Memorial Day Weekend--2026!

Hellooooo, peeps, from the flip side of Memorial Day Weekend!

The official (but really, official) launch of SUMMER!

(I think my beloved Chicklet's vibe here says it all!)

I'm not gonna lie: it's always so wild (and wildly annoying) when the kiddos have to return to school for one, final week, post-Memorial Day.

Chica was literally completing a math assignment last night after our family swim time and it felt so ridiculous and out of place!

That said...she's pretty sure the assignment wasn't even for a grade--and every day this week brings us closer and closer to that free-for-all, school's out vibe!

Tomorrow is the final full day of school.

Then Thursday and Friday are early release days.

The kiddos don't even bring backpacks at that point!

In fact, if it weren't for Chicklet's Theater Banquet tonight, along with both the 6th grade (tomorrow) and 8th grade (Thursday) end-of-year award ceremonies, we could skip school--and town!--and nobody would care.

Alas...we'll trudge through these final, few days with as much stamina as we can muster--until we crawl across that finish line and celebrate, BIG TIME.

Speaking of celebrations...

On Thursday late afternoon/evening, we're hosting the 4th Annual End-Of-The-School-Year Pool Party that's historically just been Chica's friends (as a way of celebrating her June bday early), but this year, we're throwing Chicklet's buddies into the mix, as well, and making it one, big, splashy HURRAH! 

Little Man, Coda and the hubby will flee from the house for a couple of hours, and by the time the evening is done and the kiddos make it through those few, silly hours of the school day on Friday, we're done, DONE!

Amen, HALLELUIAH!

All of the above said...we had such a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend with lots of family time, high spirits and tons of school's-out vibes amongst our crew that it kinda-sorta feels like we've already made it.

It finally, truly believe that summer--and all the levity that comes with it!--is UPON US! And my kiddos' smiles and vibes are proof!

Beyond a bunch of couch sitting, movie time, cooking, baking, church and just general chilling...I managed to tackle a bit of yard work in the back to spruce up the pool area for all the summertime swimming--complete with fresh outdoor pillows, artificial flowers (or they'd die in the South Texas heat!) for the pots, new pool floats and all the things that signal the launch of family summer swim time!

It's tradition to "open" our pool over Memorial Day Weekend, and we had the best time enjoying the fun and the sun--Coda girl, too!--and sinking (pun intended) into those glorious, slower vibes of June/July.

Alas...pools and yards are glorious, but require a lot of upkeep!

Not only has our pool been extremely high maintenance in the past two months (requiring a whole new pool pump, new auxiliary pump and new breaker--OYE!), but the porch railing is in great need of some paint attention, so I began the project of sanding and painting it, yesterday, and already, it looks so much better!

My greatest accomplishment--above and beyond the actual painting--is that I managed to avoid project creep (a real problem for me).

Yesterday, I only allowed myself to paint the top of the railing and the main posts, while leaving the smaller bars and lower railing for another day.

It made such a visual difference that my soul didn't hurt too terribly to cap my work at just two hours and ENJOY the rest of the day with my family. :) The second half of the project will happen another day...soon. ;)

All of my kiddos love the water, having grown up for the past seven years with a pool, but Chicklet is such a happy little fish that I can count on her always (always!) being the one to beg to open the pool and get in the water ASAP. 

It was a joy to watch her entire body ease and lighten, thanks to her favorite active pastime.

I think she smiled more this past weekend than she did in the past month, and it made my heart so happy. 

The one thing I don't love about family swimming season?

The incremental LAUNDRY, ha.

I had a giant load of beach towels and swimsuits to tackle while everybody else started to wind down for the night, but I suppose that's my burden, and I'll gladly bear it, for the smiles that swimming brings!

Poor Little Man was so wiped (especially thanks to a couple of late bedtimes the few nights prior) that he very nearly fell asleep once he was inside and showered.

A good sign we're doing something right, I think. ;)

I'm SO grateful for such a happy launch to the summer, and I'm doing my best to keep a positive outlook as we tackle these next few busy days before we finally cross the finish line and enter the months of a different kind of busyness--and much-needed respite!

Happy Summer, peeps!

Over and out.