1) The kids played in a YMCA-sponsored kickball league. It made for interesting logistics, since Ava and Sadie played different games at the same time, then Delaney and Josh would play after them (luckily on the same team). They liked it so much that they all want to play soccer in the fall! Did I mention that a nanny would really be nice??
{Ava with her kickball medal}
2) A major component of summer has been swimming. Aside from vacation or sick days, we have hit the pool almost every weekday. We rotate between the two neighborhood pools, the YMCA pool, and a friend's neighborhood pool.
3) The kids and I have done a lot of reading this summer, and I even sponsored a family reading club with prizes for completing reading goals. Josh read the Percy Jackson series (he won a Wii game). Ava had 20 books read to her (she won a Barbie). Sadie is reading 10 books aloud to me and has 4 more to go. Delaney is reading the American Girl Felicity book and also Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Both girls are learning about priorities -- remembering that if they want to finish their reading club list before school starts (the deadline), they better get busy! I finished the last two Fablehaven books, Candy Shop Wars, and am almost finished rereading Wuthering Heights (I win a pat on the back from myself).
4) I have finally managed to get Josh to love playing Monopoly with me. Sometimes we play each other on Pogo, sometimes we play at the table (tournament style, which goes much faster than regular play).
5) After discovering that you get what you pay for in bed frames, we ditched our old one and just had our king mattresses on the floor. I was figuring out how to get Ryan on board to spend the $$ it would require to get the sleigh bed I was wanting, when a local furniture store cleared out all of their showroom floor models and for probably half or less of what I was going to spend on a bed, I got an
entire bedroom group + a new dresser for Sadie. Gotta love a good bargain!
6) I have been working on a major unpacking/decluttering/garage clean-out/closet reorganization. I have been unpacking boxes that have been moved around at least 4 times now (new rule -- no boxes in the garage, everything must be out on open shelves). I discovered that I have a habit of buying picture frames and then never putting anything in them! (But I have plans for a new display up the stairway.) This also included sorting through all of our food storage and finding new places inside for it. That led to more reading about fun ways to use food storage and to the purchase of an electric pressure cooker.
{We discovered a couple boxes of kids' books that had been hiding, it was like Christmas!}
7) We have continued to enjoy a bounteous harvest of various tomatoes and peppers. I am now making plans for a fall garden expansion that I hope to accomplish over Labor Day weekend.
8) We took what seemed like a never-ending road trip to Colorado to visit Ryan's family. What do you think my kids did a lot of? Swimming! :-D We got to know our cousins even better over the 6 days of driving -- we just might have to take another trip to Oklahoma sometime!
9) We've had another round of doctor's visits and tests with Sadie. That girl is trying to send me to an early grave! The good news is that so far the kidneys are not taking any of the blame. We have enjoyed a long time of avoiding doctors' offices, but I think that time may be coming to a close. However, we are very blessed that overall she enjoys good health and is still able to run around and play and have fun.
10) Josh turned 12 last week, he's getting to be an old man now. He took a few friends to play Laser Tag, then we had a bash over at our house with a huge water slide rental. He's old enough to enjoy some priesthood responsibility at church, and so I got him his first suit -- snazzy! It was great to have family and friends nearby to celebrate.
{Thanks Don, for snapping a pic for me on our way to church!}
{Josh after a visit to the LEGO store}
11) Ryan and I had our 14th anniversary on Monday. We were able to sneak away for a temple date while we had family in town. We definitely did not know what we were getting into 14 years ago, but dang it I love him and each year is better and better!
Now we are getting ready for school to start on Monday! Summer was pretty relaxing but maybe a little too fast. I spent yesterday cleaning out the schoolroom and getting supplies ready. Today I am getting scheduling finished up (I like that I am in charge of my own "teacher work days" -- they start and stop when I say they do!). I'll do a separate post soon about what we're using with each kid this year.
We're off to hit the pool again and see some friends -- hope you're all enjoying the end of your summer!
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