Some of what makes summer so great is that with no homework and far fewer activities we are able to just go do fun things. Some favorites from this summer- pool time with the Parisi’s, driving almost an hour just to get ice cream, having dinner across from the beach (and countless Sully’s trips), our first trip to Summer Shack, seeing a show in Gloucester, getting slush, having a spontaneous water fight, building structures in the front yard, hanging out at Lawn on D, going to SkyZone and of course our birthdays.  Love these guys!

It was a busy summer with camps but we also found some time for family fun too.

York Beach is our favorite place- whether we go with friends or just the four of us. There’s nothing like sitting on a beach chair on a hot summer day with your feet in the sand, sound of the waves and watching the kids splash and have fun. And then there’s ice cream. Or, rather, cookie dough with a side of ice cream. I would go every weekend if I could.

Great Wolff Lodge was on our to do list for a while. It’s a great indoor water park that includes lots of family activities like bowling, and arcade, mini-golf and games. We were able to go for a night and squeeze in two fun days. The kids had fun on the slides but seeing them in a setting with a lot of activities for younger kids made me realize how old they are getting. They weren’t into the characters or the character themed things. But they certainly loved exploring on their own!

On a perfect Saturday that was not too hot we went to Canobie Lake. Unfortunately it happened to be the day after Chris hit his head at work and had a concussion so he wasn’t able to go on the rides. But he was a good sport and hung out with us. Brendan was tall enough to go on some rides including sitting in the first car of the Yankee Cannonball. Aidan went on the Star Blaster with me. It was a pretty great day!

We wrapped up summer by going to the Cape Codder for a couple of days. We started out at the Cape Cod Inflatable Park. I took a complete dive on the zip line but the kids loved it. We spent the day at the new indoor park at Great Wolf Lodge and visited the Cape Cod Potato Chip Company. We finished our visit with a trip to Water Wizz- on my birthday! I love that the kids still like going there with us. And I love that we had some time to relax as a family before school starts.

A terrible thing has happened in Florida. A gunman went into a gay nightclub in Orlando. During Pride Month. And killed 49 people.

Guns are a problem. A big one. He had a military assault weapon. No one needs that kind of personal gun ownership. Too many stories like this keep happening. And it is so so scary.

We woke up to the story on Sunday morning. And by Sunday night we had to discuss it with the boys. Brendan was eager to see the Tony Awards which would pay some tribute to the lives lost even if the names were still unknown. Boston’s Pride Parade was the day before.

Their questions were the same as our. How could someone do this?, why would someone do this?, could it happen here?, what can we do?

What we did was go to the Boston memorial the next day. We waited (mostly patiently) for over an hour to sign the remembrance book. Brendan simply wrote, “Love who you want.”

Fear is a terrible thing. We do our best to not let it dictate what we do and don’t do. But we won’t let it dictate who we are and who we love.

Our prayer is that violence and hatred end. And love wins.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s poem at the Tony Awards that night:

“My wife’s the reason anything gets done
She nudges me towards promise by degrees
She is a perfect symphony of one,
Our son is her most beautiful reprise
We chase the melodies that seem to find us
Until they’re finished songs and start to play
When senseless acts of tragedy remind us
That nothing here is promised, not one day
This show is proof that history remembers
We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger
We rise and fall and light from dying embers
Remembrances that hope and love lasts long
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love
Cannot be killed or swept aside,
I sing Vanessa’s symphony, Eliza tells her story
Now fill the world with music love and pride”