Saturday, June 22, 2013

Summer Vacation - Don't You Dare Tell Me You're Bored!

We have finally arrived.  Calendars bear large "X" marks over the past 40 days or so.  Backpacks sit idly by the front door, still holding onto their large stash of end-of-the-year paperwork and quizzes that nobody cared about, boys and parents included.  (Thankfully, I've remembered to remove the lunch bags and dispose of the forgotten half-eaten sandwiches that always morph into a gray kittenish creature by the end of vacation).  Yes, summer is here!

Now what?

I mean, what to do with the kids?  It's a balancing act.  You want to plan just enough activities throughout the summer to keep them from uttering the dreaded "B" word, but they need downtime and days where they can just hang out and enjoy their freedom.  My husband proclaimed that they were to be signed up for a myriad of different camps and activities, and that they would have limited time with any electronic device, and that they needed to start eating healthier.  Of course, he's the one who is at work during the day and I'm the one who has to shuttle them around to said activities and break up fights when they've exhausted their small reserves of brotherly love after being forced to interact together.

I'm all for a leisurely vacation.  I look back on my childhood summers and the best part was the lounging around, not a care in the world.  Mid high school:  I had no job and my days were spent laying out by our pool.  My biggest concern was how much Sun-In to apply to my hair before venturing out.  I can still smell the sweet pina-colada scent that emanated from my SPF 2 lotion.  I had a supply of Sweet Valley High books close at hand.  When the temperatures got too hot I would retreat inside to the cool comfort of my house to watch videos and Remote Control on MTV.  Ah, remember when you could actually watch videos on MTV?  I would set up a blank tape on our VCR so that I could record my favorite ones.  This meant that you had to jump up as soon as the VJ stopped yammering and press record when you spotted the huge hair of your favorite band members.  Thus, my videos always started midway through the first line, but it didn't matter.  I got plenty of Bon Jovi that summer.  Nights were spent at the county fair, eating unhealthy foods and tempting fate on spinny rides that threatened to expel all of the previously tasty treats.  I still cannot look at the "Zipper" without feeling nauseated, but that ride operator really should've cut us off after our third go-round.

So in between the lacrosse, scouts, tennis, bowling, and junior lifeguard camps and activites I will give my boys the opportunity to seek out their own summer memories.  What are they going to look back and remember from the Summer of '13?  Who knows.  But I'm pretty sure it won't involve any peeling skin or orange hair.


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