Half-way through

Well, here we are at the half-way point of summer.  I had fully intended to back to school full time by now.  Yeah....that isn't going to happen.  Due to the near back-to-back arrivals of Lucy and Thomas, my bigger kids haven't had a true summer break in years.  They seem to be soaking up the fun of summertime, and I have decided to gently ease back learning.  We will do math, piano, and reading everday starting yesterday.  They are swimming 4 mornings a week, so we have to count that too, I suppose.  And that leaves lots of time for summer fun.  We had  playdates at our house 3 days this past week.  Sarah attended a week of sleep-away summer camp the week before (LOVED IT!).  Sarah, Sean, and Max have science camp following swim team everyday this week.  Luke has boy scout camp the week after that.  Our best friends from San Antonio come to town the week after that.  We celebrate 4 birthdays nearly in a row following that.  And then Luke and Sarah hit to the skies to head up to Connecticut to visit their cousins for a week.  So school should be back in full-swing by the end of August.  Just like it is for most "normal school kids" I guess.  I will try to hit science and art with kids before then....but grammar, latin, history.....the end of August it will be.  The kids are elated at this, and I keep looking at a daunting to-do list that needs done before packing and moving start in earnest.  (Just a few miles down the road folks!)  So here are a few more scenes from a summer well-spent.

Wedding Fun

In mid-June we headed up to Cleveland for our nephew's wedding.  We had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends.  Patrick returned home shortly after the wedding to work for a week and then to head to Bolivia for a mission trip.  Seeing as the kids and I had no big plans for the week, we stayed for those 2 weeks up in Cleveland with Grandma and Grandpa.  We sure missed Daddy, but we had a fun, busy, busy time.  We went to the zoo several times, Swings-n-things, the homes of some relatives, Cedar Point, various parks around town, and the Science Center.  Each of the big kids had an individual date with mom.  It was really fun to share undivided time with them doing something they each chose.  We made many happy memories, and left Grandma and Grandpa very tired.  Actually, Grandpa drove us back home to NC as he was worried about us driving all that way without and extra set of adult hands.  It was a good thing he came with us, as fatigue hit for me about 30 miles outside of Cleveland.  Apparently I wasn't getting enough sleep on our stay, so I was able to catch-up a bit in the car on the ride home.  I can't image how I would have made the drive without my Dad!

Luke's confirmation

We are so proud of Luke and his accomplishments.  He received his Confirmation this year.  We are hoping the Lord continues to bless him and fill him with His Spirit.  Luke now enters the world as a soldier for God. We were so happy Father Buettner was Luke's teacher this year in Faith Formation, especially since he was just reassigned to a new parish.  Luke has learned so much with Father in our lives.  St. Joseph Cupertino (Luke's confirmation saint)....Pray for us!

Sean's 7th birthday

Sean celebrated his 7th birthday in June.  Good friends from Charleston happened to be visiting, and they helped us to celebrate.  Sean was so pleased and everyone seemed to enjoy our lego party.  I cannot believe Sean is already 7!  This has been a busy year for him.  He is quite the swimmer and his piano skills are improving.  He is an avid reader, who conquered The Hobbit this year amongst other books.  He is turning into a social butterfly with friends from swimming and siblings of the big kids' friends coming over to play often.  He spent time at Cub Scout camp this summer, and despite hunger, tiredness, and homesickness (it was a day camp...Sean is just a homebody), he enjoyed himself.  I was thankful that Luke decided to help out at Cub Scout camp so that Sean would have a sibling there and could enjoy himself more without feeling too lonely.  (Symptom of life in a big family I guess....they are used to being together all the time).  This year will prove a big step for him academically as he attempts some online classes this year.  Oh how thankful we are for Sean.  He is our quiet, thinker, sensitive child.  We are so happy we have him.

 How many lego pieces can you suck up with a straw in one minute.  All ages try it!

 The lego pinata

 Sean loves daddy's homemade icecream cake and asks for it every year

 I just thought this was hilarious. So did the kids.  Potty humor is sometimes funny in a house full of boys.

Summer plans

Well we've been flying through summer.  Here is our reading plans....plus reading for the library reading competition.  I intend to sit with each of the kids next week and create a master booklist of all the quality books they have read over their lifetimes.  We won't include "popcorn books".  I wish I would have been diligent about this starting in about 2nd grade for each of them.  We'll see how our flashback works.

Sarah's books

Books for Sean, Max, Lucy and whoever else will listen

Sean's books

Luke's books

Our Math stash

 Our art books

 Max's books

boys vs. girls

Last night, after an evening of the "now standard" conquer and divide to get it all done, we finally had the little ones all in bed.  Patrick and I had to head out the door to meet up with some friends.  We have realized we can leave Luke and Sarah home to "hold down the fort" together if all the rest are in bed.  The house was a bit of a wreck due the busy evening and all the bodies "playing" before the evening started.  I offered Sarah  $5 to load dishes, clean the kitchen, swap out laundry and such. Luke didn't get offered a chance at cash since he had some "homework" to finish up.  The house was immaculate when we returned.  Sarah had pledged the kitchen table, left a few picture books on the endtable and post-it note love notes to us on our door.  Patrick was in awe.  And I began to contemplate the cost of a $5 clean-up every night.  Luke was the last child awake reading when we got home.  And teasingly, Patrick asked him if he sat and watched Sarah work all evening.  Luke replied, "Nope, I ate some food too!"  That about sums up life in this new stage of budding teens and busy lives.

Sibling love

Thomas has figured out how to crawl, and watching the reaction among his siblings has been so enjoyable.  I was putting away laundry when I heard Luke scream, "Mom, come quick!"  My brain immediately began to run through the broken glass, spill, injury checklist.  However, when I got to Luke, he was standing with a silly grin on his face, pointing to Thomas.  "Look, he can crawl!"

It is moments like these that warm my heart, even on those trying days.  Luke was so excited by the baby's accomplishments that he got on the floor and proceeded to try and play chase with a newly crawling 9 month old.  It is so wonderful to see the love and awe over little things between my crew.  I must admit it is good to see these milestones from a sibling's perspective.  While my mind first thought, "Here we go, what can he get into, what needs picked up, what needs moved?"...Luke simply thought, "He couldn't move yesterday, and now he can....cool!"

And about that cleaning, moving, picking up....he figured out how to crawl a few days ago.  Today I found Thomas and Lucy practically inside the fireplace, with hands full of those little stones, throwing them all about the room.  Big smiles on their faces as their relationship takes on a new dynamic of "partners-in-crime".