End of summer not-so-shining moment

I very well could be one of the only people that is never disappointed to see the summer season go.

For the past couple weeks the majority of my "friends" Facebook status' have been updated to reflect the sadness over the summer season drawing to a close, but me...while I haven't actually updated my status it would probably read something like this:

Type A Mom is thrilled to have her life back in order - yea September!

Now don't jump to conclusions and assume that I am one of those mothers that is thrilled to get her kids out of the house and back to school. I am far from that.

I am a Mom that works, and I work in an industry that is unfortunately is busiest during the summer months. It's construction in New Hampshire...if you've ever been to New Hampshire between November and April you are probably well aware that we have loooooong winters. So we work when we can, and summer is the ideal time for this.

Now before you get out your violin for me, yes I worked -- a lot this summer...but remember this when I'm taking a vacation in September, and again in January, and again in April. I often appear "spoiled" because we vacation so often, but we can't vacation in the summer when the rest of the world can and does.

I am also a Mom that put a concise effort into letting the little things go this summer and having fun whenever possible. Typically I am one that would make sure that life is in order before allowing myself to join in the family fun. I simply let it go this summer.

It felt good, the world did not implode....and although my house is far from clean, and the laundry is still in piles...we had a great summer and I truly enjoyed the time I spent with my kids. They are growing so fast, their personalities so unique it was just fun to be with them.

Now I need to be sure that I document that we had a great summer, because although we spent many a day at the lake, boat rides, playgrounds, mini-golf, campfires, trips to Nana's, swimming in the pool, playing in the ocean....I have this sinking feeling that when asked to write about their summer vacation, they will write: Mommy broke the door.

Ugh. Yes, Mommy broke the door.

It certainly was not my shining moment of the summer, but since it happened just last Friday I am sure that it will be fresh in their mind when they recall all they did this summer. Now I would like to think of myself as a reasonable parent. I don't do a lot of yelling, but there are times when I am at the end of my rope that I raise my voice. I don't hit, I don't throw things...but sometimes I yell. I am not proud of it. So it was Friday afternoon, the kids have been bickering most of the afternoon. I reached the end of my rope as they were fighting on the back porch over who was closest to the popcorn bowl. Seriously? They were about to come to blows over the fact that the popcorn bowl was closer to one child than the other. So what did I do? I burst out of the screen door, grabbed the bowl and moved it to the center of the table, giving clear instructions that no one is to touch the bowl. Well what do you know, my "bursting" through the screen door must have either bent the aluminum frame or hinge, because the door no longer closes properly. Nice. Now I fully admit that I was wrong, but this door has had issues from day one. It is not at all a quality door, it never closed gently...but always with a slam. Nonetheless It would be closing fully still had I not "burst" out it.

I said it wasn't my shining moment.

I beat myself up over it, and once I cooled off the kids and I actually laughed about it. It was the joke of the evening around our campfire, and I'm convinced that my admission and acceptance of my wrongdoing and overreaction has turned a bad situation into a positive lesson. Still, I fully expect the first picture to come home in the backpack to be of a broken door and mom yelling.

We had a great summer. Honestly.

Alas, I am looking forward to September. Our summer was great, but I am truly looking forward to the organization and routine that the school year brings. It is my time to get life back in order, and put my best foot forward.