Summer Days

Slowing Down

It has been so nice to just. slow. down.  No more running from activity to activity.  Time to play.  Time to be a family.  Time to enjoy.

 

 Time to nap.

 Time to dance!

Time for volleyball with friends. 

Time for hide and seek in the dark.

 

I am so glad we have been blessed with this time and I hope we continue to realize what an adventure this is!

Road Schooling

When we first started this adventure,over two months ago, I didn't think our schooling would change much.  I liked what we were using and planned to keep on using it.  Then we got here.  I still love everything we were using, but it took up WAY too much space.  I tried a few different things but the main problem remained.  Too much stuff and not enough storage.  I am by nature a neat and orderly person, so having containers of school supplies overflowing was just not working.  We finished out the year, but I vowed not to start the new year off on this note.  Just last week, I packed up our old curriculum and put it into storage.  Since then I have been really thinking about the direction I want to go.  All of the kids so far are at grade level or advanced so what we were doing was working.  I don't want to do anything to mess that up. 

After researching what seeemed endlessly, I came up with  solution that I believe has the potential to work.  The older two will be transitioning to a mostly computer based (not online) curriculum.  With the exception of their reading material and math sheets, most of their work will be completed and stored to disks.  Yay for organized!  The littler two will be working on unit studies, that while may take up room in the form of papers and crafts, can be disposed of fairly quickly.  No bulky textbooks and teacher guides.  Whew!  I know we still have a good bit of summer left, but I am a planner and it feels good to know what to expect.  Especially since we will most likely be making a major move in the fall (think states away) and I really don't want to get behind on anything!

Summer Flu

It started with Midge.  Standing in line at Waterworld, she suddenly said, "I think I have strep throat."  I felt her and she was a bit warm, who isn't outside in the sun at a water park in June?  That night she felt worse and when she woke up in the morning, her throat wasn't her only problem.  Pink eye was next on the list.  I knew she didn't have strep because she was now congested and nasally.  I got some decongestant and a fever reducer and hoped she would get better soon. 

Tuesday, with Midge still under the weather, Boo woke up early fevered and ill.  Her eyes were clearly victims as well.  I began the same treatment with her.  Thank goodness I have eye drops left over from our last bout of conjuctivitis.  It's so weird that they are having these symptoms this time of year.  I am sure all the cotton in the air is not helping much.  Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat and my eyes felt like they were literally on fire.  They were watering so badly I felt like I really was crying.  I put some drops in and tried to sleep the best I could.  We were also having a really bad storm and it was hard to sleep through the flashing lightning and the booming thunder. 

I think this might be a long week!

Happy

This has been a really great week!  The middle girls all had a fabulous time attending VBS.  It was really nice for them to have somewhere to go every morning for a week.  By Friday, they were getting tired but still all smiles.  The week was topped off by a visit from my Mom and sisters.  My only regret is that I have no pictures to share of all that we did, but I was so busy enjoying the moment that I just didn't take any!

On Friday we went to the rec center.  It was really fun to swim and play and it had been so hot it felt wonderful.  Later we all enjoyed a bbq and then s'mores by the fire.  We sat outside on our new "patio" and enjoyed a nice rainstorm late that night.  We really need rain which made it that much better.

Saturday we were up bright and early and on our way to Water World to officially celebrate Chiggie's 12th b-day.  I was shocked at how few people were there, the short lines, and the amazing weather we had.  The highlights of the day included riding the Mile High Flyer and Midge riding the Screaming Mimi!  We arrived at open and stayed until close, enjoying every minute of this amazing park!  That night we had hoagies, another fire, and more rain.

Sunday we woke up and started our Father's Day off with church.  Afterwards we went to Red Robin for lunch, walked the mall (Chiggie had b-day money), and then the guys went fishing while the rest of us watched a movie back at the camper. We were too exhausted for a fire that night, so we showered the kids and went to our seperate sights.

Tomorrow they go back home and I am sad to see their visit end.  To add to my sadness, Midge spiked a fever tonight, complained of a sore throat, and has what appears to be the symptoms of pink eye.  Hopefully we will get some rest this week and the sickness will pass!

Heat Wave!

VBS and More Splash Park

The first day of VBS at the new church we've been going to up here was great!  I am so proud of these girls for how brave and outgoing they have been.  Chiggie goes to the youth group one night a week and the girls are enjoying their classes and now VBS.

 Afterwards we came home for lunch and the hit the splash park.  With temps in the 100's, I couldn't imagine being outside any other way.  I read while the kids played and actually finished my second book of the summer!  I don't really have a goal of how many I want to read, just that I do want to read.

12!

I know I say it all the time, but it's just the way it is, I cannot believe how fast my kids are growing up.  Today was Chiggie's 12th birthday!  She really is becoming a young lady.  We are so thankful to be her parents and I cannot imagine our lives without her. We started the day off with birthday doughnuts, followed by church, the birhday girl's choice of bbq hamburgers for lunch, and then spent the afternoon swimming at the rec center.  For dessert tonight she chose peanut butter panic ice cream mmmmmm.  Next weekend is the real party, Water World!  Happy Birthday Chiggie, we love you so much!!!

June 1st

How can it be June already?  I'm not quite sure where the time has gone, but I do love June.  It has always been one of my very favorite months.  I was married in the month of June and I became a mother in June as well.  It's just a happy time.

 To celebrate (everybody celebrates June, right?) we went to the lake for some fun int he sun.  It was sunny, but it was not all that warm.  The kids were very brave and endured the frigid water temperature. 

 I would have to say that they enjoyed their $2 buckets most of all.  They built a village of sand castles.  Well, the girls built and Busterzilla tore them down, smiling at their anguish.

 Chiggie was pretty proud of herself that she swam all the way out to the buoy.  I can tell that she is leaving childhood behind and it makes me sad.  She was worried about fish in the water and for the first time ever commented on how cold lake water is.  How I wish they would stay little forever!