summer

One month of summer is already gone. Someone casually mentioned to me the other day that we only get 18 summers with our kids before they're grown ups. At first I got mad, like how dare you say something so offensive. But it kind of changed my whole attitude about getting through this summer. 

Instead of getting through it, I'm trying to take advantage of opportunities to just be outside with the kids and let them do stuff they don't get to do during the school year like run around in the street with the neighbors an hour after their bedtime. They've had tons of popsicles and we eat dinner in the front yard most evenings. And it's usually chicken nuggets, fruit and pretzels or something like that. My new take on summer is also coming from the fact that Angus is getting a LITTLE BIT easier. He still spends a lot of time on the floor crying but not as much. 

I always have big plans in May for continuing reading and math throughout the summer and it never happens. We've done math and reading ONE time so far. I have high hopes for July.

I'm just now starting to realize that you kind of have to submit to the summer lifestyle or you'll go crazy. The house will always be a wreck even if you spend the entire day cleaning. The kids will get away with so much more than they usually do. And there will be more fighting and mom losing her marbles because you can't give away your kids. So they have to live at home, all together all the time with no breaks from each other for 2.5 months so you all just kind of do your best and watch way too much TV.

Summer is such an interesting time with kids. I don't remember what it was like when they were little but now that they are school age, having them home takes a special kind of energy most people don't have. If I am going to get anything done during the day at all, it has to be before noon or I simply cannot do it. There's no summer energy left for it after noon. Even like sweeping or dishes. That stuff has to be done in the morning after coffee when I get that spike of energy. The only one I'll get each day. And I'm not even that old. 

Anywho, I have a lot of pics. There are so many photo ops these days. 

I forgot to put this in the blog two weeks ago. They did a giant slip and slide for VBA (Vacation Bible Adventure). I happened to be near by when both Mya and Winter came down. Mya, true to form, sat down first and used her hands to move her down the slide slowly. 

Winter, also true to form, got a giant running start and FLEW down. She went so fast that she plowed into the boy who went down way before her. He was more like Mya.

I cannot get over how old these kids look here. Rylie, the oldest standing in front of the truck was two years old when I moved in. And now her feet are bigger than mine. 

Mya got to go to camp for the first time. She was there for four whole nights and loved every second of it. It helped that the camp is at our church down the street and all of her friends were with her. 

Mari took Winter home with her since her older girls went to camp and Winter and Grace aren't old enough to go yet. And also because Mari is a saint and also a little crazy to agree to let Winter spend 24 hours with her. I went down to join them the next day and we all spent the day at the beach. I told Mari she's not going to get the chance to miss me because I'm going to visit her way more than the appropriate amount of times throughout the year. 

These two August babies are 5 days apart and such sweet girls.

So most people post pics at the pool and the beach and barbeques etc. You know, summer stuff. But the reality of summer is this picture. Times four. They are mad because I won't let them have a 2nd cookie before dinner.

He usually ends up on the floor when he's upset. Okay I'm going to call attention to that disgusting floor. If you feel bad about your floors, just look at this pic. Dan asked me the other day where the mop was. I laughed at him. I have mopped a total of two times in the last 10 years and I'm pretty sure they were both right after we got married and before I got pregnant with Mya. So yeah, it's been a while. I threw the mop away like 5 years ago. We have a lady come in and clean our house professionally twice a year. Good enough for me. 

Speaking of dirty. If you heard the number of times I've said, go back inside and put shoes on, you would be pretty surprised. And yet those are her black feet. They always come out in shoes and then somewhere in the commotion of kids in the street and talking to other moms and dads, those sneaky stinkers kick the shoes off and never look back.

It's almost as impressive as it is gross.

Here's a good action shot of them fighting over a lego.

Here's Addie in her favorite dress ever. It's a christmas dress she wasn't big enough to wear back in December. A sequencey sparkly Christmas dress. She puts it on the second I wash it and hang it in her closet. And then goes outside and plays with sidewalk chalk in the street.

Our fish tank is gone. Obviously. It's pretty sad. Especially with a gaping hole there. Once Dan puts a wall in there it won't be so bad I think.

Just a normal summer evening...

Wendy and I have a running joke when we don't want to buy something, we just say, I could make that and keep walking. It's funny because neither of us makes anything really.

But when Dan says, I could make that, I totally believe he can. He really is a very talented guy. 

I told him to think Vanna White here.

I didn't think it was possible for this guy to get any cuter, and then he got a haircut.

I can't even.

Dinner in the front. Addie's still in PJs. And they don't even match. Winter has a mustache tattoo on her cheek. 

Addie always hugs me or kisses me at the most random times. Usually when I'm in the middle of doing something or yelling at someone.

Winter occasionally asks me if we can take selfies and sometimes I say yes.

Addie's mad that I tried a new kind of boxed mac and cheese. Angus isn't.

He is on this dog all day long. 

It was Otter's 10th birthday Monday. Everybody's growing up.

Taking a nap on the play dishes.

I've given up on telling Addie to sit on a chair. She's just so tiny that it's way more convenient to sit on the table.

The kids are at a really good age. None of them are insane toddlers and none of them are hormonal teenagers who think they know everything... which is pretty much the same as a toddler. 

It is by no means easy being their mom but it is a nice time to be their mom.

They love it when we go pretty much anywhere like the grocery store, the carwash or the post office. And they get excited about having mac and cheese for the millionth time. They still think my dance moves are awesome and my jokes are hilarious. And they make me laugh about every 5 mins.

Angus: Mommy I had a headache.
Me: Where?
Angus: In my mouff. (opens mouth)

One of Addie's many entertaining dinner blessings that rarely have anything to do with food:
Dear Jesus, I hope you don't die again and I hope you have fun in heaven and I hope we have fun in heaven when we die. Ummm, Amen.

I let the littles play in the car in the cooler hours of the evening. It contains them for a little while and I get a chance to sit down and take a break from yelling at them to get off of people's lawns or to get out of the street when a car is coming.

Angus - Goin ta in n out mommy what you want?

My mom is turning 70 tomorrow. We threw her a little party. I got pictures of many but not everyone who came. They kept moving around and I took like 3 pictures of the same people and none of a few. Photography is not one of my many gifts haha. Kidding. 

Happy 4th of July to you all. 

It is so nice to stop for a day and recognize that we are all extremely blessed to live in America.