You know it's summer when...

...your house never stays clean (because you have 3 kids at home)...you step on toys at any given moment (again...those 3 kids)...you are sunburned from the pool (from taking the kids to the pool 3-4 times a week)...you run out of bread after 2 days (from making 5,000 pb & j sandwiches for 2 of those 3 kids)...your blog goes a long time without being updated (because when you have time to sit down & breath, you don't want to use any energy to think of what to write)....

So that's how my summer is going. We've finally got into a groove & the kids have been great... just full of energy. Now that I'm adjusting to summer, it's almost over. We've been busy bees all summer long. Since the new YMCA opened in Boiling Springs this week, I'm trying to start exercising on a regular basis. So far, so good (I know it's only been a week... a not even a full on at that... but hey, I'm doing something). Trips to the waterpark, playdates, birthday parties, the beach and the beach again has made the summer fly by. As busy as we've been and as much as I want to get back into a routine, I must say that I am not looking forward to school starting back. Yes, my house will probably be more manageable but I do not look forward to juggling homework, sports, naps for an almost 2 year old, early bedtime, getting kids up & dressed & out the door before 8:00 and packing 2 lunches almost everyday. It stresses me out just thinking about it. I LOVE being able to sleep in... we sleep until at least 8 and most of the time 8:30 or 9 every morning. But it's life & you deal with it as it's dealt to you. So here's to 25 more days of summer break...may they be fun, filled with lots of laughter (and sleep, ha!) and go very slowly.

Beachiness

(I love that word... I got it from my friend Rhianna in a caption on one of her photos.) We're back. We had a great time as usual. It was nice having Daddy with us this go round at the beach. We went with our friends again for the 5th year in a row. The kids have so much fun together & each year gets a little easier the older they get. We took it easy this year & didn't worry about the go, go, go like we normally do. We played on the beach late several nights & found other "cheaper" things to do. The weather was great and we all soaked up plenty of sun. All of the kids had a great time in the ocean... Chandler claims he saw a baby great white shark... yeah, whatever. Chandler loved riding the waves & he got really good at catching them just at the right time to ride all the way in. It took Carter most of the week, but he finally got out far enough to enjoy riding waves too. Kensley loved the beach. Mostly she loved going with Daddy out into the ocean... pretty far out too. She giggled & laughed & would say "o-see Dadee" and point. We went to play putt-putt one night, we went to the Cherry Grove pier & walked out on it one night, we stayed out on the beach several days, me & Mae took the kids to the Ripley's Aquarium while the men went & played golf, we went out to Broadway & let the kids rides some rides at the Pavilion Nostalgia park one night. Our friends brought their Wii and we played that a lot! The kids played during the day & at night after they went to bed the adults would play it. It was really a lot of fun. We were all sad to come home, but I never like having to come home from vacation to anywhere. I'm sitting staring at the piles of laundry, suitcases & boxes that all have to be unpacked & washed this week. I really don't like that part of coming home. We are looking forward to going back in Sept. with Corby's family.

I still can't get a slide show to work, so here's the link to the slide show. Enjoy the pictures!
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee307/khaneline/family%20vacation%202008/?action=view&current=0cb88a54.pbw