Summer’s End…Bittersweet!

I just can’t believe that our summer vacation is coming to an end. All of us need to head back to school on Wednesday, September 1st. We were off for almost 3 months and a new routine and schedule were in place. We went from baseball, softball, swimming lessons, vision therapy sessions, dog project, sleeping-in, and lots of swimming at Grandma’s house, to starting the football, volleyball, and soccer seasons and going to band practices, back-to-school shopping, and last-minute doctor and dentist appointments.



This summer I was able to spend a LOT more time with all 4 kids and really enjoy my time with them. Yes, they still had their typical sibling arguments, that drive me crazy, but overall, it was FUN! I was watching my kids grow up right before my eyes.


I watched the girls actually have fun together and share non-parent information with each other. You know what I’m talking about…boy stories and more!


I watched Noah work through not being the youngest or only boy anymore. He learned that a little 6-year old brother can be fun at times, especially when it comes to wrestling, snuggling on the couch to watch TV, play the Wii and Nintendo DS games, ride bikes, ride the 4-wheeler, play baseball, jump on the trampoline, take showers together, and swim together! He still liked his one-on-one time with Mom and Dad, and he really liked being older, so he wasn’t the first one with the early bedtime! Noah has really sprouted this summer ~ I can’t believe how tall he is. Looks like I’ll be buying all new pants for school this year. He’s so proud that he weighs 82 pounds for football. But that means he weighs 82 pounds with all of his pads on. He actually only weighs 74 pounds.


Muluken just soaked in EVERYTHING this summer!! His language skills have multiplied and he’s just so much fun when he wants to tell you something that he’s excited about and can hardly contain himself to say the words. He has a very infectious belly laugh and loves to try new things. He likes to watch “some” TV but would rather draw, color, build with Legos, play with cars, or ride his bike. Muluken’s jobs were to fill the little dogs’ food dishes and their water dish, and the cat’s dishes. He also watered the flowers and picked up poops by the garage. He actually liked pulling weeds around the house (NOT a favorite of anybody else in our home!). Muluken was a fan of taking walks to Grandma Rucks’ house. He rode his bike while I walked.


I LOVED watching the kids play ball all summer and even learned a few back roads to new towns I‘ve never been too. I was a taxi cab driver every day but was able to listen to LOTS of great music on my Ipod. Muluken would always ask me, “Is this your song, Mom?” He always knows who likes which song.


I LOVED surfing the internet all summer. Checking out blogs, facebook, message boards, and just searching for new things. I liked having my laptop wherever I went in the house. Wireless is AWESOME!!


I also LOVED playing with all of my animals. My puppies, my kitties, my alpacas, my horses, my rabbits, and my birds. I’m so SPOILED when it comes to my zoo!


I also LOVED having date nights with Brad. We usually went out for dinner somewhere and just had fun talking without any extra ears around. Sometimes we went grocery shopping or running errands, but it was still nice to get away together and catch up. I also liked swimming with Brad and the kids. It was so much fun playing tag in the water or hitting a beach ball to each other.


Yes, it was an awesome summer…not so much LAZY days of summer…but still a lot of FUN!!