school band this year. On top of all of that he has CCD and Cub Scouts, so we are always going somewhere.

In the same week that Pal went back to school, he turned 10! We had a "Lego Store" party with 3 of his buddies, with pizza and cupcakes after. Then we had a family party at the house, which was small this year. And that was just fine with me!! Here is a pic of the Lego Party:

Toward the end of September, one of my cousins from Arizona came to New England with his wife for a short vacation. I'll call them the "Carbs". This is one of my "long lost" cousins that our family never really knew until I made contact with one of them about 10 years ago through email. It was so great to see both of them, and this was her first time to the east coast. She just fell in love with it, and we all got along so nicely. Here are a couple of pictures from their visit: My sisters C & P, with myself and RCarbs


The Four R's
RCarbs, my Dad, my Brother and my Nephew)


My Dad and RCarbs (they kinda look alike, don't ya think??!)


Mr. & Mrs. Carbs and Dad

My family once again did the Alzheimer's Memory Walk as the team "Memory Keepers". Here is a picture of the whole team:

Now we are headed into Columbus Day weekend - at long last! It is also Hubby's 39th B-day next week! He will be spending the following weekend camping with the Cub Scouts (did I mention that he took over their den this year?) Look at how cute he is in uniform:I will be thoroughly enjoying some time to myself (in other words, the house will get cleaned and stay clean for longer than 10 minutes!!!). I have made some plans to hang out with the ladies and I am SO looking forward to it.

Mom's disease is progressing, and she now needs assistance with eating. She looks pretty good though and doesn't seem to be in too much pain. Here is a recent picture of her with 2 of my nieces:


I've caught you up on my life since August (not 100%, there isn't enough blogisphere out there to chronicle ALL of it!!!!). Pretty soon it will be the holidays and we will be saying, "Where did 2009 GO?"!!!

Have a great long weekend!
- G

Work/School's out for Summer!

I can't believe that it is June. Today I am out of work for the Summer, and I have that same feeling that I used to get on the last day of school when I was a kid. It's a giddy, bubbling sensation that won't allow me to sit still! I am dreaming of lazy days, staying in bed until I feel like moving...ahhhhh the dreams you dream....

Pal will be out of school in 10 days. I am also looking forward to this, because it means no backpacks, homework, trombone lessons, etc. No schedules. I truly feel that kids deserve Summer vacations because the school year feels like it is forever long, and they need a breather. I'm sure I will feel differently by mid-July!!!!

Yesterday the 4th Grade performed a musical concert for the parents. It was really good, and the music teacher did a great job picking songs that weren't too "baby-ish" or silly. These kids are all about 10 years old, and they don't want to look stupid. There was one kid who I gave a lot of credit to, he did a solo and tried to impersonate Elvis - it was awesome! He did forget the words halfway through but just the fact that he did it was great.

Here is a picture of my shy guy:


For the Summer, Pal is going to a morning camp in town with some friends. I won't make him go every day but for the amount of money they charge he will be there as much as possible! Other than that we are planning on going to our campground on the weekends and hopefully hosting some friends and family there, and in August we are taking the pop-up with a group of friends to Maine. Not sure of any other plans but knowing Hubby there will be more to come!

What are your plans for Summer? Please enlighten me!

Happy Friday!
-G

The Official "End" of Summer

Seeing that Labor Day is so early this year and the kids are back to school, it feels like Summer is over. Part of me is happy, even though that means I also return to work next week. The weather wasn't even that hot this year, and seeing as I live in New England this is unusual. It was rainy, but that didn't really matter (other than when I was in a pop-up for 3 nights!!!!).

Since Pal is out of school for Friday and Monday, we are going to end the Summer with a couple of trips to local amusements. One is an amusement park, the other a water park. Then we will head to our camper for the remaining part of the Labor Day weekend and spend time with our family and friends who also camp with us.

Then my baby, my only child, will turn 9 on Tuesday!!! 9 years ago I was bringing him home from the hospital on Labor Day. I remember the first car ride, going home with him in the car - we were so nervous and have never driven so cautiously! Pal cried the whole way, and I sat in the back with him. The nice thing was that our families were at the house when we got home and my nieces had hung signs all around our dining room welcoming us home. It was the best Labor Day, ever!

I want to say Happy End of Summer and Happy Labor Day to you all!
See you on Tuesday!

G

School Days

(((Singing))) "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

4th Grade - HERE HE COMES! I laugh at those Mother's that cry when their kids go off to school on the first day - I was dancin' !!!! Of course, I will only dance until next week when I have to go back to work...

He's also going to turn 9 years old a week from now, and I can't believe it. That means in another 9 years he will be a legal, voting adult! Yikes....can these next 9 go by a little slower than the last 9? Please?


Here are a few pictures from Cub Scout Camp last week:


This was "cooking" class, where they made a campfire out of edible treats.



He's the middle one, getting ready to jump in the lake (first one in, of course!)



Woodworking class, where they built bird-feeders. He looks so professional!



Here is Pal and his best buddy, (the one in the middle). The other Scout is best buddy's OTHER best buddy, hence why best buddy is in the middle!!



Here is the fishing pond picture from this year. I tried to copy last year's pose but didn't quite succeed.


So this about sums it up:
Summer vacation - $500.00. Cub Scout Camp - $140.00. 4th grade - free (to the town's taxpayers). Mom's sanity - priceless!!!


G