it's summer! it's summer! it's summer!
i'm so happy for this time of year!  the boy and i are still a smidge busy, but it's not near the intensity that those last weeks of the school year were. 

right now i'm teaching summer school.  i'm the ART TEACHER:)  my monkeys are kinder, first, and second graders who make me really appreciate my third graders! (third graders know how to do a looooot more)  they are still awesome (really awesome) and i'm loving getting to know them.  i still get 3 day weekends, i don't even go into work until 11:45, and it's only for the month of june.  plus i wear jeans everyday to work and that makes me insanely happy.

the boy is doing teenager things because he's officially a HIGH SCHOOLER!  he's already begun his 2 hrs a day training at the high school in preparation for high school sports.  it's a conditioning camp that last the whole summer...well, until they start 2 a days for football in august.  every night this week he's been ready for bed around 10:15pm! my teenager! in the summer!

since i have some time in the mornings i've been doing things in our home i've needed to do for months!  i'm so behind on tending to us.  i've got to find the balance in the school year for real.  i'm almost done with my last load of laundry and last load of dishes.  and today we've made a goal to put it all away.  our schedule doesn't allow for any excessive laziness, but does give us moments of down time that feel really good.

the move is officially on for august 1st, we just don't have a clue where yet.  i found another cute house close by to covet (because i'm out of my mind wanting a house) and it has a rent price that i'm sure is deserving of it's cuteness, but not a fit for us.

i got APPROVED for the StudentLoanForgivenessProgram and in 10years i will be studentLoanDebt freeeeee.  it probably sounds like a long time away but seriously i would have been paying til my death otherwise.  remember it's the same amount as a very modest house... 
summer school will hopefully get me almost all the rest of the way out of debt and i am so happy anticipating the relief!  i had no idea how much that was weighing me down!!    

it has not taken a single other person around me this long to figure out life.  even just thinking that brings me down a little so i won't think it too much longer.  what i will say is teach your kids!  teach them about life, who they are, how to stay close to whatever standards you teach and a higher power that can guide them to being whatever important thing(s) they are supposed to do and be.  teach them how to cook, clean, do laundry, iron their own clothes, how to work hard.  teach them how to treat people, how to interact with others.  teach them about themselves!!  how to handle strong emotions, how to exercise, what to eat, how to study.  teach them about money- about tithing, saving, how to spend.  teach them about cars and computers and phones and other gadgety things.  teach them etiquette and kindness.  give them a family they can rely on.  a family they can trust.  a family they feel safe with.  a home they can detox from the world in and make sense of all that goes on around them (not that confuses and creates chaos).  a family they can learn with and from and feel equipped to step out into the world strong, confident, and capable on their own.

don't look to my own child to see if i'm teaching these things;)  it's my goal.  it's my mission.  it is a mess trying to learn these things on your own.  i am such a work in progress.  i hope hope hope this boy of mine is getting/feeling some of that list. 

our summer bucket list is not over flowing.  but we are hoping for some spontaneous and planned moments of fun.  we are hoping for a happy home to get cozy in.  we are hoping for financial relief getting rid of some debt.  we are hoping to add a lot of good new recipes into the rotation (thank youPinterest), and i'm hoping to get into a good workout routine.  that's not too much to ask, right? it all sounds kind of dreammmmmmy;)
happy summer!