School is almost over. Someone pass me my wine...

It's almost over- another school year is coming to a bittersweet end. Bittersweet because while I look forward to lazy summer days hanging out at the pool with the midgets, it also means the inevitable "I'm bored" There is nobody home" There is nothing to do"  and so on and so forth. I used to be a much more enterprising mom, I had rainy day activities, bored activities, just because activities that I could pull out at any moment the summer whining set in. But alas, the kids have grown older and my ideas, which were once regarded with a reverence rivaled only by candy and unlimited TV watching, fall flat.  So what is a mom to do? Crack open that bottle of wine in the fridge? Tempting, tempting- but no- I really have to step up my game. The tween princess would be perfectly content to shove her ear buds in, blast her Ipod and give us dirty looks-, while the autistic 8 year old would rot in front of the TV watching reruns of Chowder- which being a summer slacker mom are ideas I seriously consider.  But no- while there will surely be days like that I can't idly sit by while the knowledge gained over the last 9 months of school slowly oozes out of their ears. So it's idea time! Summer library programs are always a good thing- the local schools here on the Island offer one as well as the Trenton Library- and they have one specifically geared towards the tween/teen set. There is always Waters edge pool- a family unlimited pass is fairly easy on the budget, it is close by and we are guaranteed to run into friends we know.  Pack a light lunch and we are good for an entire afternoon.  Walking to Centennial Farms, seeing the horses, walking to the pond and enjoying the children's garden- also a fun afternoon, and best a free one!  Then of course there is always the movies (not often though- kind of spendy) museums in the area- Imagination Station in Toledo is only about 45 minutes away and admission is surprisingly cheap- 8.50 for adults and 6.50 for the kids. The hands On Museum in Ann Arbor is always a fun adventure for the younger set, (although my 11 year old likes it a lot- just doesn't let on!)  So there are a few ideas to keep handy as the summer stretches out. Oops- lets not forget the family trips up north to look forward to  as well as a much needed vacation for Mom and Dad ONLY (grandparents get a weekend to spoil the kids)  So I am shutting the fridge door for now- I will save the wine for another day- I have a sneaking suspicion it will be much appreciated in a couple of weeks!