I don't know where to begin with all that has happened this summer. I feel like I have missed it with all that whirled by us in June. 

After our trip overseas, the swim team season was in full swing and I learned a multitude of valuable lessons that I list here to prompt myself next summer.

1) Our year round swim program is really the only practice I should make mandatory.  I noticed some deterioration to the kids' strokes as the season progressed and although the kids had a lot of fun at their summer team practices, they need the consistency of their year round coach more.

2) The fact that some children do not like ice cream, pizza, spaghetti, waffles or chicken fingers (versus nuggets which they do like) is incomprehensible to me.

3) Three swim teams is entirely too many.

4) Even your sweetest child has the propensity to cut her own hair, into a long mullet, trying to look like her sister.

5) Childhood friends just end up being the best friends you ever had.

6) Drama is still quite active in the world.  I thank God that for the past several years I have been removed from it.  It's absence in my life made that reality sting a little more than I would have liked.  I need to perk up at the clues when it is coming and...RUN.

7) Speaking of running, I should practice that more often. If my heart is uneasy and my brain says something is not right, I should remove myself from the situation.  Well, I think it is probably better to sum it up in the term, "slink quickly and quietly away."  Do you see a theme forming here?

8) Getting a child's opinion is never necessary.

9)  Sports bring out the best in people...and the worst.

10)  My husband wants us around a lot more than I thought he did.

11) I am not sure that I buy that labeling someone gives them the right not to mature.

12) You are never too old for a night in a tree house.

13) It is imperative for me to not be swayed by people's opinion of my own children.

14) Hanging at home is surprisingly enjoyable, highly productive and extraordinarily stress-free.

15) Sometimes I am not as strong as I thought I was in who I am.  High school insecurities have not been in my line of vision since well, high school.  Why now?  I should quietly slink away from those make me feel this way.

16) "Hair" is one of the last fights I will have with my children.  Arrow-shaped mohawks are actually quite cool.

17) Growing a garden has brought me much joy and delight.  Passing along produce to others is the cherry on the top.

18) My tendency to yell, has in turn, created yellers. It needs to stop.

19) Sunflowers are precious to my soul.  Having one growing facing into my window instead of the sun is priceless.

20) Like 99% of all mothers, my children are the most valued things in my life.  I will fight for them and protect them with everything I have. It is tough to walk away when you feel that is being questioned.

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has sprung at the Dumoulin house. The kids are finishing up their week of spring break which has felt so much like summer vacation that I am dreading Monday. The weather has been unbelievably warm and I have really enjoyed having the kids with me.

The kids have taken every advantage of it by playing outside - riding their bikes and scooters, playing in the old chicken coop, on the trampoline and down at the creek. Yes, the creek. You know what that means? Critters!

A baby turtle with a salamander on its back. Now THAT is unusual, slightly bizarre.  The turtle has been with us for several days now.  He has been given a name, Boxer.  The addition of the name is a bit concerning.

To the left of the reflection from my flash is a crayfish.

And finally, this is an example of what has just been added to the endangered species list...MY TUPPERWARE!

I told the kids new tupperware would be coming out of their allowance.

Spring also means market cleaning (boo!) and starting our garden (yay!). Our little patch of goodness is coming along. I am so excited something that has already begun sprouting! SUNFLOWERS! And lots and lots of them.

The seeds were a gift from my Aunt Sue. We planted them in a row beneath our kitchen windows so that we will have this beautiful view of sunshiny, bright yellow flowers sometime in about 2 - 3 months. We will have to weed some of them out, because we overplanted. If anyone wants to come take a few, be my guest!

We still have some maintenance and beautification issues to take care of, but all in all, it is a start.

Elsewhere in the garden, my lettuce is looking a little weak, but I think that is because we had that string of bizarre 90 degree days this week. Tomatoes, green beans, squash, zucchini and a couple of cucumbers. I have a pot with some herbs, another pot with a few strawberry plants and another single rosemary plant. I am still waiting to plant the sugar peas and various peppers. The kids have been an integral part of the process - weeding, watering, etc. I think today they will feed the garden and all the rose bushes in the yard.  We have our first strawberry!

Huh. I just realized that I will need to find someone to watch the dogs and water the garden while we are on our trip in May/June. Add that one to the list.

In a move that can only be describe as self-destructive, I took Sadie to the store that makes me insane yesterday. Yes, Justice. Sadie chose a new scarf and decided she was much better off with her budget to go to Claire's. Good move Sadie! The kids had some money from Valentine's, Easter and from money earned for market cleaning. Let me make a note that my kids have become quite the expert cleaners. For example, Ethan rocked the baseboards in the house and Sadie is a meticulous furniture polisher. Their attitudes have also been that of servanthood for a change and that has made the week wonderful.

Therefore, we have done quite a bit of fun stuff, along with the cleaning. We went to the zoo, the kids had a night with one set of grandparents where they fished and had a bon fire by the creek. The other grandparents took them to lunch and the movies. Two kids have had sleepovers with their cousins and one had a playdate at another friend's house. I failed at getting us to the Civil Rights' Museum or ArtQuest - both things I wanted to do. However, I had to get the house ready for market and we just ran out of time.

This morning my little love rolled over in her sleeping bag. She coughed quite a bit and then looked at me. Her first words of the morning, "I love you, Mommy." What a great way to start the day. If this is any indication of what is to come, I say BRING ON SUMMER!