Musing Along on Monday

Happy Monday! The first Monday in June! (Whew! Is it June already?? Time doth dash along.)

Emily had her dance recital yesterday, and a beautiful (if not a tad bit long) performance it was. We realized she finished her 8th year of dancing this year -- although, as I said to one mom, she's been dancing since birth, I think...one of the big reasons we got her involved in dancing to begin with. She'll have a week of "point club" next week -- 2 1/2 hours each night -- and then no more dance until September.

Edward finishes up his Spring soccer season this coming Sunday. He has one more practice and one more game. I think he's excited to be finished, though he seems keen to keep practicing in the yard. We're not sure if he enjoyed the kids on his team this season. There are always one or two bullies that make it hard on the others. Still, he gets to start fresh in the autumn.

Both kids began their Summer Bridge books today. Edward was so eager that he came down around 7:30 a.m., hugging it, and had his one-page completed by 8 a.m. We had a little "moving up" ceremony for them on Friday evening, complete with certificate/giftcard/Summer Bridge book presentation by "Principal Foote" and "Pomp and Circumstance" playing in the background. Silly, but fun, for all of us.

We've set some "summer goals" for ourselves. The kids want to learn to ride their bikes, play hopscotch, and jump rope. (They've tried their "hand" (and feet) at each of these activities, but I think they're eager to master them this summer.) Emily wants to learn to do a split for dance class, and Edward is keen to learn to dribble a soccerball better. And I have three books to read out loud to them. We also hope to begin a new chore game that I read about in a family magazine. You write down chores on popsicle sticks and put them along with several blank sticks into a cup. Then each person takes one and that's the chore that he/she does for the day. Sometimes you might get lucky and get a blank -- so you get a day off. It sounds good to the kids in theory. I'll let you know how it goes in reality. *wink*

Only 7 1/2 months until the start of my favorite-most show. The 2-hour prequel is slated to show the weekend before Thanksgiving, so not quite as long to wait for that. I saw another little tidbit regarding the Mirrors movie and cannot wait for it to come out in August...though I might find it hard to look into mirrors afterwards.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
• bowers of honeysuckle
• an enchanting landscape
• small limestone cottages
• the first roller coaster ride of the summer
• fish and chips

* * *

We've had a ton of honeysuckle springing out all over the area this year.

Everytime I see it, I have the memory of a warmer early-summer day, back when I returned home from college. I was driving to work each morning, through woods filled with its sweet aroma. Most of the places we lived when I was smaller had some growing somewhere close by.

Emily always speaks eagerly about the sweet taste of honeysuckle, having sampled some one time when she was much, much younger.

Edward was curious what it tasted like, and she began to describe it as if when you pull out the little bit with the nectar on it you get a cup's worth of sweetness...when in reality you get a teeny-tiny taste.

Still, who am I to challenge such imagination?

I'm sure it felt that way when I was younger, too.

One day she might be listening to her kids telling each other about the sweet goodness of honeysuckle, and she'll know what I know.

Until then, let her enjoy her own memories.

*wink*