Lazy days of summer 2006

Anyone inclined to follow here will know the above header is pure sarcasm.

School's out tomorrow!

Big schedule this year, but it's made a bit easier because this year....WE HAVE HELP!
Last year, it seemed overwhelming, but this year it seems more like an adventure (I guess it IS all about attitude!).

Big bang the next two weeks: Daughter #1 has a dance recital, and a birthday each weekend.

Last two weeks of June: Daughter #1 Science camp , Daughter #2 Day camp (with friend).

All Summer long (here at the ranch): Guitar camp once (and sometimes twice) a week (after proper sleep is procured ;) )

All Summer long: Daughter #1 Altar serving (she has more dates, because their are fewer kids this year).

All Summer long: Once a week; Both girls, and a gaggle of their friends going to weekly swim class at the YMCA.

All Summer long: At the park; Swim Team for both girls, and junior lifeguard class for Daughter #1.

All July: Daughter #2: Piano

1st Week of July: Wicked (had to order MONTHS in advance).

2nd Week of July: Parish Carnival (volunteering and attending).

3rd Week of July: Daughter #1 softball camp (local).

A big pre-Thank You to our friends who help us organize and shuttle all our kids back and forth to these activities.

Rather than take a regular vacation this year, I took Saturdays off. So for pretty much the whole summer, I'll have three-day weekends. Our goal this year is to "see" everyone. Too many summers go by where we don't properly see all our friends and family. I'd like to make sure that doesn't happen this year.
We've been a lot more active of late, and clearly from above the kids will be over the summer. While there will be some running around for the Mrs. and I in all this, at least 1/3 of the time we'll be able to get in some activity while the kids are getting theirs. While the Mrs. and I like to walk, it's a tad boring for the girls. Problem is, with so many new homes in the area and the population of our area increasing almost 10% in the last four years, there are a flood of cars in our area, increasing traffic and making biking as a family when we're together a tad dangerous. During the day, it's pretty mild traffic around here so I can use the trailer bike for daughter #2. But once the Mrs. gets home everyone else is also home, and there are just too many cars around. So then it's time to load up the bikes on the rack and go to some of our local trails (which adds about an hour total for what is usually an hour bike ride). I have a good hitch rack, but what I need is a speed loading bike rack that holds 4 bikes.

If we know you, we hope to see you this summer. Heck, we hope to see ya even if we don't!
For anyone popping into "The City" this year, make sure to drop a line if
you 'd like to visit.

And for those of you visiting here, a big thank you as well.
At the current rate, I'll be at about 2000 hits by the end of July.