Here goes!

Tomorrow at approximately 12:45 PM, my life will undergo a dramatic change.  Summer vacation officially begins at the Hershey household.  Part of me is looking forward to a bit more laid-back schedule, especially in the mornings.  I'm tired of packing lunches, and the kids are tired of eating them.  I am tired of keeping track of homework, and the kids are most definitely tired of doing it.  I am tired of making sure that they have clean uniforms, and it is getting too hot to wear them anyway.

On the other hand, summer vacation means monitoring TV/computer time, reminding the kids to read a LOT and keep whittling away at their summer packet of math and writing (heaven forbid their minds relax!), breaking up the seemingly endless quarrels and sibling rivalries, figuring out good boundaries with the posse of neighborhood kids (can they hang out here ALL DAY?  How many meals/snacks am I going to feed them?) and so on and so on.  Then there are the "summer specials" like Kate's drama class, swim lessons for the older three, two different VBS-type programs (our own church and my dad's church) and possibly tutoring for Kate.  Of course, that is all in addition to the usual stuff like laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking.  Add in camping trips, a day trip to the beach, a cabin weekend or two, picnics, and bike hikes....  I'm tired just thinking about it all, even though it is fun stuff. 

In the midst of it all, I know I need to create "margins" for myself.  I'm not---rather, I really try not to be---one of those "it's all about me and my needs" kind of moms.  I'm talking about "how can I avoid being a stressed-out wreck by the end of August" kind of mom.  I love being around people, but I need time alone to re-charge.  I love being busy keeping house and mothering, but I can't cram every minute of my waking hours doing that.  I both want and need a few quiet minutes for my version of the "Three R's"----Read, Reflect, and Relax. 

I have a mostly-workable system now.  I grab a few minutes in the early morning, when only Luke is up (the deal is that I'm not available before 6:30 AM so he has to get his own breakfast if he is hungry and find something quiet to do.  That will be changed to 7:00 over summer!)  That's a good time to drink coffee and read.  During the day, the little boys like to play outside.  I don't trust Joshua by himself, even with a fence around our yard, so I end up sitting outside.  Drew, needless to say, is hardly a trustworthy babysitter!  I pour myself a cold drink (iced tea is best, since there is something psychologically pleasing about that image) and relax and think.  Reading is not a good option, since my eyes have to be focused on my roving toddler every second.  If you've ever seen that kid in action, you know exactly what I mean.  Some days, I have some flex time while Joshua is napping in the afternoon, but that depends on how high-maintenance Drew is being and how much I did NOT accomplish in the morning.  That's also when I've been blogging, which counts as relaxation.  The kids are all in bed---fed, watered, and read to---by 8:00 PM, so I have a good chunk of time to catch up with Keith or take care of remaining odds and ends.  Summertime bedtime will probably be much later, unfortunately. 

So....we shall see how the adjustment to a new routine, or non-routine, goes.  If the past few days are any indication, I think I'd better just throw the broom and dustcloth away, take a deep breath, and hang on for the ride!