Already?!

I can't believe summer is already almost half over!  It seems like just yesterday the girls were walking around with their shoulders slumped because there was "nothing to do".  Oh wait.... that was yesterday.  What is it about being out of school that makes children think there should be nonstop action?  Didn't they get the memo that I don't have a money tree growing in the backyard nor a cappuccino drip embedded in my arm?  What's wrong with going outside and playing without having me out there to direct the action?  I don't ever remember being entertained.  No one was following me around with a list of possible activities.  Why am I expected to do so?

While I'm waiting on the answer to that one....  I've been following my girls around with a short list of activities.  Here's what we've "accomplished" in the past six weeks:

• We have celebrated  National Chocolate Ice Cream Day,  National Donut Day, National Fudge Day, National Chocolate Eclair Day, National Eat your Vegetables Day (not their favorite holiday), and National Chocolate Pudding Day. 
• We have gone to play miniature golf.  Maya was particularly adept at this one.  She quickly learned that carrying the ball to the hole, then pushing it in with her club got her under par every time.
• We went to the Marble store because at least two of us had lost our marbles.
• They are all participating in the library's reading program.
• Sofia and Eva are doing a craft at the library once a week.
• We've gone to the city pool.
• Eva went to a minor league baseball game with her Daisy troop.
• They've all gone to birthday parties.

Isn't that enough?!  A resounding NO from the crowd.  Ugh.

I let them stay up an hour and a half later than usual.  Unfortunately, my children seem to think they don't need sleep, so they still get up at the same time every single morning.  6:45 is a ridiculous time for three kids to wake up on non-school days in my opinion. 

They eat lunch outside every day.  Why does that make mealtime last three times longer than when they're indoors?  Must they stop chewing to inspect every single cloud/bug/breeze/fuzzy that floats by?!

When they do finally entertain themselves, they come up with the most amazing things.  They've put on plays and talent shows.  They've created the "Sisters Spa" where I've had my nails done and my feet "massaged" - not my idea, I swear!  And, last Sunday, they turned into secret spies - complete with secret identities and disguises.  They carried out missions (such as find the marbles Maya hid from Sofia) while I made dinner.  It was hilarious.  I love watching their imaginations in action.

Mostly, in the last six weeks, my children have honed the fine art of "stay out of mama's way right now, she's trying to get her stuff done".  Yes, summer "vacation" means only that I now have to get all of my jobs done with not one but three people asking, "Are you almost done?"  "No, dear, but if you stop talking to me for five seconds, I'd be five seconds closer."

In a little over two weeks, we are leaving for our two week stay in North Carolina.  It's the pinnacle of our summer.  It's what we've been hanging on by a thread patiently waiting for.  And, it better be as wonderful as it was last time or I'm enrolling them in summer school next year!