After a 1/2 day of no school last Monday, we were already bouncing off the walls! I had been going through some old pictures and realized that the tadpoles were probably at the local Arboretum right about now! So….we borrowed Memaw and Grandpa’s pass and spent Tuesday morning and early afternoon at one of our favorite summer-time destinations (yes, let’s just jump right into summer the day after school gets out).

I didn’t take my camera along so these are pics from my iphone. We started the day with a “rainbow scavenger hunt” where you find one cool thing for every color of the rainbow. Well, let me tell you – the Arboretum fulfills that request within the first few feet of the entrance so that…um…didn’t take long. Ok – off to the next thing! Aiden was intent on catching a tadpole, of which there were many. However, they all had been scared off under a bridge into a side of the tadpole area where you’re not allowed to enter and walk in the water. He stalked the 10 or so poor creatures who hadn’t vanished under the bridge and would NOT leave that day until he got one (which, thank God, he finally did). We had to go to the tadpole pool like 5 times though!

A quick shot of the boys on the rocks by the fake stream that they have (this is “the grotto” or fake cave source of the fake stream – it’s all super cool and educational if you can read) ;) I did marvel at the ease of this trip. Not that last summer’s weren’t easy, but we’ve been coming to the Arboretum since I was pregnant with Brady. I do love having big kids who don’t run away (although Brady did at one point, but quickly doubled back to find us!)

On Wednesday, we had a fun morning at the park with friends and played at the house with neighborhood friends in the afternoon. Thursday, the boys got to go to the Zoo with Memaw, Aunt Diana and their cousins. What a treat! They actually went all day then straight to one of their last lacrosse games of the season.

On Friday, they got to sleep over at Memaw and Grandpa’s. Saturday was their very last lacrosse game (in which they did AWESOME). They played at the house all afternoon and then got to stay up late making s’mores with our friends down the street. Sunday was the first day of vacation bible school followed by a grill-out with daddy’s yummy steak, dinner on the patio, chocolate dipped strawberries and an early bedtime to make up for all the late nights – phew!

Monday was VBS and then play ALL AFTERNOON at our house with a rotation of neighborhood kids. I counted and, including my own, there were 14 kids in and out all day. I really don’t mind as long as they are all getting along. Better than my kids being bored and playing video games. Just wish someone would take my three off my hands from time to time ;) I also have had the need to instill the following rule: your friends make a mess, you either ask them to help clean before they leave or you guys have to do it. That’s the price you pay for me letting everyone hang out here all day! They honestly did a great job though and I’m hoping this, “I love being at my house – come hang out there,” is going to work to my advantage in the pre-teen and teen years (here’s to hoping they still want to be around me I guess).

In other news, Logan has taken to making stuff in the kitchen (unfortunately, he thinks…and actually can, use a knife…like a real one). Yesterday he and Aiden made me a strawberry and mozzarella ka-bob on a chopstick as a snack. I have a picture of it on my camera, but the card reader on the computer isn’t working so I can’t post it just now. This morning, when I got downstairs after my shower, breakfast was ready for everyone including me, courtesy of “Logan’s Diner” – waffles with butter and chopped up peaches. I have to say it was awesome and seriously yum. Aiden had even turned on the coffee machine (which was set up to brew) so there was coffee waiting as well! Lucky me! Logan said he’s going to make me waffles again tomorrow. sweet!

 

So real quick, back to Vacation Bible School: here is the church sanctuary set up for the kids on the first day. Clouds and kites, hang-gliders, balloons…lots of fun stuff hanging everywhere. The theme is “Sky” and the boys have been having a blast. Logan is in the 2nd grade “Amazing Airplanes” group. Aiden is with the “Colorful Kites” kindergarten group and Bray is in the “Rockin’ Rainbows” preschool group. Brady was a bit hesitant the first day, but he’s in the groove now. It’s Sunday – Thursday so mommy’s been getting a bit of kid-free time in the mornings. Logan is actually staying home tomorrow while the other two go because it’s his 2nd baseball practice and he missed the first one on Monday.

And finally, something totally stupid I did last Thursday: burned myself with a curling iron for the first time since….um…high school maybe!? I usually use a straight iron so I was doing something I usually do with that: trying to reach behind my head and grab a little bunch of hair to curl and BAM – right into my neck (not so much covering on the curling iron as compared to the straight iron). It’s quite the interesting shape too – like a perfect moon. I actually took this picture as a “before” since I’m trying some of my friend’s Rodan + Fields cream to make it heal faster. So far, so good. Everyone keeps asking me what it is. Brian said, “that’s hot – tell everyone I did it” and I’m like, “tell them you did it with what?! crazy boy!”

 

Oh ya, one last thing: today’s project – the summer chore system. This is a picture I took before I attached the chores to the sticks, but it’s designed for the boys to make sure they are taking care of themselves, each other, the family and the house every day. Each morning, the sticks (green for Logan, blue for Aiden, red for Brady and yellow for general chores) will be in their little containers. As things are completed, the sticks get moved to the un-lettered container. I wouldn’t say that these are necessarily “chores” they are more like responsibilities and daily activities: brush teeth am and pm, dress yourself, put cloths in the hamper, pick up the yard at the end of the day, pick up the playroom, read, write, do something kind, do something creative etc with the yellow sticks being things like: wipe down the table, help unload the dishes, help with trash on Monday night etc. I got the general idea from Pinterest, but found an un-finished mini planter at Michael’s yesterday – painted it, added paper and tada! I bought the sticks previously colored as well. The chores are now attached and were printed on some cool paper that I have that looks like faded notebook paper. I modge-podged a lot today! ;0)