trashin' the place

Just a few more days of June left. Summer seems like it's going by pretty fast.

They have been begging me to buy watermelon since it started appearing at stores. I finally bought one. I have a love hate relationship with the giant fruit. I don't like cutting it. I don't like eating it. But I love how happy it makes them. And it's healthy right?

And it reminds me of summer as a kid. And it's pretty.

This is Addie coming back for more but taking her floaties with her so no one steals them.

This is Winter on the right, in heaven, watching boys do tricks on their bikes and skateboards. Every once in a while she would fetch a stray skateboard and smile as she returned it, then go back to watching. She often tells me, "Mom, I just love boys."

I started watching "Bunheads" on Hulu while doing laundry. It's a family friendly show that is pretty much Gilmore Girls with a different cast and story line. The girls started watching it with me. I tried to convince them that they wouldn't like it so I could have some time to myself. But they ignored me. They sat on my clothes, took over my bed and I kind of gave up on laundry for the day. We watched like 5 episodes back to back. It's fine. It's summer. That's my motto for the time being.

Addie sits wherever she wants and we let her because she's teeny.

They almost look like they get along...

Twitch is still alive. He's so old. Sometimes I come downstairs in the morning and think he's no longer with us because he's so still. But then I give him a little nudge on the butt with my foot and he opens one eye, then closes it and goes back to sleep. 

Winter sort of helped Dan with the cabinets this week... and looked fabulous while doing it.

Mya had a bad day recently. I was frustrated, Dan was frustrated, she was super frustrated. We worked it out but in the process, during her frustration, I walked in her room and she was emptying her trash all over her bedroom floor. I asked, "Ummm what are you doing?" She replied, "I'm trashing the place!" I had to walk out and close the door so I didn't make it worse by laughing at her taking the expression so literally, in her own room.

Winter's baby doll's leg broke off a while back. Yesterday the other one fell off somehow. She decided she should probably let her go. Mya made her a little shoe box coffin. Not sure what they're going to do with the doll and coffin... but it was a super sweet gesture and I didn't mean to laugh at them. It just happened.

That's the leg in the plastic baggie next to the doll. 

There are always lots of forts and blankets and pillow messes come summer.

Dan needed some weight in the cabinet he was working on. The kids were happy to help.

We celebrated two weeks of math flash cards and reading. This is definitely a record. I've been trying to implement summer learning for years now. Who knew $1 ice cream on Tuesdays was the key to my success. And all the laundry is currently done. And I'm getting a handle on the toy situation. I don't understand what's happening. Maybe I'm turning into the mom I've always wanted to be. Or the kids are getting older and maybe a bit easier? They still play loud and argue with each other all the time. But, I'm getting stuff done this summer. Go me.

My thankful thing this week is summer camp. All camps. Any camps. But specifically this week, Camp Idrafoje (I'd Rather Follow Jesus) Both of the big girls get to go. They sleep over for 4 nights. And church is like 5 minutes down the street if they decide to come home, which they won't. That camp is way too much fun. They send tons of pics home via email, showing the parents what the kids did all day. I love it.

Addie and Angus don't seem to notice that their big sisters are at camp. They've been playing nonstop. It's pretty nice. They are very loud little people so the noise has not really changed with the big girls gone.

They are inspecting an ant here. Possibly frying it...

Addie is quite the artist. She drew these and colored them all by herself. 

These are so perfect for me right now. It's really hard to get healthy stuff in my body in the summer. All my nutrition focus goes to the kids. And I'm not big on kid food. So, I thought why not just buy bulk healthy on-the-go things at Costco like ready made salads and salad kits, and these little chicken salad cups. I eat them with tortilla chips or crackers. They're not too salty or sweet. They have a very mild taste so you could easily add anything to them. Light and refreshing. Two thumbs up. I like Costco for bulk and convenience. It costs a little bit more for the convenience but you save by buying bulk.

Happy Thursday!