Dreams Come True

What kid doesn't dream of getting to eat Popsicles while swimming?  

These spoiled lucky kids get to do just that. 

Sisters

We've been sisters, well, my whole life.  With a seven year difference between us, there has never been any confusion on who is who.  

Until recently...

For some reason, in our slightly older age, there have been more and more cases of accidental identity confusion.  Even by our own mother!    I've never been good at seeing the similarities or even saying which parent I see in a child so I'll just let the picture do the talking. 

Another set of sisters, but these ones are constantly being told they look alike.

Facebook face recognition is regularly tagging Bree as myself.  I suppose I can see it.  

Only time will tell for this little one.  

Caught

Bree went to Walmart one day, armed with her own money, and purchased a gallon of glue to make (the dreaded) slime.  When Holly saw it, she immediately turned to me and said

"Why do you let Bree spend her money?  Why can't I spend my money?"

Oh snap...  So off to Walmart we went, armed with birthday money, to buy (yet another) baby. 

 

Planning

The 4th of July is nearly upon us.  

It is the beginning of the end of Summer because for some reason, time flies even faster after that celebratory day.  So when hamburger reaches its lowest price point this pre-holiday week, I am stocking up on it.  Not for impending BBQ cookouts, but for easy and quick meals once the kids have gone back to school.  

Filling Time

I am entering new territory this Fall.  All three children will be in school!!  Although I believe I will feel lost at first, not having any little trailing me as they have done for the past 11.5 years, that feeling will quickly pass.  I will then fill my time catching up on those 11.5 years of photo albums, meal planning and prepping on a weekly basis, freezer cooking as space allows, tend to all the little nagging things around the house that get put to the back burner whenever I hear "Come play with me".  THEN should I get bored, I have yet another way to fill my time - subbing!

Fishing

Our newest hobby and the latest craze to hit the area:
Magnet Fishing.

Actually, its not new at all.  Magnet fishing has been around for years and years all across the globe.  AND depending on where you live, it can actually be illegal or have very strict laws pertaining to it since it is a form of treasure hunting!!

While magnet fishing people have found car parts, road signs, even a sawed off hand gun (thats where the danger and illegal part comes into play)!!  We, however, have only found a bit off a drill, a few nails, and a piece of rebar.  

DONE!

Major kid's stuff purge AKA room renovations are complete!

The results:

Jake's Room

Nerf Wall Organization

His request of having a "little couch" and lifelong dream to own an Xbox came true. 

Full size bed for a growing boy. 

Of course we needed a touch of Avengers in the room too complete with Infinity Stone hat rack.

We have one happy boy on our hands. 

The Results:

Holly and Bree's Room

Crown molding, book shelf, smart TV, dry erase board, and daily affirmation board.

Bree's side complete with nail polish and jewelry station. 

Holly's side.  This child loves Wonder Woman. 

Full length mirrors to allow for proper outfit viewing and craft tables for secret gift giving creations.

New dresser, fuzzy carpet, organized slime and craft and toys so they can find them when they want them makes for two extremely happy girls who love to spend time in their rooms. 

I think these rooms qualify as a parenting WIN!

Almanac

I had heard that the Farmer's Almanac was calling for a cooler than normal Summer.  Although I was excited about a Summer potentially void of 90+ degree heat with humidity to match, I was not prepared for almost having to turn my furnace back on midway through June!

High Five

Five Little Pumpkins....  growing on a hill.

We are attempting to grow our own Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins this year and I think we're off to a good start.

You're Off to New Places!

I dropped these two off to their first ever, week long, no electronics permitted, away from Mom and Dad, have to think on their own, learn to follow directions, and eat what you are given or else you'll STARVE....

 4-H Camp.

Per the 4-H Camp Rules, all campers must carry their own belongs to their cabins and back out to the vehicles on check out day.  Which, once again, proves that our beloved children are more capable than we give credit for.  I wonder what else they will discover they are capable of doing OR what they will be more appreciative of Mom and Dad doing for them by the time the week is over.

Jacob and his best buddy/cousin/partner in crime are bunk mates for the week.  Oh to be a fly on the wall in that cabin.

We beat Bree's bunk mate to check in, but she too is fortunate enough to spend the week with a classmate/cousin/bud.

Holly on the other hand....

...had to play tic-tac-toe all alone on the drive home.  Maybe, just maybe, she'll learn to appreciate her brother and sister a bit more this week and learn to not fight with them when they are home.

Yeah... probably not.

Jacob's New Beginning

Room renovations continue today with the girl's old room becoming Jacob's new room.

Time to say goodbye to the bunk beds.

And take one last look at the girly pool blue before becoming a young man's room.

5 days left to get both rooms done

Time is ticking, very quickly, away.

Relaying

"Relay for Life events are life-changing cancer fundraising events that help communities across the globe fight back against cancer."

Relaying in honor of Mom, a 14 year breast cancer survivor, Mom's best friend, a colon cancer survivor, and in memory of Dad, lung cancer.

Rule Breaker

Summer break.  

A time when rules become a little more relaxed.

For example:  During the school year, video games and other electronics are only permitted from after school on Fridays until Sunday evenings.  Now during Summer break, if you wanna play, you gotta read.   Thanks to book timer bookmarks at Target this rule is so much more easy and fun to enforce!

The Greatest

Our local movie theater does free movies during the summer.  

They aren't new releases, but that doesn't matter.  Even when they show movies you own and have the soundtrack to on constant repeat in the van, you are still there front and center to see it on the big screen.  

Opening Day

After a very soggy May, with only one practice and 2 cancelled games, it is FINALLY time to get the baseball season started!!

I usually don't see the resemblance between my kids, but there is something about this picture that brings it right out.

Safety First

Our community offers Safety City for students heading into Kindergarten.  It covers all forms of  safety - water/swimming, guns, matches, fire, how and when to call 911, and on and on.  It also teaches them about bus safety and they get to ride in a school bus for the first time.  Another bonus is that this two week class is held in the Primary school that they will be attending in the Fall.  This gives the kids a chance to become familiar with the school, the layout, the location of the bathrooms which, hopefully, will help them be a bit more at ease when the big day comes.

And also - it gives us moms a chance to come to grips with just how big our babies have become before setting them free to Kindergarten.

(Holly is in the blue shirt and pants, swinging her bag)

Drive-In Then and Now

Field of Dreams Drive-In

2013

(The extra child in the van was one of Bree's friends from preschool.)

Field of Dreams Drive-In

2019

Jim attempting to take an old school selfie with my camera.

Eventually he got it right.