Countdown to Summer

My first summer as a stay-at-home mom and I'll admit it -- I'm nervous. 5 more days of school, and then it's me and the JBs (Jenkins' Boys), home alone, 24/7. I've got this image in my mind of us all standing back to back to back, long duster jackets, chaps, boots, tall cowboy hats. The hot wind blows and a tumbleweed rolls across the dry desert. So quiet you could hear a pin drop. We start to walk out our ten paces and as we reach the last step we quickly turn toward each other, reaching for our holstered pistols. Who's going to make it out alive?

Extreme? Sure, but I have other images in my mind too, and they are filled with summer fun. You see, I've got PLANS. I've got ACTIVITIES and FIELD TRIPS and POOL TIME and READING and MATH and WRITING. We are going to have FUN, even if it kills us. I know myself and I know my kids, and if I don't have PLANS then we'll spend the summer in front of the TV (three separate TVs) and go into the Fall completely disconnected and wondering where the time went.

Time seems to be moving so fast. Middle school & 3rd grade. Where did my babies go? Since I'm currently on a sabbatical from "work" I feel like this is my time to take some steps to preserve family relationships, to have some recreation time with my boys that's actually enjoyable and relaxing, instead of a mad dash from one activity to the next. I want to spend this summer trying to cultivate a connection with these kids that's deeper and stronger than genetics, something that will help us to weather the coming storm of the pre-teen and teenage years.

And so, our BIG ACTIVITY for the summer is going to be walking the Capital Area Greenways -- all 63 miles of them. The Greenways are "corridors of protected open space that are managed for conservation, recreation, and connectivity", which seems like exactly what we need. And, it's the perfect activity for two spirited boys, right? Get some exercise, learn more about our city, spend some time outside enjoying the summer weather . . . . Oh, and we're also going to blog about our adventures too. That's part of the writing the boys are going to do. I'm actually kind of excited about it and hope it makes writing more fun for the kids -- to be able to see their work on-line and share it with others.

I've been talking it up to the kids, and while I don't know that I could say they're "excited" about some of my plans for us, they do seem to be listening. When Mimi asked Noah what he was going to do this summer, he replied, "Walk on the Greenways and do math."

Yep. That about covers it. Greenways and math, wrapped up tight in all my GREAT EXPECTATIONS. 5 days and counting . . .