Summer is Here

Yep, you heard that right moms and dads out there, Summer is HERE! Which of course means....no school!




I am lucky that I can be home with them while they are out. I am lucky there are with me for a good portion of the summer as they are with Dad most of the year because of school.









HOWEVER, surviving the summer with kids wanting attention the ENTIRE day can run even the most even keeled mother ragged.









My children especially could stump a Pinterest mom with the need for entertainment and attention. Again lucky for me I AM a Pinterest mom and have a plethora of ideas the are spaced out over the summer to help us stay sane in the hot weather. Last week we had our first day out together since school let out and it went about as smoothly as I could have hoped it would.

First we had a smooth morning with a shower and yummy breakfasts for the kiddos. Then we hopped the local bus down to our town's library where I signed the kids up for their own library cards, we did a puppet show and then took out some books and movies to enjoy at home. Spencer spent some time talking and laughing with the fish in the aquarium. Out side they posed with and as statues (it was totally cute).






On the way back we had a little bit of money so we stopped at DQ and got some cheese curds and blizzards before making the short walk home. It was a blast and the kids had so much fun.







I love how much they love books and having them thank me for the "awesome snack" was pretty damn great.

In the weeks coming up we have a few more library trips, a fireworks show on the 4th, probably another BBQ or two and several small activities for the days when the weather doesn't want to cooperate with our plans, such as rock painting, puppet show making, forts, and family games to play.

All in all I think summer will go well and I will miss them when they have to go to theirs Dad's again.

Zee's art page 

Spencer's picture of me and a turtle!

 I even have a blast just making art with them. It makes me smile when Spencer draws our family and when Kenzee comes up with ideas that she does all on her own with no guidance. It really shows how creative she is.





This is going to be a great summer with lots of fun memories. I cannot wait for the next day of fun planned.
I am sure you will all be waiting ever so patiently for my next update on how we are making it all work in today's chaotic world and keeping ourselves happy. Until tomorrow! Ciao!

Some Family Fun

Yesterday was a pretty fantastic day, it started out with my fiance making me breakfast in bed! He did his best to make my favorite (a western omelet with english muffin and OJ). Mckenzee had some "Scrambled McDaddy" and Andrew had a "Egg McDougie"! Breakfast was fun! 

After breakfast we kinda played outside for a bit with the kids, rolling around on the damp ground and trying to get the kids to roll down the hill in our front yard. 
When we needed a break from that we came in and the kids picked up their room, made their beds and then we took care of the recycling and garbage and I swept up the kitchen floor.  Once I had loaded the dishwasher DJ took the kids outside again to play in the backyard on the trampolines, while I finished up the cleaning inside and got stuff ready for lunch.  We had decided at breakfast that we were going to have a picnic out on the lawn for lunch so Mckenzee laid out some blankets and the kids made sure there was a place to put Spencer (which we ended up not needing because he fell asleep in his crib). Both Mckenzee and DJ had peanut butter and banana sandwiches and Andrew and I had turkey and ham and we all sat outside and ate, it was nice! 

As we ate lunch we chatted and laughed and eventually thought it would be a great idea to visit the Naval Undersea Museum, so we finished up and packed up the kids to go.  However we should have paid a little more attention to what we had put in the van because we had forgotten to load up the stroller which Andrew had placed near the back doors of the van.  So we loaded up the children climbed in, buckled up and proceeded to back up the van RIGHT OVER THE STROLLER! Yes we destroyed it! It was not a proud moment as I laid on the ground holding on to the stroller which was lodged under the passenger side rear wheel as DJ pulled the van forward so we could get it out! As it was the rear wheels were yanked off and it was twisted and warped like crazy so we had to get a new one.  So after DJ angrily tossed the stroller into the front yard, and we climbed back in the van, it was off to the Navel Undersea Museum!  We took lots and lots of pictures and learned a lot of things about what it is like to work under the sea.  Next time we go we are going to make sure we take some money to visit the gift shop! 

 After visiting the museum we ventured into town and visited the local Goodwill where we were able to replace the stroller we mangled with another for only $10! Thank goodness because money is quite tight lately.  Then after stopping to pick up a movie from the Redbox we headed home and had super yummy tacos! 

After dinner the kids played outside for a bit while things got cleaned up and then they went to bed and DJ and I cuddled up to watch "The Host" on the living room couch! It was a great way to end a busy day!