End of School Year Wrap Up

It's official. I now have a first grader, a second grader, and a fifth grader. And I'm old. Summer vacation has begun.

The year started to wind down 10 days ago when we had the year end carnival at school. It was lots of fun and the kids all hung out with their buddies all night while Brian and I volunteered at one of the stations and chatted with our friends. We barely saw Tanner all night.  He walked around the carnival with his "gang of three" and clearly wanted to be entirely independent. Jake hung out at the karaoke booth (this year it was Train instead of Nickelback) and the dunk tank (where he dunked both his fourth grade teacher and his PE teacher). Faith and her friend spent most of the time eating lollipops and cotton candy.  They all hung out at Nana's afterwards while Brian and I helped with clean up.

Our trip to CA for Kerri's memorial followed quickly after that. It probably deserves a post all its own but suffice it to say that it was emotionally draining- but luckily the kids got to spend lots of time with cousins and I got to spend lots of time with my sisters and that made it OK. The highlight of the trip, at least for me, was going back to our old house in Saratoga where I grew up. I absolutely LOVED seeing it again and reliving old memories. Jake especially enjoyed crawling under the staircase into the "secret room" and reading the stuff Kim and I had written all over the walls in there when we were 10. Another reminder of how fast time flies.

Today was Kindergarten graduation. My last and final Kindergarten graduation. Sigh. Faith was very excited for the event and had been practicing her songs for weeks. The boys were undecided on whether they would attend or not (it would mean missing out on some of their last day festivities in their own classrooms). In the end, Jake came to watch and take pics while Tanner opted to stay in his room to play games. It was a lot of fun and I only shed a few brief tears. After graduation Faith's best friend Abby came over to play and I headed over to Tanner's classroom to help with his pizza party. Now we have 5  extra kids over here playing for the afternoon. Gotta kick off summer vacation in style. Tonight we are headed to the Merc for dinner, drinks, and more playtime.

Summer vacation is always a mixed blessing. On one hand I love that there is no homework and less structure. On the other hand there is the delicate balancing act of working from home and having three kids around all day....every day.  Not that there will be a ton of down time. The kids are going to Emerald's three days a week for 5 hours a day, Jake has basketball and baseball, and Tanner is playing Summer Ball, too. Brian is coaching their baseball team.  Faith has gymnastics.  I plan on lots of summer reading and shanging out in the yard with our new neighbors (Sheila and Wayne).  We also have lots of trips planned (Sun Valley, Redfish Lake, The Lagoon in SLC, and Lake Tahoe) and random days on the boat. Still, I am counting the hours (or will it only be minutes?) until I hear, "I don't know what to do, Mom. I'm bored!".

It is hard to believe another year has sped by this quickly. Class assignments for next year will be posted next week and the kids all have hopes for their favorite teacher and getting in the class with their buddies. I'll keep my fingers crossed. The fact that we have made it this far with all of them loving school is such a blessing.

So, here's to a summer full of popcicles and cold beer,  long days at the pool and long nights in the yard, books and movies and friends and shave ice and bike rides. And, here's to giving Brian and I the patience and ability to enjoy it even when we hear the likely refrain of, "I don't know what to do today...." for the hundredth time!