I'm a walking zombie with fried hair

Summer has peaked and, for many with kids home from school, so have the doldrums. But not in this house. At any given moment there are at least three different things going on all at once. My life is like a sign with arrows pointing in opposite directions. I look like a walking zombie with fried hair. And feel like one. Sometimes I even act like one. Let me tell you why.

First of all there's Katie. She dances and dances and dances. And sings. LA-lala-lala. Sometimes I think she's spinning out of control. Not only does she shuffle through the house, she does it in the library, at the grocery store, and wherever else she goes. She's in her own little world of music with her iPod and legs.

Poor thing has gotten so carried away that she has knocked over someone else's vase and set the chandeliers into double speed. Did I mention I have to drive her to dance several times a week?

Then we have Andrew. He's either glued to a video game or following me around testing my math and science knowledge. That's not up my alley.

"Why don't you ask Daddy? I'll help you write a story, though."

Back to computer he goes. But I do have to brag for a second. He went to that Math and Science Academy I told you about earlier. He was placed two grade levels higher than the grade he's entering (5th) and won first place for total points in his division. And he's pretty darn good at Taekwondo, too.

Okay, now Nicholas. He's my walking story teller. He follows me around and tells me some whoppers. Tonight it was about heaven. He said he's been there before. You know, before he was born. The longest you stay there is three years. And you better not make God mad or he'll turn you into a frog. If you do it twice, you're a skyscraper. When I get there, he wants me to ask God if I can be his mom the next time around.

"If I can make it through this one, honey."

Oh, and while all this is going on in our mad house, Pete is working and going to night classes. THAT is why I look, act, and feel like a zombie with fried hair.

Bored already?

I knew Saturday when Nicholas blurted out, "I'm bored!" at 9:00 a.m., less than 24 hours since school let out, that we would be in for a long summer.  Blowing bubbles, walking around with old school boxes on your head shouting, "I have a box on my head," and watching the Mad Hatter do his dance over and over and over again can only entertain him for so long. 

With all the summer activities we have planned, none of the kids should be bored for very long.  Saturday at 9:05 a.m., we signed up for the library's summer reading program.  Katie and Andrew love to read, but to get Nicholas to read, someone has to listen to him read aloud.  If not, he will take a Harry Potter book, disappear in his room for a few minutes, and come back out waving the book and proclaiming that he is done reading it.  Katie is the only one who reads books in one day.

Swimming is a favorite around this house.  The hours for free swim are limited this year because of a swim team moving to the club, but that's okay; we signed Nicholas up for the team.  The others did not want to participate (Katie is in competitive dance and Andrew is in Taekwondo), but Nicholas loves it.  In fact he is barely tired after his long practices.  A never-ending appetite might put a damper on our grocery bills, though.

Another thing we usually do in the summer is have a garage sale.  The kids are cleaning out their rooms and getting rid of "stuff" they no longer want.  Of course it practically takes an act of Congress to get them motivated.  The boys share a room so disagreement is sure to take place, followed by having fun with newly rediscovered toys.  Katie tends to brilliantly rearrange her mess, letting go of very little.  Even so, we end up with a nice assortment of items for the garage sale.

This weekend, we have the first of two June weddings.  Because of the expense from these, we will be traveling very little this summer.  Day trips to the beach (Bolivar Peninsula) are fun and inexpensive, so we will be doing that often (God willing).

Hopefully the kids will soon get into the summer routine so we can relax and enjoy it...one day at a time. 

How do you tackle summertime boredom?