To my dear and darling children,
Tomorrow is the last day of the 2013 school year. Wow! Hasn't it just flown by?! I feel like I just posted about you going back to school. But, here we are with summer vacation upon us. We are going to welcome the freedom of the summertime schedule with open arms.
No getting up until past eight in the morning? Bring it!
No more making lunches the night before? Yes! Please!
Playing outside until after the fireflies have gone to bed? Sounds good to me!
Pool time everyday? Absolutely!
However, let's take a moment here to discuss a few things--just so we are all on the same page.
1) I will not be your "cruise director." When I was your age, I played outside from sunup to sundown. I found my own fun. We made grass salads and mud pies. You will play "make believe," "house," tag, hide-n-go-seek. You will catch a frisbee, master the hula-hoop, and pretend your bikes are the fastest horses in town. You will play! Play! Play!
2) I am a certified "Boredom Buster." Yes, every mom takes this class before they are allowed to become a mom. We are masters at making sure you aren't bored. Does this mean catering to your every desire? No. Does this mean that I will have a list of things that you can do if you are overtaken by the Disease of Boredom? Yes. Sweep the floors, dust the baseboards, empty the dishwasher, put laundry away. See! You are cured! What a miracle!
3) Pinterest, Schminterest. No, I do not plan on completing the "100 Crafty Days of Summer." Paint and I have a love-hate relationship, and don't even get me started on glitter glue. We have play-dough. Good enough for me. A homemade spray ground using PVC pipes and modge-podge? Nope. Here's a hose, have at it.
4) We will have play dates. They are your siblings. I birthed our own playgroup. See, isn't mommy thoughtful?! You will treat them as nicely as you treat your friends.
5) We will have one hour of quiet time a day. 'nough said.
6) It will be a fun summer. It will be a fun summer. It will be a fun summer.
7) In September, I will petition for teachers to be paid more.
So, my beloved ones, let's have a great summer. Let's make a memory or two. Let's party like it's 1999 (no, wait, you're not old enough yet). Let's have loads of fun!!
Now, go outside.
Love,
Mom
LOVE IT! And you sound so much like Momma Lou!! (In a good way!) Especially #2 ... how many times she said "sweep the floors" when we complained of being bored. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for #3! Seriously, Pinterest is out.of.control. with all those crafty and keep-out-kids-occupied-and-busy-every-single-moment-of-the-day things. It's sickening and maddening, really!
Remember a summer wouldn't be complete without a Celeste pizza or two, or at least English muffin pizzas! :-)
Have such a great summer! Can't wait to see ya all!
--ray (auntie rachel)
Love love love it!!! :) I also agree with Pinterest... I find it hard to believe that you can keep a toddler "busy for hours" on one activity!!! I tried one thing with Chase and I had his attention for oh, 1 whole minute??
ReplyDeleteHere's to a fun summer!! Especially since you will be seeing us at some point!!
Love, anna
LOVE this! what a JOY! :) have fun, and by the way, i love your first sleeping rule best! :) i laughed when i read your pinterest, and 100 days of summer comments! one year we went on one 'trip to the beach' a week...what fun! enjoy your days! love grace
ReplyDeleteHere's to hoping the pool is even easier than last year.
ReplyDeleteSince Landon has learned how to ride without training wheels, do the monkey bars, and pump himself on the swing in the last couple week I figure he'll be swimming without a vest soon too!
Oh so many truths in this letter! I'm bracing myself for the crazIeness.... and prepping my list of chores! I will try to be the fun mom a few times though.... :)
ReplyDeleteExactly! :) I love the "birthed our own playgroup" :) And as for pinterest....I think a ton of moms do ONE awesome pinterest worthy project which gets pinned along with every other mom's ONE thing and it makes us think that All these moms are doing ALL these things.
ReplyDeleteSummer "vacation" isn't all that different for us. I'll be spending summer getting next year's curriculum and activities put together. But I will relax a little too :)
Wish we could join you again at the pool.......wait, remembering how it went for my kids last time.....maybe not. :) We're still cool with the kiddie pool!
Love this! "I birthed our own play group" I laughed out loud! And yes, for the love of my sanity...go outside...we are already working on that on the first afternoon off!:) Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat job Reb! I had to share this with some folks in my office.
ReplyDeleteRay - Celeste/English Muffin Pizzas!!! Totally summer...
Can't wait to see you all in a few weeks (and you take your husband out into the wilderness for three days)!
Mark
Oh, I forgot to mention: remember our "Chore List/Chart"?
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! :) so true.....
ReplyDeleteI love this post and agree 100%.
ReplyDeleteYes yes yes!!!
ReplyDeleteSteph
hilarious and perfect! :D
ReplyDelete