Summer's End

Summer feels like it has gone both quickly, and slowly. Weird, I know. On one hand, I can scarcely believe that we have only two weeks + a day left until the first day of school, but on the other, it feels like my kids have been home for ages. Again, I am feeling bad sometimes because we really haven't done much with our summer. We've been to the local beaches several times, and of course to the parks a lot and the splash pad twice, but I feel somehow that we really haven't got much out of our summer. We haven't been camping, we haven't gone on enough bike rides or walks, we've done nearly no summer attractions, such as Wonderland, Ontario Place, etc...
I can't help but feel badly about that, but it's just not in our budget. We did go to a small local zoo last week with Kady-bug, as she was the only daycare kid I had for the day. That was fun, but still cost me a pretty penny, even with the toddler being free. I just don't want my kids to grow up and think back on their summer vacations and realize how boring they really were. I'm lucky that my kids are home-bodies like me. They really just like being home and hanging out with their Lego and toys. I guess I shouldn't complain if they aren't complaining. Really I think it's just me. I'm so bored lately. So bored with my life. I am missing the routine of school (I just don't miss the lunch-making), I am missing the after-school sports/activities. I am tired of the same walls, the same tv programming, the same internet pages, the same view outside my window and in my neighbourhood. I miss talking to other moms at the school yard.
I'm not really anxious for school to get started though. It means so many unpleasant things, mainly the passage of time. I know, I know, whether there is school or not makes no difference on how time moves, but it seems that once school starts, time flies. My babies are growing up, and much too fast. R starts grade five this year (!!) and L grade 3. I know that in the blink of an eye, it will be Hallowe'en, and then another blink, boom, Christmas, and then another and it's February and we're all looking forward to spring. Another blink and it's the end of another school year. Before I know it, they'll be graduating.
Sniff.
Of course, along with that unpleasant thing are others that come with school. Making lunches (yes, I had to mention that again because I despise it so), early mornings, earlier bedtimes, grumpier L, dealing with teachers, dealing with issues, and the exponential increase in exposure to illnesses.
Yes, I'm a hypochondriac of sorts. I hate dealing with illness, the kids', mine or hubby's. And guaranteed every September as soon as school starts, so do the illnesses. And this year R is in a portable, which means even more chance of him getting sick. Yes, it's not a proven thing, but just think about it. A closed-in environment, one room with no great ventilation, thirty kids breathing/coughing/sneezing on each other and most of them do not wash their hands at all.
Sigh.
And I will miss my boys. Yes, they've driven me crazy with fighting at times. But mostly, they've been pretty good all summer. I like having them around. It kills me to think when they're at school that the teacher sees more of them than I do. I guess that's probably the way parents feel when they send their kids off to daycare.
So I have this week off and I am desperate to fill the days with fun activities we can look back on during the winter months and remember fondly.
I just have no idea what those things will be. Anyone have any great (cheap) ideas?

Let The Summer Begin!

Well, summer is not off to a great start. Our first day off school (yesterday, Friday, was a PA Day) was spent mostly inside. Which really sucks, because it was such a nice day. But poor L has had a fever now since Tuesday (just a virus, the doctor claims) and I was sick with his flu (or whatever) on Thursday, so yesterday I wasn't feeling terribly energetic either.
Hopefully this is not a sign of the summer to come!
We actually did pretty well this winter. Minimal colds, no flu (thank God!) and only a couple of ear/throat infections all around.
So I hope we are not going to be making up for our good fortune here during the summer!
The summer flies by so quickly! We have to pack in a whole year's worth of fun into only 10 weekends (maybe 11). That has to include cottage trips, amusement park trips, camping trips, beach trips, some sort of vacation (meaning for me, no cooking or cleaning, so ---hotel somewhere) and of course, visiting friends and family trips. YIKES! How do we do it, you say? We don't. We never really get to do all we want to do in one summer, and as much as we want to. These trips are on top of regular home maintenance and also home improvements to boot. It's really overwhelming to think of it all.
So you see, we just can't, can't, CAN'T get sick!!