Welcome Summer

That's right baby! It's officially summertime. School is out: no more alarm clocks (at least not going off every morning at 6:30), no more homework duty, no more lunches to make...time to relax and enjoy each day with my kids while they still want to spend time with me.

We went to a party today to celebrate BS's graduation from high school today and it hit that it is finally summer.

As we were sitting outside enjoying the company of friends and watching Ben and Shelby swim, I noticed those all-too-familiar smells of summer dancing in the air. I sprayed the kids with sunscreen and took it in. MM made burgers and hot dogs on the grill and it made me remember all the great barbecues we've had with friends and family. I sat back and looked around at the fabulous friends who would do anything for my family and my husband who wasn't feeling too well (got a fever out of the blue yesterday), but didn't want to be anywhere else and I became relaxed.

I remember when my friend Betty and I would spend every single day at the neighborhood pool (called SeaBlue) in Wichita Falls. I mean every day. I'd wake up, put on my bathing suit and head to the pool. We would literally stay all day. Hours were from 10-9 and if you needed us; that's where we'd be. Awesome memories. Memories of rockin' the pool (what the boys did when they did bombs off the diving boards and there would actually be whitecaps in the pool), making suicide drinks (using every flavor on the drink machine in one cup) and slathering on the coconut scented tan oil. Sunscreen? What sunscreen? Don't think they made it "back then"!

Then later when I moved to Lewisville, Leigh and I would go the the Sno-Cone stand and overdose on them. We'd sit on top our cars and talk about life. Leigh was always a lot more level headed than I was and she would give me advice, we'd make plans about our futures...just had fun hanging out together. We especially liked it because it wasn't what everyone else was doing. Yep...we liked being unique. Still do.

I hope and pray my kids have fun summer memories they will always look back on and cherish. We are hoping to take them to the beach for the first time this summer. While Sea World is also on the agenda (don't know if we'll be able to get out of that one. It's become somewhat of a pilgrimage for our family.), we are really hoping to make it to the Texas coast so our kids will still have that "wow" factor of seeing something larger than they ever thought possible.

Tonight when they both hugged me, I kissed them on their heads and smelled summer once more in their pool-soaked hair. Ahhhhhhh....take it in. I am looking forward to this summer. I don't know what it will bring exactly, but I know I am going to try and make it a great one. BS graduating is just another reminder of how quickly time passes and how we should make memories every single day we can. I am so thankful for what I have and want my kiddos to know how much they are loved. Summer is a great time to spend time together and make memories...here's to Summer 2009.

And because I love Rascal Flatts...I dedicate this to you!