i heart school

 It's the most wonderful time of the year. I love you teachers. It's weird. Summer is so hard but always flies by. It doesn't feel like it has been two months. It's a busy time of year with no schedule and lots of sun. And some fun I guess =)

I would have never made it through without a little help, however...

How i survived this summer...

Limeritas and lots of them. 

The pool - many early evenings were spent at the pool with neighbors, talking, laughing and yelling at our kids together. So fun. 

Mango black tea - Going to Target with little ones isn't so bad with a refreshing iced tea from Starbucks.

Microwaveable breakfast sandwiches - I have heated up about 50 of them this summer... literally. They are the perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner on the go. They are perfect to take to the pool or on the way to gymnastics or heading out on a road trip to Yosemite or Bakersfield. 

TV - I'm not going to lie. TV saved me this summer. It is a wonderful invention. It was even used as punishment sometimes. If you were one of my neighbors you would have heard me yell, "Go to my room and watch TV! Right now!"

Acceptance that anything goes. A few years ago I decided that I wasn't going to try to be a good mom during the summer. Summer is a break from all of that. Sounds unhealthy doesn't it. Well, around here, I'm just trying not to kill anyone until Dan's work schedule calms down and the girls get back into the swing of things and I have a spare minute to do housework. Summer is a time for In 'N' Out and Chick Fil-A. Eggs become a dinner food and lunches don't really exist. But we made it!

Lifesaver neighbors - Melissa is always there to steal a baby or two so I can take the big girls to gymnastics or the pool or go grocery shopping. Rylie (10 year old saint) is always there to take Addie home with her for an hour or swim with Angus so I don't have to get in. She occasionally drops by to play with my babies just when I'm starting to go over the edge. Love that girl. And good ol' Mari. Although I didn't see as much of her as I would have liked to this summer, just knowing she was down the street living the same crazy summer life as me was comforting. She was always down to go to the pool or the park anytime too. And let's not forget the gas station kid rescue =)

Mom - my amazing mother is always willing to help me with the kids. I come over and turn her house upside down and leave it in shambles and she says, "Don't worry about it! It's always so good to see you guys!" Love that lady.

And last but not least, my amazing husband. He's such a giver. He got up with the babies on many occasions and let me sleep in as long as I wanted, sometimes 'till 9 or 10 in the morning. He always fixes what I break and is patient with the impressive piles of laundry and dishes he comes home to after 2, 3 or 4 hard days at work. And he doesn't say anything about the slightly larger credit card bills I accrue entertaining the children any way that I can think of. He tells me I'm amazing and loves me unconditionally. He really is wonderful. I don't say it enough. Love you Honey!  

What I learned this summer:

I should not rent library books. They sit untouched until they are due back and yet there is always one missing and I have to stress about it and re-check them out until I can find the missing book. 

I should not rent redbox DVDs. I just can't return something in 24 hours. It is simply impossible. Pretty smart of the redbox people I must say. I'm sure I'm not alone in this one.