One Crazy Summer in Clive

The kids just left with Mimi for one last cool "spend time with grandparents" vacation before school starts later this month.  They will have driven with us and grandparents over 7000 miles this summer hitting CA, OH, and AL and everything in between. 

Now that they're 6 and 4, they have a bit more "outside freedom" that stretches a couple houses up and back too where they play from morning til dark with the neighbors.

Add into the mix the fact that we've become much closer with our amazing neighbors and you've got the formula for a weekly "camping trip" through our backyards that starts Friday at 4PM and leisurely takes us through Sunday afternoon.  "Plans" on weekends have become much more lax which is a dream for me.  "Let's see how things develop" and "What should we bring" are as deep as we get lately...and that's perfect.

The kids aren't overloaded with structured activities...so they can focus on bikes, scooters, doing "chalk art" on the driveway, or swimming in the 12 foot pool in the backyard.  They're getting up after 8 and staying up til 10 (or later) as the moms and dads bend the rules a bit since there's no pressing schedule the next day.

I wouldn't say this summer is flying by.  Rather, I'd say it's been like watching a super cool kids dream in slow motion. I've had some time in the kids absence to ponder what this summer must be like.  Are they enjoying it as much as I've enjoyed watching it evolve?  I think so. 

Each night as they climb into bed and literally pass out from a full day of "being a kid off of school" I'm very thankful for our neighborhood, our friends...and One Crazy Summer.