The Last Hoorah Summer

It is true that I have been on a blog break. And although I hate the "busy life" excuse, it may be all that I can come up with for now. As I look back on our summer, I am so excited for all that our children were able to see and do. We were truly blessed with great friends and family to visit, a granted wish to fulfill, and a three year heart birthday to celebrate. We had no problems knocking off each and every item on Eden's 2011 Summer Fun List! However, my only regret is not allowing enough time for the lazy summer activities. Did Eden get enough time to just lay in the grass and pick out figures in the clouds? Was there enough monkey bar hanging and big bubble blowing? I hope so... I hope she can look back on these years of her life with fondness... not just fitting in all the activities, but enjoying them too.

This summer was a whirlwind. It opened it's great big mouth and swallowed us whole. We went to eight states, five lakes, and two countries. We traveled by train, plane, boat and bus. We were reunited with our old dog, celebrated unions and said goodbye to ailing loved ones. We slept under the stars, walked on top of mountains and felt the sand between our toes. We spoke a new language, tried foreign food, and pushed our courage to it's limit.

This year we did not do a Last Hoorah Week before school started, we did a Last Hoorah Summer! The icing on the cake has definitely been the easy transition that Eden has made to Kindergarten. Although, she did say to me recently as we were driving to school one morning, "Mom, is this my life now, school and home and school and home?" I guess that's the down side to providing a Last Hoorah Summer... it makes real life seem pretty boring.

(Pirate Hearrrt Party)

(Back-to-School Dinner)