Sammamer!

Sunscreen? Check. Water Balloons? Check. Slip and Slide? Check. Chardonnay? Check.

Now that summer is showing its glorious face in Sammamish, are you ready, 'Teau Mamas? For some, school is out already. For the , we have another week of school (unless you're my son who's going to soccer regionals in Boise on the weekend - Whoot Hoot Crossfire!).

When the day comes when you no longer have to get up at 6:15 (Amy) to send that junior high student on his or her merry way, or when you no longer can rely on the lunch ladies to feed your child every day, will you be ready? It will be showtime sooner than you think. In a week the kids will be home all day, arguing over everything, and I might as well hire someone to stand in the kitchen all day doling out snacks, doing dishes and making meals.

Camps? Did you sign up for summer camps on time? This area has a plethora of choices. Sports, Arts, Computer...I have one child who only does soccer and another who is too shy to do classes now that Mommy and Me is five years beyond her. So, I did not need to sign anyone up for camps this year for the first time, ever. Yipee. Supplies? I have the sprinkler that looks like a wiggly, neon worm, I have the water balloons, the tennis rackets, the Frisbee, butterfly net, dive sticks, floaties, goggles, chalk in 27 colors and shaped like fruit, lemonade mix, Popsicle maker, croquet set and hammock. (The last one is for me while they amuse themselves). I highly recommend a trip to the Dollar Tree in Renton for oodles of summer necessities.

Even though we're still getting those 58 degree days, it can all turn in a few hours so we need to be ready. The flower pots are planted, the hot tub is cleaned and ready, the dogs have been briefed on behavior around small children, the fans are dusted, summer clothes are accessible, camping gear is ready to go, fishing poles are untangled and already I'm exhausted. I still need to power wash the patio from winter guck and sort out the Nerf guns.

Beaches and pools are often a great way to get a relaxing moment if there are lifeguards, and you are being smart about your child's level of safety. Many of my friends have memberships for the pool alone. It's an outdoor summer hangout where you can order lunch for the kids and a margarita for yourself. Once it gets warmer, we have and Beaver Lake Beach, if your kids will venture into real water to swim. My kids were brought up swimming in the river at the dog park so they'll douse in any form of water if they're hot enough, but some of their friends are grossed out by things floating in a lake, like vegetation. Lake Sammamish has several wonderful parks, like the one at the bottom of the lake near I-90 or Vasa Park in Bellevue - which is lots of fun, once the water heats up. And for you folks that just moved here from the East Coast, don't wait too long for the water to get really warm because you'll miss the whole summer. Warm enough means still chilly, but refreshing.

Unfortunately summer is not a break for the Mother of the Family. It's a lot of work. Next to Christmas, summer is the busiest time for Mamas. And, unlike Christmas break, summer is twomonths long. But we are working in gloriously lovely weather and that takes some of the sting out of organizing a day at the beach with a picnic lunch and bags full of beach toys, sunscreen, snacks and floatables. That and the fact that what you are doing makes everyone deliriously happy. Did you buy that beach chair in hopes of sitting in it this year? I hope you get to enjoy it. I'm really rooting for you. In the midst of all this, remember to pace yourselves. Every day cannot be a full-on Disneyland day.

Here's to us: The Mothers who makes the good times roll, who make it look so easy it appears effortless. Of course we know it's not. Take your vitamins, line up your beach reads, get your menu plans ready and stock up on everything while you still have time without kids during the day. Think barbecues, kids running through your house, everyone taking off at a moment's notice to the beach. Think fun. Sammamer is right around the corner.