Preparing for Summer

Either the weather has finally gotten to me or I just need some time off from work (which, thankfully, I'll be getting next week) but I found myself unjustifiably but genuinely angry at my children's justifiable excitement over the end of school and summer vacation. I know that I'm just jealous that they can revel in a hedonistic lack of responsibility and scheduling, but I'm also suffering from the feeling that my own summer, what little there is, is being washed away by the constant rain. I mean, the days are already getting shorter.

Yesterday was the last day of school and when everyone woke up in my house, I told the kids that the superintendent had added one more week to the school year, because she decided the kids didn't learn enough. Neither one of my children believed me for an instant. They're clearly on to me. I'll admit that it was a half-hearted attempt, but I failed at ruining even a moment of their vacation. I'll have to console myself with the knowledge that I'll have plenty of opportunities to try again over the next few months.

In the meantime, I've decided to embrace as much of the crappy summer as we've got left (a bad attitude to have before July 4th, I know).

In that frame of mind, we've played some baseball.



We've visited the bears in Easthampton.


And we've hit some golf balls.


We also ran in the second annual Northampton Mile race at the high school. Owen finished last, but he' already set his sights on next year when he will make sure to go to the bathroom before the race instead of during the race and not finish last.