Summertime

We are, technically, at the end of week one of summer break. The first week doesn't really count because two of the three boys were away at camp.

I've purchased two rather large puzzles. Interest level: two out of ten for the kids most moments. One of the kids: zero any given moment.

We are still paying for a gorgeous pool in the backyard. Interest level: four out of ten, unless I'll get in the pool with them. Or Mike will get in. Which doesn't work during the day because, guess what kids??? He's PAYING for the pool in which you are refusing to swim!!!

We have an entire closet full of board games, cards, and things to build with. Interest level: negative fourteen. Again, unless I'll play every game with them so it's "fair".*

We only decide which friends we want to invite over about 5pm daily. At 8am, we can't even decide what we want for breakfast, much less suggest who we should invite as entertainment for the day. So by dinnertime, we've finally made a choice and can't, for the life of us, understand why Mom isn't on board with this concept.

NEWSFLASH: I am NOT the lifeguard, tour guide, and activity coordinator kind of Mom this week. I already know that, next week, we'll be at Vacation Church Camp 6.5 hours/day and I wanted this week to be free of unnecessary distractions, so I planned nothing outside of the house so I could let you kids run free and I could get caught up with things around the house.**

Apparently, my kids think this was the worst idea ever.

I'm beginning to think so, too.

One of the boys needs surgery to have his Nintendo surgically grafted to his hands. That would make it so much easier than the constant reminder that he needs to "Put that thing away." If he COULDN'T put it away, we wouldn't have a problem. Right?

One of my boys needs to figure out what the heck he likes to do, besides running around all schizophrenic at warp speed, moving from swimming to hammock swinging to catching lizards, then reappearing to declare*** "I'm bored. And hungry."****

The most content is the youngest, who is currently terrorizing, UM, playing at someone else's house. Of all the kids, he's been the most content just hanging out and going whenever the urge strikes.

Oh, summer. Please right thyself. It's a long, dang time until late August.....


*Read: So everyone feels like the game is being policed every second it is being played. No playing by ourselves because someone MIGHT cheat and then someone MIGHT get mad and then someone MIGHT quit. With all those mights, why even start without Mom?

**Like the week's worth of laundry from camp. Or dishes. Or pseudo-cleaning of Casa Nowell. You know, the stuff the "fairies" do while you are in bed or at school? Yeah.

***Frankly, my dear.....

****If I hear one more "I'm bored" or "I'm hungry", I'm going to throttle someone. Maybe myself. After all, if I passed out, that would probably require a trip to the ER, which would last several hours, during which I'd get free time to myself.