Warning! Warning! Another list is coming!

With summer being almost over I found myself reflecting back on things that I did the past few months; the things that I thought about and the things that I learned. Suddenly I found myself with many items that were compiling themselves into the form of a "list". As Gru from that movie with the Minions would say--in a funny Russian-type accent, "Light bulb!" I had myself a What-I-Did-This-Summer blog post! So now I can say that this is my 2nd annual end-of-summer list!

What I Learned This Summer

1. Tons of spring rain brings a bumper gnat crop.
2. People will come up with MANY ideas and home remedies for repelling gnats.
3. Putting vanilla behind your ears makes you smell like a delicious cookie.
4. Gnats like cookies.
5. NOTHING will work against gnats. -_-
6. Being given free plants is wonderful!
7. Newly transplanted strawberry plants WILL produce fruit!
8. Birds enjoy strawberries every bit as much as we do.
9. Birds are like children in that they will only take one bite out of a piece of fruit and then discard it.
10. Sandboxes apparently are an excellent place for plants to grow.
11. One should be grateful that a $20 inflatable pool lasts longer than one summer.
12. Kiddie pool water can grow algae.
13. Abby can ride a tricycle.
14. My girls can skateboard.
15. I cannot.
16. Jumping rope is good cardio exercise for your heart.
17. Running is also excellent cardio, but only if you want your heart to explode afterwards.
18. Watching "Star Trek" with your spouse is enjoyable quality time.
19. Swim suits can be difficult to put on.
20. Swim diapers can't possibly be absorbent.
21. I CAN enjoy camping as an adult.
22. I miss camping as a child.
23. I like when my vehicle's carpet is spotless.
24. Going to Flandrau State Park pool will drag a lot of sand into my vehicle.
25. Having a ponytail holder in one's pocket (or on one's wrist) at all times is essential for summer comfort.
26. Most days I put my hair in a ponytail.
27. Nail polish has fun names.
28. I like wearing a watch.
29. A band-aid really DOES make you feel better, even if you're not bleeding. ☺
30. Dairy Queen or McDonald's ice cream is a must-have after taking a walk. ☺
31. My girls have a lot of sandals.
32. I will find at least one pair of sandals outside at the end of the day.
33. I enjoy pruning my bushes.
34. NO ONE can open my entry doors with the child-safety knobs on.
35. Reading in the afternoon makes me very sleepy.
36. Boat rides with friends or family is great fun!
37. Paige and Emma love to ride on tubes behind speed boats.
38. Dave and I do too!
39. I can't water ski.
40. Abby will only enjoy boat rides if she's in the bow of the boat.
41. I equate boat rides with pretzels. ☺
42. I equate long car rides with Twizzlers Nibs. ☺
43. If you can gain weight in the winter don't expect to lose it in the summer.
44. After ten years I finally got a decent bicycle seat.
45. I don't ride my bicycle often enough.
46. Potty training a two-year-old is difficult.
47. I cannot keep track of either my phone or my sunglasses.
48. You have to have two pairs of sunglasses.
49. I always wait until August before I order my school curriculum.
50. I enjoy summer vacation as much as the girls!