Summer Bucket List

At the beginning of the summer, the kids came up with a list of fun things that they wanted to do.  We have been super busy but somehow have managed to cross a number of things off their list:

SUMMER FUN LIST

• Organize Legos
• Learn how to cartwheel
• Learn how to water ski
• Visit Great Grandpa
• Go to Chuck E Cheese
• Make felt food
• Play in the swimming pool
• Go to a Rainier's game
• Ride bikes on the Cushman Trail
• Build a woodshed
• Play date with Rylee
• Play date with Braden
• Sleepover
• Play baseball

With just about a month left of my summer, I am remembering all of the things that I wanted to get done this summer.  I have a number of little things that I want to get painted, such as the trim to frame out my gigantic mirror and some old cupboard doors that I plan to use when I spruce up the craft room and/or laundry room.  I also would like to paint the shelf we got to store the Legos in so that it matches the rest of the playroom.  A few organizing projects are on my list as well.  I need a better system for collecting the kids' school papers and our storage room has become a dumping ground that gives me nightmares every time I open the door.  Oh, and I have something like 1500 pictures to scrapbook.  So here's what my list looks like:

• Paint trim for mirror
• Put trim on mirror
• Hang mirror
• Paint cupboard doors
• Decorate laundry room
• Decorate craft room
• Organize school papers
• Organize storage room
• My scrapbook
• Kids' scrapbooks

You'll notice I do actually have a couple things crossed off my list.  Check out my new file system for school papers, all set up in a nice clean storage room!!

So August promises to be a busy month.  Add my list to the kids' list AND the list of yard projects (which I swear is getting bigger) plus some time at the lake and an anniversary camping trip (not to mention the 10 million things I need to do get ready for three of us to start kindergarten) and I don't think we will have to worry about being bored!

I Need A Wife

Not in a Life Partner kinda way but more like a Sister Wife.  I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out.  After two weeks of having my cousin and her two kids stay with us, it has come to my attention that life is a whole lot easier with two moms.  Even when there are twice as many kids.  Dinner?  Much quicker with two people working to get it on the table.  Entertaining children?  Just when one of us was about done playing store, the other one would swoop in with a fun new idea to save the sanity.  And don't even get me started on cleaning.  While I was washing the dinner dishes (because obviously my dishwasher waits until I have house guests to break) instead of plopping down on the couch to watch "Swamp People", she was sweeping!!!!  Now don't get me wrong, I do love my husband, but I do believe this was the first time I had ever experienced such a thing.  Need to go for a 12 mile run (her) or to a training for work (me)?  No problem.  There is always someone to stay with the kids!  The whole two weeks were glorious!!!

And having another mom around wasn't even the best part!!  The kids (and, of course the moms) had so much fun together!!  Growing up, Lisa and I were very close so it melted my heart to see our kids playing together.  And play they did!  It was an action packed two weeks and we couldn't have asked for anything better.

We watched movies in our fort

 And went for walks.

Ben spent a lot of time working on tying his shoes,

 and Dominick was the official event photographer,

 but the girls?  They were inseparable...

We did some water skiing (and actually liked it!!)

We took a ride in the world's fullest canoe 

 and an evening boat ride in our pajamas!

We explored the islands at the lake

 and played Chinese Checkers (which by the way is not as fun as it sounds).

We had a picnic lunch downtown

 and went for a walk.

We went putt putting with Scotty

 and watched the excavator flatten the yard (to make way for the wood shed.  YAY!!!!)

 We went to a concert in the park (along with about 4,000 other people!)

 and danced the night away.

 We swam in the pool

 and applied our own sunscreen.

 We spent time with family

 and had the. best. time.

This morning, when it was time to say goodbye, there were lots of tears. And yes, many of them were mine.  I was sad for the kids who hugged each other with watery eyes.  I knew it would be far too long before I get to see the girls huddle together over a secret or hear Dominick say, "Cousin Becca, I have an i good dea."  I was thankful for two weeks to play and have fun but disappointed that our time together was over.  And I knew that when I went inside to clean up the house, I was going to have to sweep my own floor.

Lis, we love you guys.  Thanks for making the trip to see us.  I have an i good dea.  We should do this every summer.

Adios, Siestas

Well, the time has come.  Kindergarten is just around the corner so it is time for the Millers to say buh bye to nap time.  We have been telling them for months that on their half birthday they wouldn't have to nap anymore and as of last Friday we have 2 five and a half year olds living with us.  Just ask them, they will tell you.  Actually, you don't even have to ask...they have been announcing it to everyone they encounter.  "I'm five and a half now.  And I can ski with one  hand."  (they like to throw that in there).  Their Grandmas, the entire congregation of our church, the checker at Safeway (and the random person in line behind us) all know these two facts.

So for six whole days now, there has been no more nap time in this house.  Just rest time.  Because let's face it.  I still need my nap.  Rest time entails being in your room with the door closed.  Light can be on, toys can be played with, books can be read.  But what do my kids do????

Yep.  The kids that were so excited to make napping a thing of the past can't quite seem to make it through the day without one.  The first day they tried.  Really, they did.  Ben set up all of his toys and picked out some books to read but when he didn't come downstairs at 3:30 I knew he had fallen asleep.  Abby managed to stay awake and play the whole time but by 7:30 that night she was a complete disaster.  By day three, he had given up pretending he was going to play and just asked me to snuggle him in and she "just rested" for two and a half hours.

Ai yi yi.

Kindergarten is just over a month away.  My poor babies are in for a rude awakening.  (Pun totally intended.)

Just Like Riding a Bike

You may remember that the process for learning to ride a bike was not a smooth one in our house.  But they mastered it (after a very loooooooong year) so they are on to something else.  Water skiing.  We bought a "ski trainer" a couple weeks back and it has been the talk of the town since the day it arrived on our doorstep.  But actually trying it?  A whole different ball of wax.  First, there was the screaming.  Then there was the yelling.  And finally, there was the wailing.  And you know how noise carries on the water.  I would not be surprised to find out that half the lake filed CPS reports last night.  They both were able to get up, but it was late and the carrying on was just too much to take.  So we called it a night.

This morning, we tried Round Two.  And after a bunch of screaming and just as much bribing, they both got up!

 (Notice how happy she looks...)

 There were a couple falls,

 but they got right back up and tried it again.

 At that point we were into it for 2 packages of MnM's, some chocolate milk (I think he means malt?) balls, some Legos and a coconut water.  Don't ask.  So I decided to show them how it was done...

 And after dinner, with no pressure and no bribes and no riff raff (because Daddy had to go to work and I'm not as nice as Daddy...I don't drive the boat when people are screaming) we decided to give it one more shot...

 And it is amazing what being calm cool and collected will do for you.  Just like riding a bike.

 She loved it so much

 that she just kept going

 and going

 and going

Four and a half times around the lake "and I only fell once!!"  I couldn't be more proud.

As soon as Abby went more than 10 feet, Ben announced that he was going to try it again (gotta love competitive kids!) but as soon as his turn came he decided that he will just try it tomorrow.  Listen for the screams.

Fantastic Fourth

I LOVE the Fourth of July!!  It is like the official start of summer around here and we sure do have fun!  It is Robbie's FAVORITE holiday.  For him, the third of July is like Christmas Eve.  He can't even sleep.  The days of spending $500 on fireworks are over (thank goodness!) but he didn't waste any time showing the kids how it is done.  (Notice the torch in his hand...)

 Luckily, we had some stars and stripes to wear, thanks to hand-me-downs from someone who wore size 6 in 2007 and 2010 apparently.

 We lucked out with the weather and had SUNSHINE at the BEACH for the FOURTH of July.  I'm not sure that those three words have ever been in the same sentence around here.  It was awesome!  So of course, we play play played at the beach as much as possible.

 There was some digging,

 and chasing,

 and wading

 and running

 and stomping

 and walking

 and falling

 and splashing

 and drawing 

 and jumping

 At the end of the day, we got to sit around a big fire and watch the fireworks.

 But the best part of the whole trip, was hanging out with our friends!!