Last week of summer (for mom)

This is my last full week of summer...then 1.5 weeks of inservice. The kiddos start back on the 11th.

I am trying to get a lot done for my classes, finish projects around the house and make sure the kiddos suck all the fun left out of summer....thus this past weekend that contained 2 birthday parties for friends and then Ribbit's 7th birthday party at our home. Her birthday is in August but its crazy hard to do a party when its back to school time!

The kids got to swim, slide down waterslides, have a snow ball fight, play at a gymnastics center, perfect their front and back flips off the diving boards (yes I did have a heart attack in the pool and had to rely on a pool noodle to keep me afloat....Ribbit is so stinking brave and her head came within 1/2 inch of the diving board), cupcake decorating, painting, playing in the sprinkler with our neighbors, showing all of our friends the chickens, church (finally back in our home church after 3 Sundays in 3 different, but all great churches) and two oil meetings with our neighbors. You could tell the kiddos were tired as they asked to skip showers and go straight to bed at 6:15 last night!

I have mixed emotions about returning to the school schedule. I LIVE for a schedule, to have structure, to be prepared....but this summer was nice since we had our own schedule at home and we didn't live by the school bell schedule every day. Sometimes I feel like preparing lesson plans takes less brain activity than planning a fun afternoon with my 3 kiddos at home :).

I am currently sitting in the large window seats at the public library watching all 3 kids read. They are all earning prizes for the summer reading program and we LOVE to come take up a big seat and read for 1-2 hours. The librarian took our picture the other day and said we looked so comfortable....we are..the window seats are warm and we can take turns reading aloud or silently....its so nice. I will definitely miss this time when school starts!

Adam and I celebrated 9 years of marriage this past weekend..and it quite comical. We had decided to go to a nice restaurant in Grapevine that several friends had recommended. BUT, throw in a day of baking cupcakes and a cake for Ribbit's party, cleaning the whole house, decorating the whole house....Adam finished all of the backsplash in the kitchen plus worked at the school some. SO, when we looked up and saw it was 2:30 and the babysitter was coming at 3 and were both NASTY we decided to throw on "clean clothes", wash our hands and go get sushi instead ;). We went to a new (to us) place in Grapevine and it was YUMMY! Then in old people fashion we went shopping for a new mini-van and then window shopped for our children in downtown Grapevine....it was so romantic though, strolling through Grapevine, holding hands and not yelling " watch out, that car will squash you like a bug".."no you can't have that candy or toy"...."you have to hold my hand when we are walking"...."stop touching your brothers butt, stop hitting your sister, stop picking your nose, stop kicking your bubba, etc, etc"

My sweet hubby built me an oil box....my tupperware wasn't cutting it anymore!

A paleo blueberry cobbler...this is what was let so I think it was a hit...and then Adam gladly finished it off! These blueberries are from my grandparents bush!

Making peppermint brownies with CC

They both chose to build a bear for their birthday present from CC and Papa....Its definitely not Big Man's birthday but you can't leave him out :).

We have developed a tradition of going to Sam's Fun City when we come home for the summer. Aunt Robin and Uncle Carl are always so kind to treat us to a day of fun...with a big breakfast at Ihop before!!

CC also treated them dippin dots...Fun day!!

I love when they "dress alike"..meaning cut off shirts and basketball shorts. Big Man wants to be just like his big bubba!

Hanging out at the water park!

Alligator slide!

Uncle Discipline is now Uncle AWESOME!!!!

You are never too big for the alligator slide!

I am so thankful for my kiddos, our home, our family, our jobs and our church family. Summer is a a good time to remember how thankful I am as we travel and spend a lot of time at home together. I was just thinking about how scary our world is,...its sickening........ but not for my kids...they know love everywhere they go. They live in a bubble where people love Jesus, love them, support them, cheer for them, pray for them. I know other views and other attractive looking ideas will come into their lives soon enough and I pray that they will have the strength to be persistent in their walk with God and faithful to what he has called us to be on this earth. I pray that will be godly Men and Women, take on the biblical family and strive to pass on Jesus to the next generation.