whatever

i dropped my two middle kids at camp on tuesday.
then annie and i had mama time all day wednesday and thursday morning.
then i dropped her off for a short First Camp.
she was quite nervous. 

she doesn't like to be away from me overnight… and really doesn't like to be away from talby at night.
to help her week go smoothly i slept in her room tuesday and wednesday night.

the nerves were high on thursday but she did SO GOOD.

she wanted to go to this camp so badly.
all her friends were going and i knew she would have a blast if she could get over the nervousness.
and she did!

(and now My Little Girl by tim mcgraw is playing on Pandora and i am crying!!!)

i am excited for her to have an awesome super short two nights at camp.
and everytime i think "what if…" then i recall that there is nothing i can do and she will be fine.

ahhhhh…..

it is hard to be a mama.

i am thrilled to have ONE day alone with no kids.
but my heart is all over the world right now!
three at camp… one at his aunt & uncles and one in Honduras on a missions trip.

i think i will snuggle in with mr. duerksen and let it go.

 

my kids made our summer list while i was making dinner because i was taking too long getting it done.

i think it will be a good summer….

Africa? 
we have talked about going to africa as a family.
but since my african connection is in the states right now i don't think we will be going this summer.
but who knows… it IS on the list.

and i know you are dying to see what is on that little frame on the shelf…..

 
yep.

this was at my grandma's house i think so it came back home to me 30 years later.
this was my second grade school picture.
my kids think it should be on display apparently.
man…. i loved that dress soooooo much.  i felt very pretty when i wore that.
i liked black & white all the way back then too.  :)

 

did you make a summer list?

 if you would like to see out past SUMMER LISTS  you can check them here.

                                               this is the 2011 version

                                                            2010

                                                            2009

                                                            2008

 

writing the list helps us with ideas on slow days.
or something to look forward to in the days to come.
it is OK to not complete it.
but it is really fun to get everything checked off too!

 

i will pick a winner for TREX OUTDOOR FURNITURE GIVEAWAY when i get home tonight 
from my hot date with my husband.
it's going to be… steamy.
i sure do like that guy.

 

what are you doing on this first Friday of summer?

 

 

 

                        
                   we did it!!
 

 
there is one more line for a couple things we may think of along the way.

(here is a bit of answers…..)

treat tuesdays = baking a dessert together that is yummy and fun and fancy

write letters = once a week everyone writes letters to the same relative or friend
                            but choosing a different one each week

make sprinkler course = like ms. kristins pvc amazingness from last year

build robots = a craft from family fun

get donuts at night = our donut shop opens @ 11:30 pm and is open all night until the next morning
                                       so staying up late and going for hot fresh donuts at night would be a treat.

movie party = outside with a projector and 25 of our friends…like last year but even better.

fancy ice cream = try other flavors in our homemade ice cream machine other than vanilla

here are the links to the summer list 2008.…..2009.….2010.…..we started a fun tradition for so many of you!

and my summer list idea is being featured in Parenting Magazine!
how cool is that?!! 

now go make one at your house.
it makes your summer days much more intentional and you get the fun stuff done you always mean to do! 

…………………………………………

 

i had a conference call with the people at Gatorade and Stephanie Hamm 
and i blogged about it on my other blog.
come on over and read what i learned
and enter to win a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods!!

…………………………………………

 

here is our 2010 list.

you can see 2009 and 2008 also.
 
it helps for our summer to be a little more intentional.  
gives us new things to try…
activities to look forward to….
it's fun!

*36 hours of reading is through the public library 
(which means i will have to settle our bill to show my face in there again….ugh)

*Cooking Kids is a night where the kids are in charge of the entire meal for the family…individually.
we put each childs day on the calendar already.  
it should be interesting…i will only supervise or help when asked.

*Craft Thursdays is my promise to be organized enough to have a different craft ready every thursday.
i have a pretty big list of what i want to do.
i will share them all…but you knew that didn't you?

————————————————————————————————————————-
and i was right about monday.
it wasn't good.
highs are so often followed by lows.
i hate that.

who is going to come over here and tell these kids how to behave…because i am tired of doing it.
and they don't listen to me anyway.

i am trying my best to use my quiet inside calm voice.
i am sure i have one…it is just hard to find it. 

this is what we have come up with to get excited for summer.

i am looking forward to all but 3 of these.  

and 2 of these will not be happening at all – dog and horse.

i'll let you try to figure out the 3rd one.

and now that's this is up in our kitchen 

we have come up with many other things we'd like to add.

we may have to make list #2 beside it.

this falls under crafts.