My happy place

Whooo!  This week marks the official start of summer, and it really is my happy place!  I feel like I've really gotten a jump start on summer this year, since I have been able to do a few things that normally take me until end of June/early July to do when I have been wrapping up the school year in the past.  I was able to meet up with my work friends who were celebrating the end of the school year last week.  It was good to see them, and I am just as happy for them that the school year is over.  But, I can not believe it has been a full year since I have been off of work!  In some ways it feels like forever that I have been away from teaching, but a short time that I have been home with the kids, if that makes sense.  My new job is going good so far! Much different from the teaching world, but much easier and no stress!

A few weeks ago, my mom, sister, niece, me and the kids headed to Shipshewana Indiana, an adorable little Amish town.  We had a great little get-away filled with shopping, eating out, and a visit to a farm.  We were all piled in my dad's Tahoe with 3 car seats, stollers, pack-n-plays, diaper bags, suitcases, etc, so just getting in and out of the car was an adventure in itself!  The kids were really good, and we had fun staying overnight in the hotel together. 

I've been taking the kids to lots of local summer event these last few weeks, and we have already been to the farmer's market, a butterfly fesitval, lots of parks, and we are just staying really busy!  Ray and I took the kids to Great America for the first time for Father's Day.  It was really fun, and I was surprised at how many rides Kenley could go on!  I think she is going to be a daredevil like me because she had no fear, even on the bigger rides. She was able to go on the log ride, the big ship, the octopus, 2 smaller roller coasters, and a lot of other little rides.  Even Charlie got to go on a few, and he seemed to like it too.  It was a really nice family day, and it was fun for Ray and I to think back about when we went there as kids, and even took a little weekend trip there together before we were engaged.

It's been a great start to the summer, and I know we have some type of fun plans every week already!  I'm ready to soak up the sun, and the kids already have tans :)