Oh, summer...

Hello from under the rock of summer that buried me sometime in June. There have been several blog posts running through my brain (typically at two a.m.) but my fingers and the keyboard have been strangers these past few months. Don't ask about the book; it's covered in avoidance cobwebs. My Twitter account? Silent. BUT, the family has been plugging away at our summer bucket list, and I promise to post a detailed account, complete with photos, sometime in September.

Or October. Hashtag PROCRASTINATION.

I'll try to avoid bucket list spoilers, but here are some of the things the Family Van has been up to since my last Internet shout-out:

Hubs went to Milan for work and took me with him. Hello, Italy. Your food is delicious, and I had fun wandering your streets and checking out your amazing churches. Love, Sandi.

The boy graduated elementary school and is headed to the big, bad, dreaded middle school in two weeks. Neither one of us is ready, but when will we be? Truly? Our root beer float talk went well (P requested that root beer floats accompany our birds and bees conversation), but I am slightly terrified about the onset of puberty. And not sure how much longer I can openly blog about my preteen without him stumbling on my posts and feeling mortified.

Both kiddos went to scout camp for the first time (with mom and dad in tow) and loved it. Despite a weekend filled with wicked storms, we had a great time learning new skills and bonding with the other scout families. P also learned not to carry electronics in your pocket while paddling in a canoe.

Hubs and I decided to coach P's soccer team next season. And by season I mean now through next July. The past year was a little rough - there was a bit of bullying among teammates as well as aggressive parents on the sidelines, and we are hoping to create a more positive environment. The last (and only other) time we coached together was back in Virginia when we were in our early 20's - it was a coed U15 team, and it was a tough run. But we're ready to get back in the saddle and excited about sharing our passion for soccer.

Summer has been fun, but I look forward to getting into the routine of fall, a routine which hopefully includes time for writing.

Stay tuned for our bucket list post!!