Summer Lovin'

So here I am again, at the end of the summer, wondering why I didn't take more photos, post more blog entries. Especially since we had a good summer. I'm not boasting; I say that with relief and disbelief and gratification. It's been several years now that one or more of my kids are not in day care for the summer, and I'm just now getting the hang of it.

So for my records, here are the highlights:

1. Abby 'graduated' from day care.
2. Sam 'graduated' to the performance group at School of Rock and debuted with what I considered an awesome rendition of Nirvana's Breed.
3. Jake worked the big drums at his end of season School of Rock show.
4. Between golf and robotics and Legos, I think Jake's favorite camp is SummerStage. This year he got to play Benjamin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Late in the summer Blackie and CathyAnn took us all to see the Dallas Theater Center's version and Jake knew every word. Abby was more impressed with Joseph, his illuminated coat and his abs.
5. If the kids and I are able, I plan to take the 'jumping' photo in the Winspear fountain every year.
6. Abby's last day of day care was July 31. She had been there since she was 12 weeks old.
7. Vacation! This is one of the reasons I consider this summer a success. We had our first truly successful family vacation - no major meltdowns, no ER visits, we weren't asked to leave a hotel. Of course, most of the vacation bliss had dissipated within 36 hours of our return.
8. Sam riding Comanche. Although I have no photographic proof I was next to him on Old Paint - appropriate.
9. By the end of the week Abby was tan, barefoot and dirty and went nowhere without her pink cowboy hat and fishing pole.
10. Although it's hard to tell where the hat ends and Jake's hair starts, he was pleased with his coonskin cap. The cats are enjoying it too.

The final photo of the summer will come Monday, when everyone, including Abby, starts school.