Mommy rule #1 of sending the kids back to school

When my oldest son went to kindergarten I learned a very important Mommy rule.  I went to back-to-school night and was looking at the board with the adorable pictures the kids drew and colored. The topic was, "what I did over the summer."  Some kids drew pictures of camping, jumping on the tramp, swimming, going to the zoo and airplane trips. Along the bottom of each picture, the teacher wrote what each child did over the summer.  I looked until I saw my son's and that's when I learned my first rule of sending the kids back to school. Rule #1, always remind them of the fun things you did over the summer!!  My precious son didn't color a picture of playing with friends, going to the zoo, swim lessons that I took him to when his newborn sister was only two weeks old or the fact that he got a new baby sister.  Nope, he colored a perfect picture of him watching TV. Then the teacher wrote along the bottom, "I watched TV all summer!!"  So as we are on our final days of freedom from homework and getting up early, I thought I would help my kids with the question all students get, "What did you do over the summer?"



Girls pedicure before the Baby came!!

To my oldest, who is now not in kindergarten but a junior in high school, I know what your answer will be and let me start by saying, no you didn't babysit all summer.  You went camping, learned to drive, will be getting your license, hung out with friends and played tons of basketball at the Rec center. Let's not forget your heroic actions when you carried a bleeding five-year-old and kept him awake and from going into shock by using all your scout first aid training until we got him to the ER. He ended up needing 22 stitches and had a broken arm.  (This was a friend of my 6 year old not one of my boys)


My second oldest I assume had a great summer but I'm not sure seeing as she was gone more this summer than she was home.

The Kids with Great Grandma and Grandpa

We went to the petting zoo.    
We went to the zoo multiple times.
We went on a wagon ride.
We went down town and ran through the fountains.
We went to the parade downtown.     
We played with cousins.
We went to the children's garden.
We had BBQ's.
Made homemade ice cream.
Went to see movies.
Went to the fireworks.
Set off our own fireworks. 
We did all these things and more while I was very pregnant or very soon after I gave birth.    
So let's not forget about the best part of this summer.    
We got a new baby!!!

Now to the teachers.   Even after I write this I'm sure my kids will say something like we played on the Wii and watched tv, my mom made me clean all the time, and I was bored all summer.  Please take my word for it, the kids had a fantastic summer.  I'm now exhausted from all our many activities.  I love my kids, I'll miss them. You can have them back I'm going to go take a nap!!!