Where did the summer go?

It’s back to school time for us. That means we are buying notebooks and pencils and backpacks, also making sure everyone has shoes and clothes that fit. Then we get to go to the “Back to school nights”s and Open houses and get everyone excited to go back to school.

I’ve kind of been lamenting the fact that the summer is coming to a close and we haven’t done many of the things I’ve wanted to do. We didn’t go on any kind of a vacation, not even in state. We haven’t gone to Lagoon, even though I won one season passport for one of the kids. We haven’t gone to St. George or Park City or even Logan. The farthest away we’ve gone as a family was Syracuse, for heaven’s sake.

But as my kids were driving me crazy with their incessant fighting and teasing, I told them I didn’t have the money or the inclination to take them anywhere else fun. They needed to find something to do AT HOME and use their creativity instead of just watching tv. I began to realize that Yes, we have done a lot this summer. Just maybe not all together. I mean, we have been awfully busy. What Have we done this summer? So, I put together a little list. It’s not all inclusive, and not every kid did everything on the list (John obviously didn’t go to girls camp, you know). But it’s a good reminder of all the fun we’ve had this summer.

Soccer camp
Got ice cream from the ice cream truck
Girl’s camp
River running on the Snake river
Gone to Jackson Hole and seen the Bar J Wranglers
Gone to Seven Peaks
Drum lessons
Classic bounce, skate, and waterslide
Had their cousins come and stay and play for a week
Kangaroo Zoo bouncing
Family barbeques
Played in the river at the park
Dinosaur Museum
Played in the river at a friend’s house
Had sleepovers
swimming lessons
Parades, parades, and more parades
Marching band camp
Got a new parakeet
Played softball, softball, and more softball
Had friends come and stay for a week
Gone to a baseball game
Birthday parties
Splashed and played at the children’s garden
Gone to Jump on it
Gone to Museums, movies and more
Swam with their cousins
Hiking
Decorated their bikes for their bike parade
Neighborhood barbeques
Night games
Seen the Osmonds perform with the Tab Choir
Camping
Been in a play
Swam and canoed at Payson Lakes
Thanksgiving point farm country
Ran a 5K
Fireworks (both at home and professional)
Worked in the sound booth for a play
Gone to China (ok, that was only Ryan, but it looks impressive on the list)

So, if you look at it like that, we’ve all had a pretty darn busy summer! And I need to stop feeling guilty that I didn’t win a trip and take my kids to Disneyland this year. Maybe I should print this out and give it to the kids when they go back to school. Just so they won’t forget. Or I could send them here to look at all the fun pictures we’ve taken of our summer adventures.

And in a TOTALLY unrelated light, do you think a Happenings Book would be a tacky gift for a wedding shower? I mean, they will be newlyweds, and they’ll need coupons, right? And by buying them, I would be supporting my son in his fundraising needs. Why not kill two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean? What do you think? Too tacky? Not tacky? Or just tacky enough?