Summertime, summertime . . .

sum sum summertime! Today marks the very last day of school for the year, which really is the less-than-an-hour, pick-up your report card day, but who's counting?

Two very excited kids! And one sort of excited, and a little bit melancholy mom. As a kid, summer seems to last forever. As a parent and a former teacher, summer can go by in a flash! One day you're watching fireworks or toasting marshmallows, then before you know it, you're at Target loading up on new school supplies and the latest fall fashions.

In honor of this day, I will note three good things about summer vacation:

1. Sleeping in. No alarms, no five more minutes, no catching the bus. With the exception of sports camps and other activities, we are no longer on a tight morning schedule. Ahhhhhhh!

2. No homework. No spelling tests or reading logs. No huge social studies projects. No notes to sign or papers to check. No multiplication facts, geometry problems, or Internet research. No nagging, "Did you do your homework yet?"

3. Sacking the sack. Lunch that is. No nightly ritual of packing lunches for the kids. Although we will still need to make and eat lunch, our choices can be much more flexible than sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, and a juice pouch. The kids can have hot foods like soup and mac and cheese, or cold foods like popsicles and ice cream. Hey, we can even go to Portillo's for hot dogs. Fancy that, Brian! ;-)

Summertime, ooh ooh ooh!