Extra Fun Was Extraordinary!

I grew up in the Maryland suburbs - just outside DC.  Despite what you might now about suburbia, I am, by definition, a city girl.  The sturdiest shoes I owned in college were keds.  I had visited friends in Washington State near Mt. Hood who wanted to take me hiking.  I donned my keds and was promptly pushed aside while my closet was ransacked in search of more appropriate footwear.  When none was found, the "tourist" route was implemented.

When I trek more than five miles away from my homebase, I need a GPS and a credit card, which both came in handy when invited for that extra fun I mentioned earlier.  Our family joined three other families at Lake Anna in Central Virginia.  The setting is idyllic.  It's a peaceful gem in our Lover's State.  Lake Anna may be a public access lake, but it's definitely a less discovered destination spot.  I think what I like most about it, is that we were there in 90 minutes.  It wasn't a three or four (plus) hour trip to the beach or the mountains.  It was a lovely, scenic drive through the Virginia countryside.

We jumped off the dock into the lake, which I've never done!  The water temperature was perfect.  There was a floating dock about twelve feet away from the shore the kids would climb onto and make sink.  They would pretend they were on the Titanic, "we're going down - save yourselves!!"  It was hilarious.  I sat in my new favorite beach chair on the dock, enjoying the sun, watching them swim and laugh and dive and push each other in.  The kids ranged in aged from four to fourteen - and they played together beautifully.  They wanted all the grown ups to get on the floating raft to sink it further, somehow thinking we were bigger and heavier than they were. Hmmmmmm :)

Our friends have a power boat for cruising and tubing and a jet ski.  The Colonel and I used to have SeaDoos when we lived in Florida's panhandle, BC (before children).  We raced up and down our cove of the lake, spilling children off tubes, jumping waves with the jet ski, giggling the whole time.  Our wet hair was blown dry while we raced.  We got too much sun on our cheeks and our shoulders.  We ate hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and dinner.  We played too hard, rested just enough, and took lots of pictures.  The time away was much needed; a rejuvenation for me - a welcome distraction for the kids.

We are eternally grateful for the invitation for some extra fun.  This city girl may be swayed to trade in her keds for something more outdoorsy-friendly.  Time will tell ... and so will another trip to Lake Anna!

Perfect Pool Day

No, ninety days didn't fly by already - I've been out and about enjoying bits of summer with my family this past week, sans laptop.  I guess I could blog from my smart phone, but no one really wants to see those typos!!

Today was one of those perfect pool days.  Stunning.  The breeze was refreshing; not a cloud in the sky; warm, but not too warm; perfect water temperature; and swim team friends just kept arriving at the pool so there were lots of friends to play with.

We began our outing with some extra kids along for the ride, a full cooler and picnic lunch, sprayed down with sunscreen, and pool passes in hand.  I swam some laps while the kids played.  At break, we all gathered up together to eat.  Some friends ordered a pizza; some left to lunch at home and put kiddos down for naps.  As soon as the guards blew the whistle, they were back in the water.  My kids are old enough, and good enough swimmers, that I am not in the water with them anymore.  I found a lounge chair, read a book (which I've not done in eons!), and counted kids after each page.

The whistle blew again for break - out came a $10 bill - and all the kiddos got an ice cream.  I swam some more laps and did not indulge.  Ten minutes swept by as easily as the day's summer breeze, and the kids were back in the water.  "Sharks and Minnows 1-2-3!"  And all the kids on the side dive in.  Cannonball contests.  Mini swim races.  Best of all, our pool has a cool, green tube slide open to anyone who can swim to the side after going down.

More friends arrived.  More sunscreen was sprayed.  More pages were lazily read.  More peanut butter crackers were munched.  Card games were played in towel forts.  It was a perfect pool day.  Perfect.  Now, where'd I put that bikini body I used to own??

Wordless Wednesday

It was a picture perfect day for the second grade picnic.  But that doesn't mean I'm not pooped!  This week is a blur of learning celebrations, group projects and presentations, picnics, read-in's, field day, pizza parties and ice cream socials.  When I was in grade school, the end of the year meant cleaning out the desk/locker and extended recess.  These kids have it made!

2nd Grade Author aka Darling Daughter

Bathing Suit Relay

Hoop Games

Getting Ready for Spring Break

Picked up tickets to the circus, yesterday. Bought tickets to the aquarium today. Got movie times for Diary of a Wimpy Kid and for the local discount theater. Made a list of a dozen other things the kids would like to do. Checked the weather for next week. Searching for families who aren't traveling and might want to get together.

I told my husband what I'd been doing and his comment was, "Those kids should be happy with just one of those things. When I had spring break as a kid, I didn't do anything. The only thing I did was not to go to school." And he's right. That's all I did, too. I played with all my friends on my street who were home, too. But that's where the comparison falls apart.

Families aren't home like they were when we were kids. Families travel for holidays more often; or with dual-income families, kids are gone to camp. The "play outside 'til the street lights come on" mentality is gone and replaced with scheduled playdates, outings, day trips, vacations, etc.

And so - I join the club with an assortment of activities to keep us all engaged (on a budget). We'll go downtown to the National Zoo - it's FREE! Or maybe take in the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Seeing money being made, cut, and stacked is super-cool. Suggestions from FaceBook friends include: Duct Tape (ha!); pajama day complete with Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast and movies/boardgames all day; bake and decorate a cake; miniature golf; bike trails; and bowling.

We'll have a great time doing some things we don't usually have time to do. We'll take pictures, we'll laugh, we won't be rushed. We'll even see some family along the way. I'm thankful we have the money to splurge a bit. Maybe I'll go for the BIG roll of duct tape!

Letting Go

Off the bus, up the pipestem, and through the front door, "Hi Mom! Can I go play down at the big tree?"

"Who else is down there?"

"Everyone, Mom. Can I?"

Deep heavy sigh. You see I cannot see the big tree from my front door. I can see the area close to it, but I cannot see the big tree or the creek with the secret fort. The other kids' homes are right next to the big tree and their parents can see them from their kitchen window or back deck. Watching your kids play equals comfort.

"Yes. You can. Can you wear your watch and check in with me?"

"Sure, Mom. Are there brownies?"

"Yes."

He heads for the brownies, grabs two and heads out the door.

"Thanks, Mom."

Deep, heavy sigh.