Summer Scene: Digging Superheroes
Wake up, don your superhero cape over your pajamas, and go outside to dig.
Summer Playgroup Wrap-up
Dear Playgroup Friends,
I just wanted to write a note and say thank you for making our summer so much fun! I think our summer playgroup was terrific this year. I sincerely hope you all had a good time participating. It seemed to me that our boys loved having the play dates to look forward to, and I know Lucas was thrilled to visit his friends’ homes—you know, to check out how the other guy lives. 😉
To recap, our boys …
* went swimming many times
* played with race cars
* rode horses
* drove electric cars
* jumped on trampolines
* played with Legos
* visited a park
* played badminton
* had a birthday party
* rode scooters and bikes
* dug in the dirt
* and snacked on many delicious foods!
Getting together these seven times this summer has helped us feel connected and nurtured our friendships. Lucas is ready to dive into the school year and play some more! I got to spend time with some moms and dads I didn’t know all that well yet. I’m grateful to count you all friends.
I wish I had pictures to share, but alas, when I hosted playgroup in June I was so busy with the kids and fixing them food I forgot to get out my camera.
Sara
(and Lucas, Ian, and Asher)
Summer, Month Three
It is now the end of Week 12 of summer vacation. Week 12. Twelve. Did you hear me? TWELVE.
One more week (and a long weekend) to go.
I think, all in all, I’m in better shape than I was this time last year. This time last year I was ready to throw myself under a bus. Seriously. It wasn’t pretty.
During this circle around the sun, we have had a good summer, a busy summer, and one with more balance. Together we have had
· evening walks
· feasts of summer fruits
· barbecues
· creek play
· rambling in the woods
· swimming in lakes, rivers, and backyard pools
· a trip to San Francisco and Oakland
· a zoo visit
· museum visits
· glorious day-long brunches with friends at home
I’ve had plenty work to keep me occupied; it keeps my brain from turning to mush and eases my career worries.
Lucas and Asher have been occupied more this summer, too. I adore my children and think they are brilliant and fascinating (see this blog for evidence), but I know that we all benefit from having experiences away from one another. I don’t claim to have achieved balance in parenting/work, but it is definitely a major goal. Something I continue to strive for.
Asher has made friends and looks forward to playing with his kids now at Ring-A-Rosies preschool. He has even made it through a handful of full days, when I didn’t pick him up until 4 p.m. due to serious deadlines, and he napped pretty well on a little mat like the other kids.
Lucas has had a bunch of wonderful experiences with summer day camps and other activities (like pottery and soccer). Some weren’t so great (mainly the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District day camp due to the “Thriller” incident) and we probably won’t be trying those again. But others were awesome. He is hoping to do more of the Science Adventures camps and Aquatics camps next year. The Effie Yeaw nature camps, though only a half-day, are lots of fun and Lucas feels really comfortable there. Plus he gets to hike the trails in the American River Parkway. He has done some amazing art projects that I wouldn’t have even considered doing with him because they are outside my experience. I wish that the less expensive camps had worked out to be winners; naturally it was the more expensive camps that Lucas really took to.
Next week, there is no day care. I’ll have to beg, borrow, and steal moments in which to work, when others can run herd on my little darlings. Grandma? Grandma?
I just can’t help but feel, now that kids all over town are back in school, that perhaps 13 weeks off during the summer might be a little excessive. It is very intense living with a choleric 7-year-old and a 2-and-a-half-year-old toddler!
Especially if one is just the tiniest, wee bit choleric, oneself.
