Birthday Festivities

I cringe when I see moms write, "When does school start? I can't handle having the kids home all Summer." Whereas I appreciate their honesty, I think "Time is so precious before my boys grow up and move out and then making memories will be completely different. I cherish this time!". I've loved every minute of Summer with P home and I'm dreading the end of his Summer break. In fact, we've had so much fun that I've actually thought about homeschooling him just so we can keep having fun. OK, not really. I'm start enough to know the difference between Summer fun and School Year work. I am also smart enough to know that, even though I am a certified teacher, I would not be a good teacher for him. Our bond is too strong to have it be muddled with school.
At the beginning of his Summer break I bought a huge piece of poster board and we wrote out a Bucket List, things he wanted to do over his break. We have done all but a couple of the little things to date and I told him today that I just can't justify taking him to one of his last places he wants to go to. (Honestly I'm hoping he forgets about the place because it's boring after an hour and overly expensive for what is offered). We have gone to the water park, bowling alley, dollar movies, splash parks, trampoline place, blueberry farm, fishing and to the beach. But with all that I have never spent more than $20 a week for entertainment. I've tried to keep our fun activities on a realistic budget (Although tomorrow I may break that with a trip to a place we've both been wanting to go to for awhile).
Another thing he wanted to do was celebrate his birthday. (What 6 year old doesn't??) I told him he wasn't getting a huge party because we went to Disney World and have a couple other trips planned this Summer. He was okay with that. But, true to form, I like to make birthdays a week long celebration. So this past weekend we went to my in-laws' to start his birthday celebration week off with a bang (literally!). We spent the days in the pool and then we had a HUGE feast complete with birthday cake and presents before going out on a boat to watch fireworks on the lake. It was such a fun weekend! On the way home yesterday I was thinking about how loved our boys are. We have family and friends out West and in the South that just cherish our boys and lavish them with love. I hope they both realize what a blessing that is and that not every child is loved as much as they are!