All good things come to an end...

Tomorrow marks the start of the school year for our big first grader. But before we closed the book on summer, Ben and I tried to remember all the fun things he'd done over the past few months. As it turns out we had quite a list - 82 items in fact, one for every precious day since school let out in May:

What I Did This Summer
by Ben Martin

1. Rode my bike - I can even do some tricks now!
   
2. Saw the Clydesdales @ Grant's Farm
   
3. Built a Lego town, bulldozed it, then built it again (with a campground this time)
   
4. Braved my first roller coaster (the Mine Train) @ Six Flags
   
5. Played on my first t-ball team
   
6. Went to lots of birthday parties for my friends
   
7. Read lots and lots of books from the library - even chapter ones!
   
8. Went to a family reunion and played in the Meremac River!
   
9. Went to a Cardinals game (go Chris Carpenter)
   
10. Took swim lessons
    
11. Went camping in Kentucky with Grandma & Grandpa (their camper!)
    
12. Went to the zoo
    
13. Rode my scooter
    
14. Helped Dad & Grandpa build a fence in the backyard
    
15. Watched a house demolition over @ Elliot and Ethan's (no it was not Mr. Brian and Ms. Jonica's house that got torn down...I don't even think Sam and I broke anything while we were there)
    
16. Watched tractors drive back and forth all over new town
    
17. Talked Mom into going for Paul's donuts (it's really close now!)
    
18. Saw the fire trucks with Uncle Tim
    
19. Tumbled down the tumbling hill
    
20. Played with friends while mom was at Bible study
    
21. Saw movies in the amphitheater
    
22. Went to a movie with Grams
    
23. Went to summer school for science & art
    
24. Visited the Botanical Garden with Mom & Grandma
    
25. Took a looooong train ride in Kentucky
    
26. Went to a barbecue at Uncle Jim & Aunt Tina's and swam in their pool
    
27. Collected lots and lots of state quarters
    
28. Learned all about Rome & the early church @ Vacation Bible School
    
29. Did my Kata with my Karate class in the amphitheater - Kung Fu Panda was even there!
    
30. Played with cousin Katerina, who was visiting from Germany
    
31. Splashed lots of water out of the bathtub (all over mom & dad)
    
32. Gave dad some more artwork to decorate his work desk
    
33. Swam at the pool with my friends
    
34. Spent some time with Snoopy, Arthur, and Wallace & Gromit on hot days
    
35. Made dad happy by watching The All Star Game, the British Open, and even a little Wimbledon
    
36. Visited the Science Center & saw "Sue"
    
37. Got out my shovel and did some digging in an empty lot - had to break out the cutoff jean shorts for that job...
    
38. Hugged my great little brother Sam
    
39. Fought with my annoying little brother Sam
    
40. Read dad's old Calvin & Hobbes books
    
41. Visited the Louisville Slugger factory
    
42. Played lots of catch with dad in the park
    
43. Ate ice cream cones (not in a cup dad - ha ha)
    
44. Mowed the grass for Grandpa
    
45. Helped Sam build the island of Sodor
    
46. Played with my new Leapster (thanks Ms. Lisa!)
    
47. Went to IHOP and had breakfast for dinner with Grams
    
48. Played with the hose
    
49. Ran around the house naked
    
50. Baked cookies with mom
    
51. Prayed for family & friends who were sick or hurting
    
52. Visited Dad at work for lunch
    
53. Built a pillow fort
    
54. Gigged in my room when Sam wouldn't go to sleep and was making a bunch of noise in the next room ;)
    
55. Played in the leftover sand from the volleyball courts in new town
    
56. Drove the Moon Cars @ Six Flags with Mom
    
57. Read books to Sammy
    
58. Ate 20 boxes of Life and drank 40 gallons of milk
    
59. Set off some fireworks on the 4th of July
    
60. Went fishing with dad
    
61. Fed the fish some bread with mom & Sam
    
62. Listened to "Car Talk" on the way to the barber shop
    
63. Had a popsicle party with my t-ball team
    
64. Shelled a pound of peanuts for Uncle Joe on his birthday
    
65. Rode the ferry to Illinois and picked peaches
    
66. Ushered at church for the first time on Children's Sunday
    
67. Celebrated my baptismal birthday
    
68. Built lots of cool stuff with leftover 2x4s in the garage
    
69. Got my first Bible @VBS!
    
70. Played Blues Clue's with Sammy & Dad
    
71. Made a stool in Grandpa's workshop
    
72. Wore socks with Crocs!
    
73. Flew a kite at the park
    
74. Shared a pretzel at the pool with Sam
    
75. Played golf with Dad & Sam
    
76. Got a new watch and learned to tell time
    
77. Got dirty
    
78. Helped Grandpa collect firewood
    
79. Played with Irish tractors (thanks Grams)
    
80. Went shopping for new clothes & a new backpack!
    
81. Grew and grew and grew...I'm almost 4 feet tall and 50 pounds now
    
82. Went to Open House to meet my new teachers & see my new classroom!

So there you have it...he could have probably come up with 82 more, but it was getting late, and there's no sleeping in from now on :(

Our last little act of summer was a little batting practice over at the park this evening. Ben is getting the hang of coach pitch for fall t-ball. I guess he saw this one pretty well:

Not a bad metaphor for summer I guess...he got all of that one.