Is it summer yet??

For my family, our daily routine feels more difficult this time of year. Blooming flowers begin to sweeten the air. The days are longer. We're more active. We stay up later in the evening. The end of the school year is on the horizon, and suddenly it's a lot harder to drag our butts out of bed in the morning.

My sister out on the Left Coast seems to be going through the same thing. Her kids may not know how many days are left in the school year, but sis has it counted out and the days marked on her calendar. I haven't counted our days yet. A few were added on because the kids had several 'snow days' this winter.


I always have such high hopes for summer. There are so many things I think I'm going to accomplish, and every year I think, "This will be THE YEAR." I'm going to clear out my hutch of dishware I haven't used in ages; organize bookshelves; alphabetize our DVD's. Get my sewing machine out and do all the little projects I keep thinking about. Clean out the attic (This one I'm actually working on!) Finally send off to charity all the clothes Darling Daughter has outgrown. (Sometimes I feel like we're up to our ears in stacks of clothes.) Get rid of the clutter that seems to follow me like a dark cloud.



I start out the season with bursts of energy, buying annuals, filling planters, setting out summer furniture. Of course you really shouldn't plant anything but pansies before the end of May in New England, as we'll still get a few freezing nights. I remember snowfall on Mother's day a few years ago.

Despite what the calendar says, the first day of summer starts the minute Darling Daughter gets home that last day of school. It's so great to not have to deal with the morning rush! The days stretch out before me and I know, "THIS IS THE YEAR!!"

Unfortunately my good intentions are short-lived and our days are quickly filled with another routine - our summer routine.

Schleppng Darling Daughter to and from sleepovers, or extra kids at our house. Vacation Bible School, which I'm very involved with (I'm usually in charge of Arts & Crafts). Many years we take a trip out to visit my family Oregon.

Then before I know it's I'm up to my ears in packing up the people-mover, and we're off on our annual family vacation at Cape Cod. It's our favorite time of the whole year. The Hubs gets in some kayaking; Darling Daughter reconnects with summer friends. I take a tote bag full of books and work my way through them at the pool or beach.

It seems like I barely blink and it's September already. And my hutch is still chock full, and the bookshelves are still in disarray, and the DVD's are not in order. My sewing projects are not done. We buy new school clothes, thereby creating yet another stack of clothes to send off to charity.

Wait a minute - I'm anticipating the sadness of summer ending and it hasn't even begun yet!

I'm done. I'm off to bed, hoping I'll awaken to warm, sunny weather, so we can get this party started. Bring on Summer!