Yikes! What happened to the latter half of June? My kids have been out of school since May 21 and it feels like we’ve hardly done a thing. One attended a week-long science day camp, the other went to girl scout camp, and we’ve gotten out on the boat a few times (fishing, but not catching), but generally we’ve been lay-abouts. Which is nice and all, but still, I feel a little sluggish compared to how quickly the month flew by. This last half before school starts in late August will probably whip by as well, but we have a busier schedule.

First up is the local Fourth of July extravaganza, complete with kids’ activities and a barbeque. Everyone comes. There won’t be fireworks, however. What, you say, no fireworks??? What’s 4th of July without fireworks? Well, considering it doesn’t get dark until nearly midnight in the summer, a public fireworks display is tough. There will be plenty of noise-making fireworks, I’m sure, but not the pretty ooh-ahhh light up the sky types. Or if there are any planned, I won’t be watching them. New Year’s Eve is the time for pretty fireworks displays in the North.

The week after the 4th, my mother and nephew will be coming from New York for a visit. Mom will stay a week before having to return, but my nephew will remain here. We’ll take them to the glacier and hopefully get out on the boat. Nephew will go to science camp with our oldest then stay another week for fun. We’ll travel with him to Seattle, see him off to his NY-bound plane then my kids and I will head to Spokane to visit the in-laws. Poor hubby has to stay home to work, take care of the critters, and prep for a 3 or 4 week research cruise off Hawaii that leaves the day after we return. Yeah, rough life.

After Spokane we’ll have a week or so before school starts up. Whew! How time flies. Like the hormones here in our house (DD#1 is 12 1/2, DD#2 is 9 and just hitting those pre-pubescent waves). No wonder hubby isn’t turning down the chance to be gone for weeks at a time.

But it’s been a good summer so far. Even the weather has been mostly cooperative–in the 60’s and low 70’s, no days and days of torrential rain but real sun. Often more than two days in a row! Crazy balmy, I know!

So how’s summer in your neck of the woods?