{"id":9051,"date":"2023-08-27T13:54:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T17:54:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/themaddlife.com\/?p=9051"},"modified":"2023-08-27T13:54:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-27T17:54:56","slug":"summer-2023-reflections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/?p=9051","title":{"rendered":"Summer 2023 Reflections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This summer was intended to be a \u201cSummer of Fun\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;The girls each wrote lists of what that meant for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Emerson:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Get Along<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No forced reading or workbooks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t force going out side<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Going to Watermine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Surprise things during the summer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;Never have I ever&#8221; Show<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Avery:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Going out to eat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Watermine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One-on-One Dates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More Play Dates with friends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No workbooks-Don\u2019t force us to go outside for extended period of time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Harper:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>muse paint bar with family<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bowling with family<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ice Skating<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lots of swimming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Family game nights<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spending time with grandma and grandpa\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Family, friends, one-on-one, and surprises were a theme.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was clear that workbooks and scheduled learning did not consistute fun.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I found it very interesting that nobody included electronics and YouTube on their list!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I knew no matter how hard I tried to be intentional about making fun a priority, I knew the girls would only remember what we didn\u2019t do.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tonight we sat down as a family and I reminded them:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>June 18 \u2013 Alex and Emerson at Hunter Mill Swim Pool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Week of June 19 \u2013 Monday \u2013 Harper and Liza at mall for lunch after soccer camp, Avery has Cuppetts end of season swim party at Dunn Loring Swim Pool with her mini CDC Friends, Tuesday Harper at Liza\u2019s all day after soccer camp, Thursday \u2013 Harper and Liza swimming at Papa and Grandmas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 23 \u2013 sleepover at Papa and Grandmas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 23 \u2013 Emerson goes to Declan\u2019s pool party \u2013 first boy\/girl swim party<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 24 \u2013 Petchenick family barbeque at our house<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 25 \u2013 night time swim and Ledo\u2019s takeout at Papa and Grandmas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Week of June 26 \u2013 Culinaria cooking camp \u2013 Monday afternoon swim at Papa and Grandmas, Wednesday afternoon swim at Papa and Grandma\u2019s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 27 \u2013 Blake and Avery playdate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 28 \u2013 impromptu night outside at Bear Branch Tavern<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 29 \u2013 impromptu takeout from Taco Zocola<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 29 \u2013 family Pictionary&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 30 \u2013 impromptu lunch of choice after camp food not good (A and H \u2013 Chipolte, E \u2013 smoothie) \/ Bards Alley browsing and purchase<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 30 \u2013 Emerson and Addy go to Fairoaks Mall&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 30 \u2013 impromptu Luciano\u2019s takeout<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June 30 \u2013 Family Movie Night \u2013 Hidden Figures<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 1<sup>st<\/sup>&nbsp;\u2013 Party at the McMillans (Sarah)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 2 \u2013 family bike ride to Papa and Grandma\u2019s to swim, bagel lunch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 2 \u2013 family early dinner at Red Fox Tavern and ice-cream at cute shop in Middleburg before dropping Emerson off at Camp Highroad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 2 \u2013 6 \u2013 Emerson at Camp Highroad with Adrien<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 2 \u2013 nighttime game of checkers (Avery and mom) and nighttime game of Uno (Mom, Harper, Avery)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 3 \u2013 Harper and Lizzie doing Math with ms. Pat, Ms. Pat making Harper a PB and P.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 3 \u2013 Avery making delicious chocolate chip toll house cookies with Ms. Pat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 3 \u2013 6 \u2013 Harper sewing camp with Callie<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 3 \u2013 Carne Asada dinner at the Goldman\u2019s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 4 \u2013 Swimming in afternoon at Papa and Grandma\u2019s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 4 \u2013 Neighborhood party and fireworks in the Mazda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 6 \u2013 Sausage Pasta Family night \u2013 all 5 of us after Emme comes home from camp<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 7 \u2013 Harper goes swimming and has solo sleepover at Papa and Grandmas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 7 \u2013 impromptu pick up of sandwich shop for lunch for A, E, and dad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 7 \u2013 Amaya and Avery play date at our house\u2026.production dance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 7 \u2013 Impromptu Dinner of 4 (Mom, Dad, Avery, Emerson) at Red\u2019s Tavern and then reading in Pit (talking about sex in their books)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 8 \u2013 Emerson and I went to Mosaic to pick out workbooks at Barnes and Noble and impromptu lunch at CAVA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 8 \u2013 Avery, Harper, Mommy have sleepover at Papa and Grandmas because our AC is broken\u2026.Harper and Avery have fantastic time in pool playing games and making bead bracelets, buying fabrics at Joannes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 8 \u2013 Emerson and Daddy have sleepover at Holiday Inn in Central, MD after softball tournament.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 9 \u2013 Allison Russo and Hannah come over to Papa and Grandma\u2019s for evening of swimming and takeout with me, Avery, and Harper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 9 \u2013 Harper sleepover at Papa and Grandmas, ate the best sesame bagel ham and cheese sandwich for lunch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 10 \u2013 Mommy, Avery, Harper go for impromptu dinner at CAVA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 11 \u2013 Harper and Liza go swimming at Papa and Grandma\u2019s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Week of July 10 \u2013 Avery and Emerson have Thoreau camp<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Week of July 10 \u2013 Avery\u2019s first week of Intensive Dance Camp with her friends and learning new dances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 12 \u2013 Harper and Mommy impromptu Simply Social coffee and mango smoothie after dropping A and E off at Thoreau<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 12 \u2013 Harper sleep over date at Papa and Grandma\u2019s after Futsal.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 12 \u2013 Daddy, Avery, and Emerson dinner date at Hawk and Griffin after dance class \u2013 (did not have best time though due to Avery in a mood).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 12 \u2013 Harper and Liza play date at Liza\u2019s house\/Hunter Mill Swim Club<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 13 \u2013 Mom, Harper, and Avery impromptu dinner at Caf\u00e9 Sono<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 14 \u2013 Emerson and Daddy trip to PA for softball tourney for the weekend<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 14 \u2013 Harper and Pat paint at Muse Paint Bar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 14 \u2013 Mom, Avery, and Harper Connect 4 Tournament while jamming to Mama Mia soundtrack<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 15 \u2013 Avery and Harper have fun sister day making play doh restaurants and painting \u2013 pajama wearing and no outside until 5:00 pm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 15 \u2013 Mom, Avery, Harper go to the mall \u2013 shopping at Old Navy followed by impromptu dinner at Fish Taco in Mosaic District.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 15 \u2013 Emerson makes some good plays in right field and does well at the plate\u2026Daddy and daughter enjoy their one-on-one time together at the hotel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 16 \u2013 Emerson and Daddy go to the Hershey Factory and take a tour in Hershey, PA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 16 \u2013 Mommy, Avery, and Harper enjoy swimming at Papa and Grandmas and playing the \u201cCorner Game\u201d in the pool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 16 \u2013 Family dinner of salmon (burger for Avery)\u2026first night eating at the table in over a week, combined effort in making, preparing for, and cleaning up dinner<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 17 \u2013 21 \u2013 Harper b-ball camp, learning new tricks!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 17 \u2013 21 \u2013 Avery in her second week of dance camp with her friends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 17 \u2013 surprise Starbucks cake-pops for Avery and Emerson<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 17 \u2013 fun carne asada family dinner with homemade guac and and after dinner b-ball session, family walk, and firecrackers poppers, and a surprise lizard next to Daddy washing dishes in kitchen sink<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 18 \u2013 Emerson and Grandma time together at the mall shopping, eating gelato and watching \u201cYoung Sheldon\u201d at home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 18 \u2013 Harper and Liza go swimming at Hunter Mill after basketball practice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 18 \u2013 Family dinner at the island\u2026.solid single of random food in the house (burritos, ravioli, pork) and just fun talking to each other<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 19 \u2013 Amaya and Avery play date at our house before dance class.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 19 \u2013 Avery, Emerson, Harper play a round of sequence with me as the cheerleader<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 20 \u2013 Emerson and Papa lunch date after 643, then swimming at Papa and Grandmas for a little while, and an episode of \u201cYoung Sheldon\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 20 \u2013 Harper and Liza play date after basketball camp at Papa and Grandmas \u2013 swimming in the pool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 21 \u2013 Avery and Emerson go school shopping with Mom for their own school supplies at Walmart, followed by takeout from CAVA and Pot Bellys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 21 \u2013 Harper and Daddy go to the Black Team Soccer Team Pool Party<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 22 \u2013 Harper has lunch with Ms. Pat and Mr. Bill \u2013 chick fila take out!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 22 \u2013 Emerson and Harper go to Old Town Alexandria with Papa and Grandma, eating at Chadwicks, and icecream at Kilwins!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 23 \u2013 Avery, Emerson, and Harper cook an award-winning dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmigiana, garlic bread, green beans, and brownies.&nbsp;&nbsp;Grandma and Grandpa come to enjoy!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 24 \u2013 Avery, Grandma, and Papa have 2-on-1 date and go shopping for dance\/birthday clothes at Cinnamon Tree, buying new ballet shoes and then Bagel Caf\u00e9 for lunch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 24 \u2013 We finished Number the Stars and had a good discussion\u2026reading each night alternated between lounge area, downstairs, and my bedroom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 25 \u2013 Nashville Trip! Station Inn Concert, Listening Room Concert, good food, Gulch photoshoot, muesuem, shopping for sovieners and trying on hats, swimming and hanging out with ANN friends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 30 \u2013 Harper sleepover with Papa and Grandma, swimming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 31- Harper hang out with Grandma and sewing camp<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 31 \u2013 Alex comes over to hang out with Emerson and Avery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 1 and 2 \u2013 Harper and Lizzie have fun doing math with Ms. Pat&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>July 31 \u2013 Aug 4 \u2013 Harper sewing camp with Blanca<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 2 \u2013 Emerson goes to Bazin\u2019s and has sleepover with Papa and Grandma&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 3 \u2013 Emerson goes to nail salon, out to breakfast (Sweet Leaf), and lunch (The Virginian) with Grandma<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 4 \u2013 Avery and Emerson\u2019s Birthday \u2013 lots of present opening in morning, Emerson\/Papa\/Grandma go to lunch, Grandma, Mom, Avery, Emerson, Harper go to the Barbie movie<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 5 -12 \u2013 Holden Beach for the week with the Nidays and the Brophys\u2026lots of beach time, pool time, playing pool, BBQ, Pirate Treasure Hunt, ice cream, puzzle time, Girl Scout Cooking Baking Challenge, and hanging out with friends for a week straight!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 12 \u2013 Harper\u2019s birthday\u2026morning donuts and cinnamon rolls with Brophy\u2019s and Nidays\u2026singing Happy Birthday, Pollo Peru dinner and dessert at Papa and Grandma\u2019s with Lauren, Gabriel, Noah, and Elias.&nbsp;&nbsp;10 presents for 10 years old!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 13 \u2013 Watermine birthday celebration for Maddy girls with friends and family<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 14 \u2013 Day camp at Papa and Grandma\u2019s with Noah and Elias, swimming everyone, Avery and Noah bake cookies, Noah sleeps over&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 15 \u2013 Spent day with Noah at our house\u2026.science experients, riding bikes, making forts, reading books, playing!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 16 \u2013 Liza comes over for play date with Harper before practice, Noah and Elias sleepover!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 17 \u2013 Noah and Elias spend day with us!&nbsp;&nbsp;We pick up Avery and Emerson at OES from Open House and then order food from Santinis for lunch.&nbsp;&nbsp;Elias sleeps over again!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 18 \u2013 Elias spends the morning with us after sleeping over.&nbsp;&nbsp;The girls and I all go to OES for Harpers open house, meeting Ms. Blissard and all their old teachers.&nbsp;&nbsp;We all then go to RTCP for a well check up with Dr. Powers who is hilarious and had us all laughing, followed by a 3:15 lunch at Chipolte followed by a quick fun stop in Target!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 19 \u2013 Harper goes to Zava Zone for Laurel\u2019s birthday party!&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 19 \u2013 All the cousins and Auntie Lauren and Mommy go to cousin Mollie\u2019s first birthday party and have a fun water balloon fight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 19 \u2013 Russell, Mary, Papa, and Grandma come to hang out; cousin time while Daddy and Gabriel cook dinner\u2026lots of fun playing baseball, soccer, and cuddling.&nbsp;&nbsp;All the Bernangos spend the night.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 20 \u2013 Grandma Adele\u2019s celebration of life; all Petchenicks, Russell and Mary come to celebrate\u2026.a bittersweet day. Bernangos spend the night again!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 21 \u2013 First day of school\u2026.OES bus stop breakfast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 23 \u2013 Noah sleeps over.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have yummy ravioli sausgage dinner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 24 \u2013 Noah and Elias sleep over; all the cuddles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 25 \u2013 Friday afer first week of school\u2026watched Princess Protection and ordered takeout from Bear Branch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 26 \u2013 Cousin time at Papa and Grandmas, swimming with Noah and Elias, and Lucianos for dinner<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 27 \u2013 Emerson has breakfast at Caboose with Lauren, Gabriel, and the boys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aug 27 \u2013 Hanging out with Noah and Elias and Papa and Grandmas for the official send off before the Bernangos flew back to London.&nbsp;&nbsp;We had a fantastic two weeks with them!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And yes, they needed to be reminded.&nbsp;&nbsp;I\u2019m sure they will appreciate this in time.&nbsp;&nbsp;For now, they mostly remembered the few times I asked them to read for book club or that \u201cis dinner really impromptu, if we eat it every night\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This summer was intended to be a \u201cSummer of Fun\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;The girls each wrote lists of what that meant for them. Emerson: Avery: Harper: Family, friends, one-on-one, and surprises were a theme.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was clear that workbooks and scheduled learning did not &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/?p=9051\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9051"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9052,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9051\/revisions\/9052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themaddlife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}