Summer 2009...is it really over?!

It is definitely over.

I am sad and I am dissappointed we didn't do more, but we did do so much that I haven't even mentioned...who has time to blog in the summer?!?!

Summer is my favorite time of year. I love that there is not a schedule and we can sleep late and not go anywhere if we don't want to (although this summer Chloe did a summer school enrichment program that made it feel a lot less like summer, so I am feeling a little cheated!), and we can go to the pool with friends and eat lots of ice cream...I can't say enough how much I love summer....I love being hot and I love the smell of sunscreen and I love seeing my kids play outside and I love the sound of the ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood! Wow--Have I made my point? I love summer!

And now it's over. Sad but true so I guess I need to move on, but before I do...

here are The Trinh Family's top 10 greatest things about Summer 2009 (...I hope I can get it down to 10):

1. VBS... it rocked! Everyone loved it especially the kids (and that's what it's all about--I mean that and the awesome decorations!!!

2. Cousins...you know in the summer you can spend so much more time playing with cousins either a long weekend or a birthday bash...whatever. I love that my kids get to spend time with and grow up loving their cousins.

3. Popsicles--no explanation needed. Although I will add that my personal favorite is the fudgesicle. yum! The kids like blue--but I think that is just because it turns their tounges blue.

4. Fruit...blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, watermelon, mmmmm....I love it all so much!!! And you can't leave out the watermelon seed spitting contest...great and cheap and delicious all packed into one fun fantastic family activity! You can't beat it!!! Jeff won this year's contest--no surprise there,
(next summer..look out jeff--it's on!!!)

5. Slip-n slide--I know this is probably a major hazard (right mandy!?) but the kids love it and it is so much fun to watch someone slip-n-slide...it's even funner to do (unless you fall and get a concusion...)

6. Traveling...goodness knows we do a lot of that! This summer we went to Tennesee, Alabama, Maine, South Carolina...is that all? oh yeah---New York! We saw grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, you name it! We haven't actually been to the beach yet, but we are about to go-- so let's just add that to the list as well. Traveling is an awesome part of summer and I am so glad that I married a man who likes to go places as much as I do! We make a great team!

7. Going to the public library with the kids.. We don't do the public library in the school year because they get to check out books at the school library and there's book fairs and scholastic orders...but in the summer we go to the public library and check out books and spend lots of time reading. It's so much fun to see what they choose. I like to make suggestions, but usually those get shot down really quick! But this summer we--no, actually I found a book called Pyrates--The Lost City written by Chris Archer. It is a chapter book with no pictures so I was just looking for a book we would all enjoy that we could read together as a family...JACKPOT! The story is so great---they can't wait for me to read it to them each night (unfortunately we don't get to do it every night)---they like it better than tv...no joke!!! Since I am reading it aloud I can sensor out big kid words like "stupid" and such, but really I haven't had to do too much of that at all. It is a series so we are looking forward to finishing book #1 and moving on to #2!

8. Baseball...oh my goodness...did I actually type that? I never thought I would see the day that I would love little league! But Eliott loves it so much. And you can't love him with out seeing that...and watching him play is so much fun! And now I can see that you can't have summer without baseball.

Eliott played up this season--coach pitch with 7 and 8 year olds and he was the man!!! (In my completely unbiased opinion) :) He totally has his daddy's atheletic abilities (goodness knows he didn't get any of that from me!!!) and I am so happy for Jeff to have that bond with his only son. They have such a special relationship in that they are sooo much alike and have so much fun together. I know he will always love to play sports just like Jeff, and who knows maybe it will pay his way through college like daddy too! one can hope!

9. back yard art parties. Everybody knows that I love art. And I love that my kids also love art. Summer is a great time to go outside and paint little masterpieces!

10. I love summer, absolutely and completely! But at the end of the summer, when I am tired and worn out and the house it a disaster (we're tripping over every kind of ball, pool toys, art supplies, the tv is on...agian, and the red chair is piled high with laundry) and believe it or not the kids are even bored...I love that it is time for school to start. A fresh new start... I love it and I hate it...ya know what I mean?