Summer is cruising on by

Wow, it's hard to believe that the kids start school in a month. Despite all of my moaning and complaining about having them home for the whole summer, it does seem that the time flew right on by.

Swim team took up a large part of our first month. And while it was a big pain to have practice everyday and meets 2 nights a week, I do think it was a good experience for the kids. Haley still seems to be interested in swimming again next year. Last week she was at the pool with my parents and the pool manager told Haley he was watching her swim and she had a very nice stroke. He suggested that she might look into being a lifeguard when she gets a little older. That certainly had to make her feel good.

Every year I put together a mental list of things I would like to do with the children during the summer. And as in years past, the summer is getting away from us without having done half of those things.

This year the kids have had two long visits with my parents. They always do a lot of fun things when they go for a visit. It's nice that my parents are still able to take them and do fun things with them. I know it's something the kids will remember when they grow up. I still remember spending time with my grandmother when I was a child. Those memories can never be replaced.

So far this summer, we have gone on long bike rides, visited the library several times, gone to the waterpark, beach and pool, and visited the Aquarium. We have spent lazy days at home watching movies and reading books. We saw fireworks on the Island. We have had homemade popsicles and Key Lime pie. We have enjoyed corn on the cob, juicy watermelon and steaks on the grill.

I still want to take them downtown to the fountains and Battery Park, to Brookgreen Gardens, on a picture taking tour of our town and on a picnic in the Old Village park. I want to take them to visit a working farm to pick tomatoes and show them how to can them. I would like to make cards for the children at the Children's Hospital. I want to take them to spend a couple of days with my grandmother (their great-grandmother).

Time is slipping away so I need to get busy planning. Before I know it, we'll be packing bookbags gearing up for school. And that will be a sad day because it means that my children are getting older and closer to the day when they are no longer home for the summer.