Summer Vacation

There are very few times in life that move as swiftly as summer vacation. It feels like I barely finished one grueling, stressful school year last week (when, in fact, it was just over a month ago), and I'm already on the countdown to start a new one... just three and a half weeks... a measly three and a half weeks.

And, you know, I start the summer break with such lofty aspirations: The kids and I will walk down to the park in the morning while it's still cool; we'll play for an hour then walk home. We'll do a little summer math and reading practice, then spend the afternoon in the backyard splashing around in the wading pool.

So far we've done the park thing ONCE. The other two things we've done about once a week (sometimes twice). We've been to the water park about four times, and we've been to the library four times -- and actually, two of those I went by myself. The rest of the time we've been mostly in the house (where it's semi-cool) doing virtually nothing. Pathetic use of time, I know.

I should be scheduling our days better, so they seem longer and we all fall into bed exhausted at the end of it. Now, I'm not saying I want to run us ragged so we don't feel like we've had a vacation. I'm really just wanting to have more QUALITY time, so it stretches the quantity out. When we do nothing, I feel like a horrible parent. Of course, I know a little of nothing is good now and then, and I'm okay with that; I really am. But we do so much nothing, it feels like we've squandered our summer.

The main problem is that I'm so worn out from the emotionally draining school year, I want to catch up on my rest at the beginning of the summer. Unfortunately, with three kids that is just a pipe dream. I guess what I really need to do is drink more coffee.