How was your summer?

Mine was good. It dragged on and on endlessly like a professor I once had in college. I swear I could her the wind uttering "ummmmmm......" every day, just like he did. The only difference was back then, it put me to sleep (did I mention I sat in the front row?). This summer, it edged up my blood pressure.

We tried to do some fun things with the kids. We took them to an amusement park that was probably 1/25th the size of Disney, but the lines were nearly unbearable. I still think they had fun. Especially since one of them walked out of the park with a weiner hat, courtesy of their Dad. What kid's life isn't immediately bettered by the purchase of a weiner hat????

We took them to a water park which was more fun than I thought it would be. I went on one ride that should have been called "pee in your suit & puke at the end" because that is precisely what I felt like doing when it was over. The kids, they LOVED it.

Mostly though, what the kids did for fun was pepper me with questions (ALL.DAY.LONG) and fight with each other. "She knocked the sandwich out of my hand - and the doooooggggg ate it!". "He hit me in the head with a pillow and my eyyyyyyyyyeeeee hurtsssss!!!".

I can tell you there were many more days of fighting back and forth than there were of pure enjoyment. Wait, maybe they enjoyed the fighting? Or, maybe they enjoyed seeing my eyes bulge out of my head whenever they would sneak up on me and start tattling on each other. Yes, I think that's it. I couldn't ever find one location anywhere where I could get just five minutes of quiet. If I walked outside, there was always a child right behind me. If I was in the bathroom, there was a child knocking at the door.

I know, I know. It's called Stay-At-Home-Mom for a reason. Be a mom, right? I tried, I promise you I did. I think we all have those days that make us want to run screaming from the house. It just so happens that I had a LOT of those this past summer.

Now they are back in school (hooray!). And the only word I can come up with is this: bliss. It's been lovely. I have knitted like I have never knitted before (crooked scarves are IN, right?). I have nearly caught up on my laundry. I was on top of the dishes (until the kids made brownies using 17 different kitchen utensils, 2 pans, and 3 bowls - Betty Crocker, they are not). It is just so nice to have the house to myself. Multiple televisions are not screaming out Hannah Montana, World War III isn't occurring, there's no milk left on the counter, and I'm not finding wrappers all over the floor. I can get things done without having to chase anyone through the house to pick up after them.

I HEART SCHOOL. Mainly because now that they are back in school, I have my sanity back. I'm much more relaxed when they walk through the door now and I can handle their fights without feeling a coronary coming on.

And you....?