Wow...it has been a while since I last updated the blog. So it goes in this ever busy life of this family. Here goes.
10. Spring and summer mean lots of yard work around our house. And while not everyone loves it, we spend time together outside, racing back and forth with branches to the fire pit and things. Thomas, however, loves yard work. With dad on the mower or doing any old chore is where he is happiest.
9. We finished our school year back in May. I would have to say this was our best year yet. I feel like the kids learned quite a bit here at home and with their online classes. Their standardized test scores were great, and we finished our plans for the year, all with Thomas underfoot and on top of desks and tables, with markers and paint. Yikes!
8. Little Miss Lucy has turned 3! How can this be? Lucy is such a spit-fire, and we love her so. I cannot imagine our life without her. She went through quite a rough spell of screaming fits when frustrated and tired. They were ugly.....Patrick thought her head might spin. But we are making progress in the area. I find it quite useful to simply tell her she needs to calm down and use words, or she will lose her dessert after dinner. We don't eat dessert everyday after dinner, but Lucy isn't on to me yet.
7. Baseball season has ended. Along with swim team long course. Summer is such a busy time, but it was almost too busy when we were swimming and playing baseball, nearly everyday. Luckily the little ones love to be outside, so we packed lots of picnics to eat out at the field. Luke and Sean played baseball and Max played t-ball.
6. I lost my calendar. And life went on. It was crazy for a bit as I tracked down which kid had what going on when. I thought school was the busy time of year, but this summer has proven me oh.so.very.wrong. School ended. We went on vacation. Sean went to scout camp. The kids had vacation bible school. The kids had science camp. They little guys had Y camp. The big kids had an all day science camp. Luke had scout camp. We went to the beach for a family reunion. A hurricane brought us and all our family home to our house. We had baseball and swim team. And games and 2 swim meets. I just bought a new calendar. And I can't wait to find my rhythm and organization again. But the kids are truly loving the opportunities this summer has brought them.
5. A frog in the pool...a bunny too! For some reason a very big turtle found his way into our pool. Luckily for me, Luke fished him out of the deep end with some goggles and a fish net. The kids took him down to the lake to throw him back in, after we checked him out of course. A bunny made his way into the pool, while Sarah was giving Max some swim lessons. She fished him out and we dried him off and kept him in a box with some food and water on our porch. He had some injuries that made me think something had been interested in eating him before he "found" the pool. Rocco maybe? Anyhow, Patrick amused us all and looked him over, only to tell me he didn't think he would survive the night. Sadly, he was correct. But it was a good lesson in compassion for the children. I asked if they wanted to hold a funeral for our little bunny, Mr. Cocoa, but Max, who took the news the hardest encouraged me to give him back to the woods where he would "help" other animals. So. No digging for me. yeah!
4. We went and visited Scott and Mindy and all the kids in Texas, and we had a wonderful time. It always amazes me how after a few minutes the kids are getting along like siblings...all of them. It is such a blessing to spend time with their wonderful family. Here are some highlights.
3. Sean turned 9. He is growing up so fast. I had to buy him several pairs of pants this year as he sprouted up. He is busy with all sorts of things. Scouts and and swim team and play dates. He has really improved in swimming and was "elected" to swim the 100 fly in the team relay for his age. That is hard work. He has become quite helpful in helping me with the little ones. He has spent time fishing with his brothers and dad and grandpa. He learned all sorts of great things this year in school, including Latin and all about ancient Rome and Greece. He is still our quiet guy, who likes to think things over in his head. And he loves to READ. We love you Sean!
2. We went to the beach with my side of the family. And while it took some time to get there (It is still NC, how far away can it be?), we loved the time we got to spend soaking up the sun and surf. It was so special to watch all the little ones in the family get to know one another. Even the hurricane couldn't keep us down. Almost everyone came back to our neck of the woods to spend the last few days of vacation together.
1. Summer is little more than half over and while we are all tired from being so busy, we are loving these summer days together. God has blessed me with these wonderful people who are my family. And over the years I see just how fleeting our time here is with them all under our roof. God has sent me gifts of love through these children. A little sister who runs up to her brother as he leaves the baseball field and throws her arms around him. "Mommy, I got to see Sean!" Daily "fights" over who gets to sit next to the baby at dinner. (The baby who is very loud and throws food from time to time, mind you). Siblings who miss each other when they are away at camp and count down days until returns. I plan on enjoying the next several weeks before life settles down to normal.
