Summer recap
Since the kids have been in school for over two weeks, summer break 2015 is slowly starting to recede as a memory. Technically, it's still summer, even though it's September and it looks like the high 80's are going to assail us when we step outside for the next several days. Even so, I am calling this summer OVER :(. This summer has been noteworthy to me in several ways and I want to record some of my thoughts about it here.
1. This summer was the last summer that Donnie and I will be the only drivers in the family. Jacob will/ should (Lord willing) get his driver's permit in late June of next year. Then, we will have to let him drive (with us) to get practice and to get in driving hours. I remember thinking back when Jacob was about 8 or 9, how nice it would be when he would be old enough to drive. Well, now that the time is fairly imminent, I can say that I am not ready for it. The worrying, the increased car insurance premiums, the worrying, getting a third vehicle when he gets his driver's license, the worrying, the letting go, the worrying, the realizing that my boy is growing up, the worrying, well, you get the idea. I want him to grow up and be responsible and have life skills but I want to drive him to practice, to Dairy Queen, to his friends' houses. This summer was the last one where I was the only driver here during the day. Next summer will be a huge change.
Jacob was one of those little boys who LOVED cars and trucks. When we went to get his three year pictures taken, I decided not to try to take the little toy Hummer that he was holding out of his hand (he held onto it just about everywhere we went). I'm glad that it made it into the picture because it really depicts what he was into at the time.
Hummers were his favorite toy cars. When Hummer announced that it was partnering with Power Wheels to make a battery operated Hummer, there was never a moment's doubt that we would buy Jacob one the day it came out (I can't stress enough how much he loved cars and trucks and Hummers in particular. I may have to do a post about that one day). We have a video somewhere of us presenting it to Jacob. Also, I'm the photo bomber in the background. Sorry 'bout that.
Unfortunately, the Hummer was a lemon and we traded it in for a Gator. Jacob liked his "work truck" even though he drove it during the same season of his young life that he wore a suit and tie everyday. He wasn't in that phase when this picture was taken.
I could write volumes and post hundreds of pictures of Jacob with various cars and trucks when he was little. Can't believe next year driving will be real!!
2. This summer was the first summer that my vegetable garden experienced anything close to success. I call getting about 20 cucumbers, 15 carrots (albeit super short ones), and some cilantro a success. The tomatoes that rotted somehow while on the vine, the bean plants that were there one day and gone the next, the many seeds that failed to sprout at all- that was all OK because we had some success!
The garden came about as a result of the trampoline's departure. The kids would call trading in the trampoline for a garden a horrible trade! The trampoline(s) that we had over the years brought a lot of joy to the kids. There really is something exhilarating about being airborne and knowing you'll touch a surface quickly and then bounce back up and be in the air. Truly. I loved having our trampoline(s). The problem is that they last for such a short time. We were constantly replacing nets and buying and putting together new trampolines. Also, God was surely watching over our kids and all their friends who jumped on our trampoline(s) all those years because NEVER did anyone get hurt on our trampoline(s). When our last net/ trampoline broke, Donnie and I decided to not replace the trampoline. The kids, especially Jacob, were really upset about losing the tramp. But Donnie and I both felt that while we'd had a good run with our various trampolines over the years, we weren't going to replace the last one.
Anyway, we hadn't sodded the portion of our yard where the trampoline sat and so its departure left a patch of dirt. I knew weeds would grow in the dirt and decided to throw some seeds in the ground and have the seeds give the weeds a run for their money :). This summer, thanks to an abundance of rain, enough sunshine, and yes, plenty of weeding on my part, some of the seeds that Abby and I planted in late May resulted in us harvesting some vegetables. Having tasted (literally) success in our garden this year, I have big plans for next year's garden.
Here are some pictures of our *last* trampoline. They depict how much fun the kids had on the trampoline (especially when Donnie "bounced them")...
Here is the ground under which the trampoline sat- it now houses my garden. Do you think the kids prefer this...
Which looks more fun? Image one:
Or images two through four?
Image one:
Images two through four?
Image one:
Or images two through four?
Yeah, it's safe to say the kids got the raw (pardon the pun) end of the deal...
3. Being a high school athlete at a school as big as Springboro is, isn't for the lazy, non-athletic, or faint of heart. Trying out for, and making, the high school soccer team changed the course of the summer for Jacob. Three times a week in June and July, he got up at 6:20 AM to be at Fast Twitch in Centerville at 7:00 AM. Donnie would drop him off there on his way to work. After that, he had open field from 9:00- 10:30. In July, in addition to the Mon. Wed. Friday workouts, he went to team training on Tuesdays and Thursdays (the "team" part is an odd term since no one had made a team at this point). After he did make a team in early August, he then had practice four days a week. And so, Jacob couldn't sleep in more than half of the summer break week days (and in fact, 6:20 is earlier than he has to get up during the school year) and worked out quite a bit. Getting up super early and lifting weights and then running in the sun are not Jacob's idea of paradise but he did all of those things to get in shape to make a team. We are super proud of his hard work and in making a team. Sadly, some kids went to Fast Twitch and all the open fields and team trainings and still didn't make a team. We are very thankful that Jacob did make a team, although not too surprised since he is a good soccer player. Next summer, assuming he wants to play high school soccer again, he will likely have a repeat of this summer in terms of getting up early and conditioning.
The July soccer conditioning calendar- note that there was no week day off during the month even for Independence Day (although it's a nice touch that it's listed on the calendar) since Independence Day fell on a weekend day.
4. Jacob surpassed me in height and weight this summer. The over taking of my height came in the last week of June. In early summer we started measuring Jacob every week because we knew he was getting closer to me and then one week he did over take me in height. I think his weight was already higher than mine at that point. It's a little strange to have one of my offspring be bigger than I am; but, I wouldn't want him to be an adult and be smaller than I am, so I'm glad that it happened :). Also related to that is that Abby and I can now share some clothes. Of course she's not nearly as tall or big as I am but she can wear some of my extra small shirts and I can wear some of her cardigans that are loose on her. Kinda fun/ kinda weird since I'm 30 years older than she is; I'm not sure I should be wearing any of her clothes.
A few pictures from when I was pretty obviously taller and heavier than Jacob...
5. As I mentioned in my weekly summer recaps, Abby and Alyssa played together extremely well this summer. It is just amazing to me that these girls of ours with more than three years between them, different talents, personalities and interests would enjoy each other's company so much. They've always gotten along and played well but I keep thinking that it isn't going to last. And then it does. They have other friends and played some with other friends this summer. But, their number one friend was each other. Words don't describe how much that means to me. I mean, obviously, it's super convenient (for all parties involved) to have your best friend live in your home . But there's something so sweet and surely God gifted that these girls are drawn to each other. Dare I dream of next summer's continued sisterly love and friendship? You betcha!
Tempted to post a bunch of pictures of them over the years but I've already spent a lot of time finding old pictures :). I'll post a video from this summer that symbolizes all of their sisterly love and fun they have together!
6. For the first time in five years, over the summer I didn't train for the Air Force Marathon. That's because I didn't sign up for the marathon. I thought I wanted a break from the training and long runs. I did enjoy not having to get long runs in, but I missed having a goal to work towards and I missed worrying. I wouldn't be me (I?) without having something to worry and complain about :). So, Lord willing, I will train and hopefully run in the Air Force Marathon next year. The kids sounded disappointed that I wasn't running it when I told them I wasn't doing it. It was like telling them there wouldn't be pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. They were used to hearing me talk/complain in the summertime of long runs and dehydration and after each marathon would ask a lot of questions. They stopped asking, "Did you win?" a long time ago:). I actually think they're pretty proud to have a mama who schleps her way past the finish line of a 26.2 mile race. They don't know anything about good running times and once they realized that I wasn't going to "win" the marathon that no longer became something for them to be disappointed about when I told them that I didn't win the marathon!
I have a lot of pictures of me over the years taken during marathons and right afterwards. I'll go ahead and not post any of them:). I'm not at my finest after the big event so just picture the weariest looking runner you can and that's me times 20 after a marathon!
Those are the thoughts I have of summer that recur through my mind. It's time to move ahead to fall but I do not want to forget the lessons, experiences and thoughts from summer break 2015 that occurred.
1. This summer was the last summer that Donnie and I will be the only drivers in the family. Jacob will/ should (Lord willing) get his driver's permit in late June of next year. Then, we will have to let him drive (with us) to get practice and to get in driving hours. I remember thinking back when Jacob was about 8 or 9, how nice it would be when he would be old enough to drive. Well, now that the time is fairly imminent, I can say that I am not ready for it. The worrying, the increased car insurance premiums, the worrying, getting a third vehicle when he gets his driver's license, the worrying, the letting go, the worrying, the realizing that my boy is growing up, the worrying, well, you get the idea. I want him to grow up and be responsible and have life skills but I want to drive him to practice, to Dairy Queen, to his friends' houses. This summer was the last one where I was the only driver here during the day. Next summer will be a huge change.
Jacob was one of those little boys who LOVED cars and trucks. When we went to get his three year pictures taken, I decided not to try to take the little toy Hummer that he was holding out of his hand (he held onto it just about everywhere we went). I'm glad that it made it into the picture because it really depicts what he was into at the time.
Hummers were his favorite toy cars. When Hummer announced that it was partnering with Power Wheels to make a battery operated Hummer, there was never a moment's doubt that we would buy Jacob one the day it came out (I can't stress enough how much he loved cars and trucks and Hummers in particular. I may have to do a post about that one day). We have a video somewhere of us presenting it to Jacob. Also, I'm the photo bomber in the background. Sorry 'bout that.
Unfortunately, the Hummer was a lemon and we traded it in for a Gator. Jacob liked his "work truck" even though he drove it during the same season of his young life that he wore a suit and tie everyday. He wasn't in that phase when this picture was taken.
I could write volumes and post hundreds of pictures of Jacob with various cars and trucks when he was little. Can't believe next year driving will be real!!
2. This summer was the first summer that my vegetable garden experienced anything close to success. I call getting about 20 cucumbers, 15 carrots (albeit super short ones), and some cilantro a success. The tomatoes that rotted somehow while on the vine, the bean plants that were there one day and gone the next, the many seeds that failed to sprout at all- that was all OK because we had some success!
The garden came about as a result of the trampoline's departure. The kids would call trading in the trampoline for a garden a horrible trade! The trampoline(s) that we had over the years brought a lot of joy to the kids. There really is something exhilarating about being airborne and knowing you'll touch a surface quickly and then bounce back up and be in the air. Truly. I loved having our trampoline(s). The problem is that they last for such a short time. We were constantly replacing nets and buying and putting together new trampolines. Also, God was surely watching over our kids and all their friends who jumped on our trampoline(s) all those years because NEVER did anyone get hurt on our trampoline(s). When our last net/ trampoline broke, Donnie and I decided to not replace the trampoline. The kids, especially Jacob, were really upset about losing the tramp. But Donnie and I both felt that while we'd had a good run with our various trampolines over the years, we weren't going to replace the last one.
Anyway, we hadn't sodded the portion of our yard where the trampoline sat and so its departure left a patch of dirt. I knew weeds would grow in the dirt and decided to throw some seeds in the ground and have the seeds give the weeds a run for their money :). This summer, thanks to an abundance of rain, enough sunshine, and yes, plenty of weeding on my part, some of the seeds that Abby and I planted in late May resulted in us harvesting some vegetables. Having tasted (literally) success in our garden this year, I have big plans for next year's garden.
Here are some pictures of our *last* trampoline. They depict how much fun the kids had on the trampoline (especially when Donnie "bounced them")...
Here is the ground under which the trampoline sat- it now houses my garden. Do you think the kids prefer this...
or this?...
Which looks more fun? Image one:
Or images two through four?
Let's try it again: Image one:
Or images two through four?
Image one:
Image one:
Or images two through four?
Yeah, it's safe to say the kids got the raw (pardon the pun) end of the deal...
3. Being a high school athlete at a school as big as Springboro is, isn't for the lazy, non-athletic, or faint of heart. Trying out for, and making, the high school soccer team changed the course of the summer for Jacob. Three times a week in June and July, he got up at 6:20 AM to be at Fast Twitch in Centerville at 7:00 AM. Donnie would drop him off there on his way to work. After that, he had open field from 9:00- 10:30. In July, in addition to the Mon. Wed. Friday workouts, he went to team training on Tuesdays and Thursdays (the "team" part is an odd term since no one had made a team at this point). After he did make a team in early August, he then had practice four days a week. And so, Jacob couldn't sleep in more than half of the summer break week days (and in fact, 6:20 is earlier than he has to get up during the school year) and worked out quite a bit. Getting up super early and lifting weights and then running in the sun are not Jacob's idea of paradise but he did all of those things to get in shape to make a team. We are super proud of his hard work and in making a team. Sadly, some kids went to Fast Twitch and all the open fields and team trainings and still didn't make a team. We are very thankful that Jacob did make a team, although not too surprised since he is a good soccer player. Next summer, assuming he wants to play high school soccer again, he will likely have a repeat of this summer in terms of getting up early and conditioning.
The July soccer conditioning calendar- note that there was no week day off during the month even for Independence Day (although it's a nice touch that it's listed on the calendar) since Independence Day fell on a weekend day.
4. Jacob surpassed me in height and weight this summer. The over taking of my height came in the last week of June. In early summer we started measuring Jacob every week because we knew he was getting closer to me and then one week he did over take me in height. I think his weight was already higher than mine at that point. It's a little strange to have one of my offspring be bigger than I am; but, I wouldn't want him to be an adult and be smaller than I am, so I'm glad that it happened :). Also related to that is that Abby and I can now share some clothes. Of course she's not nearly as tall or big as I am but she can wear some of my extra small shirts and I can wear some of her cardigans that are loose on her. Kinda fun/ kinda weird since I'm 30 years older than she is; I'm not sure I should be wearing any of her clothes.
A few pictures from when I was pretty obviously taller and heavier than Jacob...
5. As I mentioned in my weekly summer recaps, Abby and Alyssa played together extremely well this summer. It is just amazing to me that these girls of ours with more than three years between them, different talents, personalities and interests would enjoy each other's company so much. They've always gotten along and played well but I keep thinking that it isn't going to last. And then it does. They have other friends and played some with other friends this summer. But, their number one friend was each other. Words don't describe how much that means to me. I mean, obviously, it's super convenient (for all parties involved) to have your best friend live in your home . But there's something so sweet and surely God gifted that these girls are drawn to each other. Dare I dream of next summer's continued sisterly love and friendship? You betcha!
Tempted to post a bunch of pictures of them over the years but I've already spent a lot of time finding old pictures :). I'll post a video from this summer that symbolizes all of their sisterly love and fun they have together!
6. For the first time in five years, over the summer I didn't train for the Air Force Marathon. That's because I didn't sign up for the marathon. I thought I wanted a break from the training and long runs. I did enjoy not having to get long runs in, but I missed having a goal to work towards and I missed worrying. I wouldn't be me (I?) without having something to worry and complain about :). So, Lord willing, I will train and hopefully run in the Air Force Marathon next year. The kids sounded disappointed that I wasn't running it when I told them I wasn't doing it. It was like telling them there wouldn't be pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. They were used to hearing me talk/complain in the summertime of long runs and dehydration and after each marathon would ask a lot of questions. They stopped asking, "Did you win?" a long time ago:). I actually think they're pretty proud to have a mama who schleps her way past the finish line of a 26.2 mile race. They don't know anything about good running times and once they realized that I wasn't going to "win" the marathon that no longer became something for them to be disappointed about when I told them that I didn't win the marathon!
I have a lot of pictures of me over the years taken during marathons and right afterwards. I'll go ahead and not post any of them:). I'm not at my finest after the big event so just picture the weariest looking runner you can and that's me times 20 after a marathon!
Those are the thoughts I have of summer that recur through my mind. It's time to move ahead to fall but I do not want to forget the lessons, experiences and thoughts from summer break 2015 that occurred.
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