Summer at the "cabin"

I just received an email from a friend who said she had missed my blog posts.  My!  So I'm posting today by popular demand.  I admit that I do not enjoy blogging on my iPad and the iPad has "come between" me and my regular computer so it puts me off a bit.  However, who can resist a call to blog? So here I am at my regular computer and I will try to jot down a few summer comings and goings.

This summer has been a "cabin summer."  It has been the first relatively relaxing several months I've had since, well, prior to getting married and possibly prior to law school.  My life had been at such a fever pitch for so long that I could hardly believe how this summer felt. I decided I needed to ride this out.

Since I couldn't go to the cabin because I don't have one, I decided I would just have a cabin mentality right here at home.  Needless to say, I've had a very laid back summer.  Of course, with the kids at home, a husband away on fires, a pet who loves attention, my Relief Society calling, and a house and rental, it is not like there was NOTHING to do but there have not been a lot of things pressing in on me.  L could drive to swim practice by herself (whew). That is a huge change from last summer. I am not Young Women President and that by itself emptied my schedule pretty effectively.  I did not work this summer since I work at a school and this is summer vacation.  My mother and her estate are "gone" and those were also big responsibilities that are no longer here.  The kids are teens and sometimes "less" attention is actually "more better" where they're concerned.

There were some things I did do.  Lindsey and I did go to a relative's mission farewell and had a nice but quick trip. I did do a family book of cousins' memories for a family reunion for my mother's side of the family. I really enjoy doing books (as if you couldn't tell). My sister and I went to our reunion for our mother's side of the family--fated to be the very last ever. Sigh. I helped my sister with a reunion for my father's side of the family and she volunteered the two of us to do the reunions ad infinitum. I thought that reunion went well and June 8th will be the date next year.  Some day we'll really have that down pat.

I did take Tyler to his work most days.  I did do my Relief Society calling.  The health department does not need to be called regarding the state of my house--we played at keeping it clean. I did do laundry, grocery shopping and prepared most meals.  I did teach a one-time class about making the Shutterfly books. I helped with canning (other things in addition to the previous post's items). I did read a heap o' books.  L and I have been watching movies (something I almost NEVER do) as well as a British comedy and the Olympics during that time after she comes home from standing seven hours in the sun at her work and before she goes to swim practice in the evening out in the sun. A little girl bonding time since she will likely be off on her own about this time next year. (In fact, I watch almost no TV, in case you wonder when I find time to read.) I did do school shopping for/with the kids and for me.  I did get both kids registered for school which starts this week.  There are probably other things that I'm forgetting.  And there was still RELAXING on the schedule most days here at my "cabin."

And now this week, tomorrow in fact, I go back to school.  Cabin time is over.  It was lovely. It has probably added years to my life.  "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."