Where did the summer go???

The last few years, I dreaded the summer. For the first time I was looking forward to it and now it's pretty much over with. We didn't do a LOT, but it was enough to take up the summer I guess!

The last few days of June into the first week of July, we went to my parents house in Chicago. We drove there, like we have before and it got even more adventurous. The kids did good aside from the constant "Are we there yet?!??!?" At one point, Max told us we had to find an airport to get on a plane, because this drive was taking too long!! LOL We drove all the way there in 16+ hrs. It was a long drive but worth it to have the extra day vacation. We took the two day drive on the way home. (Not as exciting to come back home.)

As soon as we got home, Max started his private swimming lesson. He hated it, but amazingly enough learned soooo much! Emily started 3 days after him and also didn't like it. And like Max, did amazing. They both are pretty good swimmers now! They can jump off a diving board and swim underwater, float on their tummies & backs... This teacher they had was brutal. Basically your old fashioned sort of woman. She felt that we could just drop them in and they could swim. I was TERRIFIED. If ever my maternal instinct was challenged - it was then. Watching my children try to swim to come up to take a breath was almost more then I could bear. But I did it. And so did they. And we are all better for it. Well the teacher might have lost some of her hearing from them screaming in the process but that's what she gets paid the big bucks for. ;) She did say on numerous occassions that my two were some of the hardest she's had. And that was only in July. But knock on wood, I now know that my two could be left by the pool and if they accidentally fell in, could make their way to any side of the pool. THAT's what was really worth the money.

Once that was done, they started a class at Jump Start Kids Club, called "Reading for Fun." It was twice a week T/Th from 1-3. Max had some issues at the start of the class and was afraid to go in, but that was short lived. Emily was excited and didn't care otherwise. She was beyond this class since she's full out reading books now! But it was good socially for both of them. That was from Aug 8th to Aug 31st. They have one week off after that and then they start school again. Amazing.