Our first week of summer

While it is true I have a love/hate relationship with summer, I have a good feeling about this one.  Working from home and trying to manage two boys is challenging and every summer I like to think I've learned something.  This is my fourth summer working from home and the boys are 12 & 8 - old enough to not really need daycare but young enough that they still need to be kept busy and watched.  My tutor/babysitter for Nick starts next week so this week we slowly but surely settled into our summer routine.  The first week is almost over and I have to say it's gone great!!!  The boys have gotten along relatively well - better as the days have gone by.  They have done what I've asked (for the most part).  Jay mowed my friend Laura's lawn while she was on vacation.  He also mowed our grass.  Nick has been trimming trees.  The boys have spent time in the sprinkler, jumping on the trampoline.  Jay has had a morning basketball camp and last night we helped my sister move.  We all commented that my boys are finally at the age they are more of a help than a hindrance.  Ha!  Seriously, they were a huge help during the move.  I'm trying to take more of a "quiet" approach this summer.  I feel like my mouth is always in motion - telling the boys something and it's not necessarily nagging but I open my mouth too quickly sometimes without thinking things through.  I'm trying to be more aware of that. So all in all the first week has gone really smoothly.  Let's just hope it lasts.