These are a few of my favorite summer things...

girls in cute swimsuits with ~~sunburns and rashes~~...

Well now, that just sounds terrible!! No but really, one of my favorite parts of this summer by far, has been all of our days of fun in the sun! We have a lovely neighborhood pool, that we have spent several afternoons at every week. It is truly the one activity EVERYONE agrees on.

This summer another kiddo learned to swim! Little miss Lorelei has become quite the fish. Each child has a swimming specialty. Bailey is an accomplished swimmer and can hold his breath for an amazing minute! (Get me my inhaler!!) Savannah is a little acrobat in the water. Jonas can tread water longer than anyone I know. Lorelei learned quickly how to do front and back flips under water!

All the kids are sun kissed, Coppertone babies (even with 50 sunblock!). The girls hair is streaked with golden highlights, the boys a shade lighter brown. They look as if they have truly enjoyed their summer! Even the momma has a tan!

We also enjoyed a trip to the beach. A camping trip to be precise worthy of it's own solo post, but I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

Our accommodations

Morning coffee at sunrise!

She can sleep in anywhere!! She slept till 10:00a.m.

Jammies on the beach!

Let's just say it was the best and the worst camping experience of my life!! Sand, sand and more sand! UGH! Oh and the sunburns...even with 50 sunblock! Yikes!

Today is my last official day of summer vacation. My teacher work week starts tomorrow. So in addition to some weekly chores like laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping and some cleaning, we headed to the pool for an afternoon swim. The kids had a great time posing for some photos!

Even John "jumped" in on the fun!

We headed home for showers and baths. Jonas made the sweetest comment about getting all clean after swimming. "Mommy doesn't getting clean make you feel special? It makes me feel special, like royalty!" It really is the small things that make children happy. And he's right, there's nothing better than a hot shower or bath after the pool or beach. Shiny clean, sun kissed and ready for whatever comes next. In our case it was a yummy end to summer dinner of ribs, corn on the cob and baked beans.

I feel ready for tomorrow. No matter what was accomplished "project" wise this summer, the most important thing I accomplished was spending wonderful time with my family, making amazing memories!

Comments

Back-to-school 2024

I've been avoiding writing again. If I write about back-to-school, I must admit how hard things have been. My heart has been broken by the harsh reality that my children are grown up. Being a teacher during back-to-school is easy for me. I'm a pro at that. My ELA buddy teacher even told me I could do it in my sleep. But facing the challenges of parenting young adults making major life transitions pulls at my heartstrings. This school year, I only have two active students right now, and Bailey is in the works for a return to Texas Tech in the Spring semester. Lorelei started back first. She's a Senior! She had her first college visit at the beginning of August and most likely her last! She loved Texas State. This was followed by Senior pictures. We grabbed some sushi from our favorite restaurant after. Then it was Senior Sunrise and the first day of school for her. My first days back were great. I always enjoy reuniting with my team and We...

Chasing fireflies...Spring of 2024

In April, while in Austin, I was enchanted to see an abundance of fireflies in Savannah's backyard. It brought tears to my eyes, not only because I find fireflies (or lightning bugs as we called them in the Midwest) intriguing and nostalgic, but because it was so fitting for where the Boyen Bunch is in life right now. After several attempts of "chasing" these fireflies with my camera, I captured a picture of one bright one lit up. Nature imitates life. The milestones my kids are reaching this spring are life-changing! The idiom chasing fireflies means chasing dreams, moments, and experiences that are captivating and elusive. We have two graduates this year. Savannah graduated from UT and Jonas graduates today from Comm. Arts HS. The moments this spring are fleeting, just like the light of a firefly. Here one moment and gone the next... I have referred to May as Mayhem for years (not claiming the idea, just saying I've been using this term for a bit). I have many previ...

Enjoying the messiness...

I have two wonderful, crazy, and messy dogs. They bring joy, cuddles, laughs, and, well, you guessed it, messes. I have shredded rugs, window sills gnawed on, shoes with teeth marks, bare patches of dirt in the backyard, and muddy paw prints everywhere. Let's remember the people I live with, my teens and, the messiest in our family, my hubby. Not dirty messy, more like clutterbug. And I'm sure he's clutter-blind. Oh, he does his best with reminders, like when I remind him, "Don't forget, I like to eat at the kitchen table." Unfortunately, our breakfast room is on the way to the back door and patio, with a detached garage. John uses the table as a stopping point before putting things out in his garage. Yes, his garage. I stay out of there at all costs! What's my point? I feel a weird guilt almost daily over the normal messes of life in my house. I make my bed every morning around tiny messes in the corners of the room, where bags of donations have been ...

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Mother

Search This Blog