1 down, 12 to go

Our first complete week of Summer Vacation is over and I can honestly say I've fallen into bed each night and been asleep within 30 seconds. You know you're squeezing every last drop of fun you can physically handle out of each day when you can say that. Big E is having a blast doing swim team for the first time, Little A has picked up the backstroke through some sort of osmosis, and they both look like Coppertone Kids (remember that white booty?) despite going through almost an entire tube of sunscreen in one week. Yesterday we were at the pool by 7:30 for swim team and then at one pool or another until 8 pm, save for an hour or so for a Costco run to replenish inventory (see below). It was one of those long, but VERY fun days. We even topped the night off with awesome pulled pork tacos that I didn't have to cook. Thanks, Mr. C!

Big E has also launched her first retail endeavor with the M.E.E. store. Noticing a scarcity of available pool snacks, she and two friends have decided to fill the void and set up shop. Loading her friends' wagon and cooler with junk food and soda they're not allowed to eat or drink, they set up their table and started peddling MSG, artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup. I do feel a bit guilty and hypocritical about this and we've received some Comments of Concern from friends, so fellow mom & I think we'll encourage them to try some healthier items once they deplete their current inventory a bit and see how organic fruit strips or healthier Whole Foods soda will sell. It's exciting to see them be so enthusiastic about it and now they're even talking about opening branches at local parks or busy foot-traffic intersections. Stay tuned here to be the first to know about any potential franchise opportunities.

Today started with a brief LOST! experience at Searight park. Mrs. C and I thought we could get in a run while the kids rode their bikes around a trail, thinking the big kids would ride ahead while the little ones stayed back with us at a running pace. It didn't quite work out that way and we got a little turned around. Normally it wouldn't make much difference (and it was really not THAT long) but it was starting to feel a bit warmish (90+), the sun was beating down, and we had given all our water to the big kids who rode on indifferent to the fact that we didn't know how to get out of this infinite loop. The little ones melted down at various intervals but somehow I left feeling it was all good and never felt the kind of panic I think I would have felt in years past. Maybe I'm becoming more adaptable? I'm sure BB would be glad to hear that. After that we were able to cool off at an ice skating birthday party. I felt like laying down on the ice and letting all the coolness seep into my bones but I refrained, knowing it would probably embarrass Big E.

I'm glad it's Sunday night and Week One is under our belts and we're off to a great start for Summer '07.