Summer is HERE...

The boys have been out of school for two weeks now but the weather is just now proving to us that Summer is, indeed, HERE! Finding things to do for boys, that do NOT include making huge messes, is NOT an easy task. My boys aren't your "typical" boys. They aren't really into basketball, baseball, football or soccer....they like hiking, riding their bikes, swimming...See my dilemma?!
When summer started sneaking up on me, I asked the boys what they wanted to do...they said, go on vacation...well, that isn't possible every day of the summer..so I had to come up with some alternatives.
For Britton, today was day one of his tennis lessons. He really enjoyed it and it gets him out and moving. Aidan starts his camp next week. He is going to the local animal sanctuary to learn to "move" like an animal. Not completely sure he needs HELP in that department...*chuckle* but we will see how it goes! Then as the summer rolls on, we will add swimming lessons to our daily schedule, VBS and before we know it school will be BACK in session! It seems to go so fast...these 3 precious months that we have with our kids.
It may sound like I am trying to find things to send my kids to so that I can "get rid of them" for a while. That simply isn't the case. I am very deliberate in what I send my kids to. Josh and I try to think of things that will be fun but will also be useful for them. Though these camps and activities are fun and useful, I believe the most USEFUL activity we can do is be together, as a family. We will be making trips to the movie theatre, going on picnics to the park and swimming in our pool. We will be sharing giggles, sharing stories, and yes, sharing disputes. We will be sharing life...as a family. Oh, yeah, don't get me wrong, the disputes drive me nutty just like any other mom, but the disputes are what help them grow. Help them learn to solve disputes as adults, help them tolerate differences in other people...help them be the MEN God want's them to be. That to me, is the BEST part of summer vacation...