Hazy Days of Summer

So, our summer has begun, and things are subtly shifting.  As the kids get older, the dynamic is changing.  Or perhaps I'm blaming it on their age when it's just me!  You know all those books I'd lined up to read the kids?  Well, I haven't really read them consistently for months now.  The kids both have their own books that they like to read at night.

Alex is a mixed package these days.  Messy as anything around the house, still...BUT much better about keeping his room clean and helping out.  I can also get him to run errands or stay home for a delivery, and there's hardly ever been a better sport about it.

Fiona and I are in the midst of what we've dreaded for at least a month.  She's supposed to be cleaning her room, which has been in a ridiculous state for far too long.  We both are miserable throughout this process.  I keep hoping and thinking that she's finally starting to make some progress, but I finally had to pull the plug last night.  That is, the plug on the laptop.  I've been downloading stories for her to listen to as she cleans (one of the only ways I can get through it myself!).  I really do want her experience to be as pleasant as possible, but she's prone to simply sit down in the middle of the mess and listen to story after story.  Generally I break down at some point and do most of it for her, but she nearly always trashes it immediately after that, and she's nine now...

So, not complaining, really.  We've both been anticipating this--making a mountain out of a, well, little mountain of a mess.  Certainly bigger than a molehill!

I am still waiting for my own attitude adjustment that generally comes with summer.  I'm still far too spoiled with alone time, and this 24/7 thing is a lot for me to take, even if they're the sweetest people on earth!  Fortunately, they're both sleeping at the moment--hoping they stay conked out for a while!

Oh, one new fun thing...  Alex introduced me to the game of Rumis yesterday, and I quite liked it!  He beat me 2 of 3 times (and no, I never 'let' him!), but now that I have my bearings, we'll see...