Five on Friday: Summer Begins

School's out and I'm overwhelmed by the schedule. Seriously. I've signed the athletes up for so many summer trainings, leagues and camps that I don't even know if any of the dates conflict. They kept throwing links at me and I kept entering my credit card number and I'm just kissing it up to god. I've given up. Succumbed to incessant sports that obey no typical seasons. 

We got back from a weekend away (sports-related, natch) and jumped right into the first full week of no school--which meant basketball camp, weight room training and summer soccer league games. It's totally crazy, but it does keep the boys active and busy . . . now to figure how to keep younger sister occupied (but maybe at not quite the same frenzied pace).

In the meantime, here's how our very early summer is going so far (aside from the athletic insanity):

1. Yes, our weekend getaway was because our boys were both competing in the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Track Meet. Yes, that was quite an honor for them, yes we are really very proud of them both and yes, it was nice to have a mini-vacation with just two out of five kids. But do you know what else was really nice and something we're only able to take advantage of recently? Ditching the kids, even while away, and doing stuff without them.

While the boys were hanging with their friends in the hot sun waiting the eight hours (!!) between events, Daddy-O and I snuck out to a museum that they would have complained about being dragged to anyway.

2. Speaking of getting away without the people you love the most, I've got overnight plans with a friend tomorrow night and I am very much looking forward to it. There will be a pride parade, henna, two museums (take that, kids!) and meals I don't cook.

3. Deer ticks! So many deer ticks. So much time spent trying to determine if you actually have always had a freckle near your toe or does that thing have minuscule legs? Was that a random tickle or was that bug crawling on you? It makes summer fun!

4. Watching a mama bear amble across the yard while two adorable cubs scramble down from the cherry tree* to follow her also makes summer fun as well as infinitely cuter . . . as long as the watching takes place from a safe distance away. Being in between mama bear and said cubs would end up putting a real damper on . . . well, life probably.

5. Lastly and most importantly is that I am the proud inventor of a new summer diet craze! It's called the "I just want an interesting salad and a cocktail for every dinner and I'm a grown-ass woman so that's what I'll have" plan. 

I'm off to a strong start.

Also on my plan this is called potato salad.
You're welcome.

*Postscript: The bears may be a common scene this summer! After that first sighting, they returned yesterday while I was at work. My husband, working from home, literally took his laptop out on the roof so he could continue working while watching mama and two cubs 35-40' up in the tree eating cherries, play fighting, hanging out and napping in our cherry tree for hours.