Summer Vacation

Summer vacation is a bit of a blessing and a curse.  Blessings come in the form of not having to get everyone up early for school and getting to sleep in a bit, no lunches to be made the night before, no homework to oversee, and overall less stressed kids.  The only sports we really have going on is E's swimming and both of the girls on the neighborhood swim team (this involves lots of events social and swimming).  But in general, we don't have the daily logistics nightmare of how to get everyone where they need to be and making sure everything gets done that is supposed to.

On the flip side...Everyone.  Is.  Home.  Despite plenty of toys and distractions in our house, everyone has declared at least once today that they are bored.  They are together all day which increases the likelihood that someone will look, point, touch, breath or otherwise annoy the other.  Our house that is already a mess gets messier by the minute as they move from room to room like little whirling dervishes (yes, I did just refer to my kids as dervishes).  I have also gotten a full dose of non-stop teenage angst today.  Nothing has gone right for E and it is seemingly my fault.  While I've gotten better at not taking her moods and verbal attacks personally, they are no less annoying.

I'm hoping that we're just in our growing pains with a new schedule change.  The boys have a skateboard camp coming up and morning swim with the girls will give the boys and I a little break in the morning to chill.  E will settle into her regular life guarding schedule and hopefully be too busy to complain to much.  We also haven't started M's tutoring which should keep her busy.  Having two more people to corral through summer is just a bit overwhelming.

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We had two little breakthroughs last week.  First, L referred to M as his "sister" to a parent on A's soccer team.  I thought this was huge.  He's working out for himself how all this new family thing works.  M is his cousin, but living with us makes her part of our family and his sister.  It really made me feel good.

Second, E commented on the dog next door always coming into "our yard."  This is the first time she has referred to our house as "ours."  It may seem minor, but to me it was a step in the right direction even if it's a small one.

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Tonight, C, S and I are going to have dinner for the last time over at Jeanne and Mike's house.  We're going to grab take-out from somewhere, sit on the deck, cry and say good-bye to a house that has meant so much to our family.  We have so many wonderful memories.  I think this is an important thing for us to do.  Be together and grieve together.  I was thinking about going by myself and it seemed so depressing.  I want to cry to with them and share this moment together.

The renters move in on Wednesday.  Ugh.

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Our house is an absolute mess.  I still haven't put all the girls' stuff away.  School stuff is still piled up on counters.  The never ending piles of laundry are everywhere.  I wish I could snap my fingers and the organization fairy would do his/her magic.  I look at magazines and read websites of organizational tips, but I simply don't have time to get everything done.

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Overall, things are still the same.  The kids are getting fed, looked after and overall taken care of.  My sister is still dead.  It still sucks.  But, summer vacation brings pool fun, Hilton Head, the Outer Banks, trips to amusement parks, smores, fireflies, water fights and sleep overs.  I'm sure I'll still be ready for all of them to get back to school this fall, but for now it's nice to slow down a bit.