Was your summer SO LONG; or are you bidding summer so long with a sorrowful heart?
I am SO ready for the kids to have a schedule and get their brains stimulated again. I am so NOT ready for the good weather to end. I am also so NOT ready to have the kids dressed and out the door by 8 a.m. Yikes. Why is that the world's hardest task?
I am also sad that there is so much we didn't get to do this summer. I feel like I need to write an apology letter to summer. So, therefore, I will.
Dear Summer,
I am sorry I didn't go to Glacier Park. No, not even once.
I am sorry I didn't hike to a waterfall.
I am sorry I didn't kill any tree squirrels. Three would have been a good start.
I am sorry I only ate corn-on-the-cob once, but that's what happens when you get dentures.
I am sorry I didn't get to see hardly any family, and even fewer long-distance friends. (Oh, but the friends and family I did get to see made my heart warmer than a July day in Phoenix!)
I am sorry that I didn't get a single household project done, nor did I write a single word of fiction.
I am sorry that we didn't get to do the Hiawatha Bike Trail.
I am sorry that we didn't pick enough huckleberries to make freezer jam.
But Summer,
Thank you for all the perfect days at the lake. (Made it to 7 different lakes this summer, plus 3 different spots on Flathead!)
Thank you for the day on the boat. That was THE BEST.
(I can't get the video to upload right, so we'll just pretend like it's a GIF.)
Thank you for all the fresh cherries. My intestines were appreciative. Thank you for awesome day hikes and bike rides.
Thank you for smiling, happy kids.
Thank you for our stop in Butte. I fell in love. (Really. I must go back!)
But mostly, thank you for the sunshine.
Sincerely,
Emotional me.
Your turn:
What are you sorry you missed this summer? What things are you thankful for? How do you feel about having it come to an end?
Annnndddd .... I know it's the last week of the month (like, duh) and I should have a prize this week. BUT! the little kids start school Wednesday, the teens start on Thursday and I'm worried I won't have a spare second to post a winner, let alone shop for said winning prize. So, if it's alright with all of y'all, I will do a doubly awesome prize in Sept. PLUS, I will include these weeks in the lottery, so you will have 6 chances to win in September. Okie dokie???
10 comments:
I'm sorry that I didn't get go camping more this summer. I'm sorry that I didn't get to go fishing. I'm sorry that I didn't get out and enjoy the sunshine more... however, I'm also NOT sorry for all of these things because the reason I missed out on them was because I was too busy snuggling the sweetest little baby in the world. So, I unapologize for all of those. I am sorry summer has ended. I don't remember a summer going by so fast in my life. I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with my baby and I'm sorry the summer is over and now I'm back at work. I like my job, but I like my baby better.
So for now, I'm very sorry summer is over and I'm not thankful about it at all other than it keeps my paycheck coming and it means my student loans will be forgiven.
Overall we had a really great summer and in a lot of ways I am ok with it ending. I'd like it to stay warm for at least a few more months but it can cool off a little now. So... here is my farewell to summer:
Dear Summer,
I am sorry I didn't eat more watermelon. What was I thinking??
I am sorry I didn't find more opportunities to see the stars.
I am sorry I didn't sign my-lazy-self up for any races. I'll do better next summer.
I am sorry we didn't make it to Montana...at all...
Thank you for so many fun family vacations. We hiked a lot, saw new places and played with friends.
Thank you for the days that it was far to hot to be outside so we stayed inside and read together.
Thank you for all of the fun memories we made with our kids and thank you for the warm weather that helped my little garden grow.
Please don't take so long to return next year! I will miss you!
Love,
The Millers
Lori, what do you have against tree squirrels? The only thing I don't like about them is seeing them squished on the road. But with that thought, they're better than squished ground hogs, or skunks!
Dear Summer,
I'm sorry I didn't get to camp this year. I tried, but you brought a rainstorm on the night of my campout and it got postponed to a night I couldn't attend. So it was your own fault.
I'm sorry we didn't get to go to any family reunions as a family out west. (Thanks for the awesome family trip to Ohio though and for my solo wedding trip to Idaho!)
I'm sorry I didn't get to play racquetball more! Even though that's indoors, the "free" summer schedules of my teacher friends and me just didn't match up much :(.
I'm sorry I didn't take my kids swimming more. I just don't love swimming, and we don't have a cheap local pool, so I did the best I could! At least I did it even on that one day when it was raining (downpouring) on a warm day. You should give me mega points for letting them swim in that weather.
I'm sorry I never ate a single roasted marshmallow. Really sorry!
I'm sorry that I abandoned my book project for the last few weeks, but I think I was okay with the break. I'm ready to go full-steam ahead again now (I think).
But, thanks so much for the awesome fireflies!! This year we had some great times together!! And, thanks for the super cute robins' nests and baby birds (the ones that survived). Those really made me love nature this year.
And, thanks for all of the GREAT RUNS! I got my annual 10K done, and even two official 5K races. You gave me my best running summer yet! Even a couple new running buddies. THANK YOU!!
Thanks for all of the yummy local corn on the cob. 12 ears for a dollar?! Yes, you did. Thanks!
Thanks for all of the home-time with my husband!!! He taught just one summer course, and was able to work from home probably 85% of the summer weekdays. Awesome, I loved it!
Thanks for all of the awesome playground time for my kids. They couldn't have been happier seeing their friends there.
THANKS for helping my husband want to start exercising because of all the buff guys he saw at the beach, which helped me exercise even better, which helped me lose 6 lbs!! Summer, YOU ROCK!!!
We've had our fun, goodbye for now. I look forward to seeing you next year (but don't hurry back)!
Sincerely,
Jenna
Nicole: aw, cuteness! You really don't have anything to apologize for! The only thing in your life that matters right now is caring for that sweet little girl! Sad that work is a necessary evil. I tried to win the last big lottery, but I failed. I totally would have shared it with you so you could stay home and snuggle!
Anne: you brought a tear to my eye. I'm SUPER sorry that you didn't get to experience the invigorating essence of Montana! But so glad you made lots of new family memories! Hope your hot summer in Utah means you won't have such a nasty winter this year! And plan on coming to Montana for Thanksgiving or something! Montana is open for visitors the rest of the year too!
Jenna: Our squirrels aren't the sweet little brown squirrels you probably have in your neighborhood. Our are vicious, with razor-like fangs! JK, but they seriously are the loudest, most annoying creatures in the forest! Plus, the dogs bark at them incessantly, so it is a HUGE disturbance of my peace! Oh, and one made his home in our shed and shredded everything, including the insulation. Do you see why I have it out for them? They are possessed and an even bigger menace than the satanic deer who eat our garden and flowers! (If you don't believe that the deer are satanic, someone said it from the pulpit in church, so it is now doctrine!!!) Sorry for my rant. You never should have asked! :) ... Your husband was ogling men at the beach? Should I be concerned? But it is good that it encouraged both of you to amp up your exercise. For me, when I see a fit and fab chick at the beach, I say "Pass the potato chips!"
Dear summer,
I'm sorry I didn't go to Lake Tahoe AT ALL this summer.
I'm sorry for making Noble mad at me.
I'm sorry for spending so much time indoors.
I'm sorry your summer storms cause fires that make people have to evacuate and leave their homes.
I'm sorry I had to go to class when everyone else got to sleep in and visit friends.
I'm sorry I missed so many family trips.
I'm sorry I didn't get more in shape for the Jonas Brothers concert
BUT
I'm grateful I got to go to that concert because I ADORE the JoBros
I'm thankful I did go to school so I could get closer to my degree and meet cute boys.
I'm thankful I got to spend the time with my family that I did.
I'm thankful I got to catch up on some TV shows and start watching new ones.
I'm thankful I can take off my hair when it's really hot.
I'm thankful to spend time with my bestest friends and have so much fun.
I'm thankful for a loving ward family who likes to see me home.
I'm thankful for a break so I could apply for more scholarships! (Speaking of which I need your guys' help. Go to http://www.drpeppertuition.com/ and search Devree in the "Search by name" box and vote for my story. Please and thank you!)
I'm sad that I have to leave my family and my home ward and I'm sad that I have to go back to the "grown-up" life of paying for everything. :( But I'm happy I get to see Noble again. I' m excited to start my job in the library and to see lots of cute boys again (too bad a lot of them are married:/) I'm excited to have a schedule to follow.
Goodbye summer. This is a bitter sweet farewell but at least I can relish in the fact that I don't actually have to start classes tilt the 16th (ka-chow! whatchall thinkabout THAT?!?!?) and I get first picks in our apartment. PLUS I get to start dating cute boys again. All is well in the world of Devree.
Devree: I have to know: what did you do to make Noble mad at you? Did you show his baby pictures to his girlfriend? ... Staying inside isn't so bad; you won't get sunspots on your cheeks that way. I'm talking about your face cheeks, I don't think anyone has sunspots on the other ones. I'm so jealous you can take your hair off when you overheat. baglol (bust a gut lol, which is way better than just lol.) You get to work in the library? Again, you make me jealous! Let's trade lives for a week or two, ok? I can't guarantee that I'll get you good grades though. OK, I'm off to vote for you! Good luck Devree!
I guess lack-of-sunspots is a plus... Yes, bald is the way to go unless you really care about images. Yes I get to work in the library, I'm so excited. I think I'll be me for the time being but I'll trade you when life gets tough. :P Thank you for voting!
For the first time in my life I didn't get to spend some of my summer in MT. That was a LONG streak to break. And heartbreaking as well. So sad!
Like Anne, I didn't look at the stars enough. Although when I did I was astounded. And I actually observed them quite a bit. But since it wasn't every night it wasn't enough. They make me feel miniscule and enormous all at once. I love that we all cuddled on our slab of concrete and watched the meteor shower a couple of weeks ago. And then #2 and I slept outside under them. The best evening with the stars was actually the 3 nights in a row I walked down to the beach at Girls Camp and gawked at the blanket of shimmering celestial orbs, some of them even reflecting in the lake. My Heavenly Father knows me!
I hate that I didn't get to connect with my extended loved ones in distant places. But I love that I got to connect with my immediate loved ones in distant places. Three weeks of solid togetherness was the beautiful experience of a lifetime. YOLO!
I hate how quickly summer's end was reached. I love how we kicked it off with a camping trip! This world is so beautiful!
I hate how busy our summer was. But I love that I NEVER heard, "I'm bored!"
I love how we got a couple of rainstorms and biked and played in them. I hate how they didn't provide enough moisture and now we are dying of smokey air pollution. I have never been inside so much in my whole life. I'm CRANKY!!!!!
I love how the temple opens my eyes to deeper meanings and greater understanding of Heavenly Father's loving ways. And I love how some things I learned at Education Week highlight the poetry in the Creation and the Fall. There is no more creative author than our Heavenly Father! His ways are beautiful, simple, poetic, layered (like onions!) and dripping with meaning. I LOVE to learn about His ways! And I LOVE even more when His Spirit illuminates His ways to me. My Heavenly Father loves me!
Farewell summer, you will surely be missed in my home. I don't apologize for anything this summer....it was fabulous. I was blessed to go camping, trekking, see family, travel, take the children to the lake everyday (cept Sunday of course,), have tons of ice cream (if you weighed it out, it probably would be at least a ton), have a surprise visit from my family and my sister and I had a laughfest, picked 100s of lbs of cherries, made jam, played backyard baseball, visited with friends, attended the temple with two first timers, hiked, biked and ate ice cream.
My only sadness about it all is that my sweetie had been gone all summer.
I am really mourning the end of summer...can anyone spare a tissue. Boo hoo
(Thank you for asking this question...I am going to copy this and put it in my journal, since I didn't have time for that!!!)
Devree: Isn't kinda fun to be like, hmm... which hair should I wear today? I bet you feel like Alias. You should pretend like you are a spy and your cover is being a librarian and you are looking for new recruits--what a great way to meet new guys! ;)
Paulashawn: how does one ever follow you? And unfortunately , that's my lot in life. I didn't star gaze enough either and I couldn't stay awake long enough to see northern lights. :( Let's go night skiing when you come this winter! We can make snow angels while looking at the stars ... and when we get up, we will look back and see that your angel has a REAL halo on it!
LivingstonslifeinMONTANA: You don't have any regrets because you live in the bestest place to celebrate summer! I can't believe you picked 100 pounds of cherries! Did you eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner? I will bring you tissue tomorrow, until then, you're either going to have to buck up or use your sleeve.
Post a Comment