So summer is officially here and I know this because yesterday I noticed the craft store I was in already had their fall foilage and Christmas ornaments on the shelves. One aisle over from the tiki torches and flower leis.  Having been working in retail for quite some time now I am almost ashamed to say I enjoyed a game of hide and seek with my 12 year old while in the craft store.  I blame him entirely when he wanted to look around by himself while my sister and I shopped then proceded to call my sisters phone from mine and announce,"The game is afoot." He even managed to hide from me for about a half hour until he got a little full of himself and decided to call and taunt me as I hunted for him.  Inadvertantly giving clues to his location while doing so.  But in this summer heat we need to just be kids sometimes.  I think after being "boss lady" all day I am enjoying being a kid once I get home.  A few days ago I ventured out to the mall with the same 12 year old but this time I followed protocol letting him go to the used game store to look around and play the games they have connected in the store while I shop the department stores and give him time and space without his mother hovering.  I will add always with cell phone in hand and after a quick reminder of safety.  I am expected to give him a good 20 to thirty minutes of being on his own before I arrive at the game store.  This particular day we entered the mall through a different entrance than usual and I decided to "window shop" in this store for a change.  It's a little more upscale than I usually shop but I figured why not.  OMG I have never seen so many pinched and plumped and plucked faces looking sooooo miserably unhappy I couldn't help but think of the phrase MONEY DOESNT BUY HAPPINESS.  They were definitely the proof.  Women with perfect hair and nails and clothes, some dragging along children with perfect hair and clothes and looking like every bit of joy in life had been sucked from their souls.  I know sometimes shopping at mall with kids can be a little taxing and if you are not in the mood a real pain in the tush.  This was like all the stepford wives were on bitch meds and their faces all glared like angry birds.  Here I was with a whopping 20 dollars in the bank and a week till payday,chipped nails, hair in a scrunchie ponytail, favorite croc flip flops on, happy to be out with my son wondering what the day would hold for us.  BIG PICTURE people...we are only on this rock so many days then its off to another adventure or maybe to nothing at all but isn't that all the more reason to suck up as much joy out of this life as we can.  There is so much good stuff out there we just have to look. Remember  The Game is Afoot.