Winters can involve dealing with a certain amount of extra “stuff” at times, namely coats and umbrellas when it gets particularly cold and/or rainy.  But I think summer takes the prize for extra stuff.  Below is what we had to carry out to the car this morning for school/camp for the girls.  It is not all summer-related, but the seasonal aspect does add some heft.  If anything is forgotten, it is kind of a big deal or at least a bummer.  I was tempted to compare this to the Normandy invasion, but happily we did not take any mortar fire on the way to the car.

• Two “splash day” bags containing the standard swim suit, towel, water shoes, minimal change of clothes.
• Two lunches.  During the school year, it would be down to one packed lunch as Claire would eat a hot school lunch for like $2.  Claire’s camp lunch cannot be heated and cannot contain peanuts.  That basically leaves ham or turkey sandwiches and fruit.
• Extra snack / sunscreen / glasses bag for Claire for art camp.
• Standard diaper / accessories bag for Molly.
• There happens to be a tuition check taped to Molly’s lunch so I don’t forget that.
• Claire’s backpack full of books, flash cards, dry erase board, etc. for morning pre-camp study session after dropping off Molly.
• Also in Claire’s backpack are some fairy wings, red slippers, and a magic wand for a performance  at camp.
• (Unpictured) Two face sticks and one spray can of sunscreen for the morning send-off
• (Unpictured) Two girls, ages 3 and 7
• Silk map of Northern France  — oh wait, that actually was the Normandy Invasion.

At the end of the day, this stuff came home all soggy, crumpled, and scattered.  Plus completed art projects and such also came home from school.

I did not make things any easier by agreeing to pick the girls up a little bit early from school and take them for a picnic and a swim at the park in the 107° heat while Kit finished up at work.  Seriously, though, the pools are only open for three months of the year.  You have to jump on that while you can, people, even if it means a lot of sunscreen and a big pile of soggy stuff waiting for you at 10 pm.