My Favorite Summer Ever?

I think this truly may be my most favorite summer ever. I've always loved summer, I mean who doesn't, right? But I have loved it more as a mom than I ever did as a kid. I love the chaos and noise that fill each day. I love the quiet mornings when everyone sleeps in and I sit out on the patio and read. I love the activity - swim lessons, vacations, BBQ, sitting in the swing, pulling weeds, swimming together, going for late night walks around the block and anything else I can think of to keep the TV from being turned on. I love staying up late....even feeling tired is OK during the summer when I know I can probably sneak off for a nap sometime during the week. I always feel so sad come August when school begins and order and routine and quiet return to my life. This August will be no exception, but I will be even sadder because ALL of my kids will head out the door, at least on a part-time basis. There is nothing more peaceful settling to a mother than to have all of her children home, under the same roof, sitting at the same dinner table, talking and laughing together, and yes, even bugging each other. I don't know if this will ever happen again. I know Karin would probably love being in Provo with friends but I have loved having her here with me. I loved sewing aprons together last weekend. I love her kindness to her siblings, and her joining in every family activity. She has been great for keeping a good attitude. I love that she willingly goes to work and is such a good sport about it. I want to go to summer camp and have her be my counselor. She is the only child I have who walks into the kitchen and unloads and reloads the dishwasher without being asked. I'm glad to be doing all her laundry this summer which is something she hates to do, it's nice to serve someone you love. In just 3 years Scott will be leaving to serve a mission, and I will miss our conversations....anything from politics to books to the comics in the newspaper. I'm glad he wants to have his friends over to play games, roast marshmallows and visit. I'm glad his friends like him. I can tell by the number of times our house gets TP'd. I'm glad he gives attention to his brothers, mows the lawn and helps Emily. I'm glad that I have a few more years to enjoys Doug, Tom and Emily. They are so good to each other and to me. I love watching them all playing ping pong out on the patio and I love that I can still beat them at it. I love that Matt gets so tan. I love early mornings with him, watching the Tour de France while he gets ready for work, or getting a list of yard "to do's" and then getting everything done before he gets home from work in the evening. I love watching reruns of "Will and Grace" with him and laughing out loud in bed. For some reason that show just cracks me up, and No, that is not a recommendation! I love that Sundays seems to last forever, that I don't have to make lunches every night and that Emily sleeps on the couch in our bedroom. I love that Thomas can swim several laps in a row at the college pool and jump off the high diving board and that Doug can mix up a cake mix all by himself and has read 4 long books in one month. I'm sure there is lots more that I love about summer, and I'm glad I have another month to enjoy them.