There. I said it. I was in denial but here it is, 9:00 on Sunday night and the kids are in bed (well except for Amanda who is making her lunch and puttering around and asking me to wash her volleyball stuff but even that reminds me that summer is over). School supplies are in backpacks and clothes are laid out, kind of. While I love the idea of a new start, new goals, new school year, new time to organize I am a big baby about summer being over. Summer is my favorite season, hands down. I even feel short-changed that we didn't have a big streak of triple-digit temps like we usually do. I feel short-changed that the boat was broken ALL summer and I only got to the river once. I feel short-changed that my older kids spent a lot of the summer actually at school. I feel sad that our summer bucket list is nearly all crossed off and sad that we didn't get to some of the things still on it. Although this would seem like a total downer of a blog post, I am glad that I feel short-changed; I want summer leaving me wanting more. In fact, as I think of the pictures I have not posted or maybe even not taken, I have comprised a list of "summer unexpecteds" that I don't want to forget--some good and some not-so-good but here they are:
We painted the inside main floor of our house and we did it ourselves!
The back deck and shutters were painted and we did not do that ourselves but we helped! :)
The gate to the side of the house was re-done properly, fence fixed and painted. Actually, Nate did all that with a little hired help.
I took (well, carpooled) Jared and Amanda to B.A.D. (Bomber Athletic Development) every morning at 7 and 8:30 which in turn prompted me to get up way earlier than in the past and get my workout done. It was definitely not a lazy summer and the kids did awesome at B.A.D.; I am proud of them!
My brother-in-law,
Kevin, was diagnosed with cancer. We are hopeful and prayerful that he responds to the treatment he is undergoing at this time and are glad we got to go and hang out there a little before he started chemotherapy. We also enjoyed having their daughter come stay at our house for several days and hope she had fun in spite of the fact that she missed her parents terribly.
After three plus months of an annoying condition called piriformis syndrome, I am FINALLY back to running again. Six miles felt sooooo good last week; I won't take my body for granted for a while.
I really enjoyed an unexpected lunch with my friend,
Kristi, who was in town for her birthday and we were able to meet up. I think it had been about nine years!
I played a little softball again after taking several years off. I love late-night summer softball and getting out and playing with the ladies. Somehow, I still got game! :)
So, now we have down a little more to help us remember summer 2010 and as I watch my kids and my husband head out the door excited for what the coming school year holds, I wonder what more "unexpecteds" lie waiting.
A little bit of watching Jared play football. Thanks, Nannee for bringing cupcakes to the game.
Bradley and I decorated his car and Amanda hung a sign up at school outside his classroom. 
Dinner at Chico's Tacos (while he skipped his class that night). 
Presents at home with the family which included tickets to watch his college play football on their new red turf and a family dinner party later that week complete with patty melts and mud pie. 
The game was a few weeks after his birthday and our family ended up having to go several different directions that weekend. Jared had a basketball tournament in Bellevue, I had some church responsibilities here, Amanda had a few social reasons to stay here with me and Nate took Bradley and Megan with him to visit Kevin, Emily and Jordan and watch the Bombers play on Friday night in Spokane and EWU play on Saturday in Cheney. 
I think they had a fun time! We are grateful for Nate and all he does for our family and I want him to keep in mind how very nice I was for his 40th--no nerve-wracking surprises, right honey?
