summer summary

The end of summer is upon us...anyone else feel a little surprised?

We've had an enjoyable and full summer--not with the running-around sort of activities (although there were a few of those), but with the regular happenings at home in a houseful of swarming kids.  As much as I love having them all home, I'm thinking the structure and routine of school days will be useful.

The kids have been their usual busy selves...Jude is biking by himself on his little training wheels (hooray!), growing out of his nap, speaking more articulately, and being more helpful around the house.  Here he is making himself useful here in feeding Jada:

And his funny quote:  "Jada, come on, come o-o-n...[tattling] Mom--Jada's not come-onning!"

And Jada, my once-blameless little lamb, has shown a bit of an ornery side that comes with toddling around and not yet expressing oneself verbally.  She's taken to dumpster-diving again, foraging through the trash and helping herself to crumbs and banana peels when no one's looking.

Despite the garbage she ingests, I'm happy to report that her digestive tract is working properly, as we recently had a swim diaper malfunction of catastrophic proportion, just before check-out at Super_Tar.get.  It was a beautiful moment.  And very, very public.  I scooped, wiped, and sanitized all surfaces involved during checkout while horrified onlookers tried to pretend we weren't there.  Finishing off with my best jazz hands, I curtsied on our way out and packed up the travelling show.

Here are the big kids--I had to snap quickly since they were getting along at the moment.  They put together this Puzzle Fair one Sunday afternoon.  They blocked off the walkways (to keep little hands/feet out of there), but allowed free admission once the puzzles were completed.

The other day they were sliding down the stairs in a laundry basket.  When I told them to stop, they put toys in the laundry basket and sent that down the stairs.  When I told them to stop that, they sent down their stuffed animals.

Calvin's other activities have included lots and lots of eating.  He recently asked me what the before-nap snack was.  I also found out that the after school snack is still on during summer.  We'll often finish one snack, and he asks what the next snack will be.  "What's something yummy that I can eat?" ...his most-repeated phrase as of late.  When he's not eating, he's coming up with brilliant ideas like cutting open the tube of toothpaste, or prompting Jude to jump on our bed after a sandbox session, or going on yet another band-aid or scotch taping spree.  And he recently invented a piece that clips to your hair and dangles several colored flossers at the appropriate length--so you can floss with ease at your convenience.  (Note to self: I need to get a patent on that thing.)

Cami still loves drawing, creating, crafting.  Her prima ballerina under spotlights: 

She has so much joy in taking care of her baby sis and is proving to be grown up in that sense.  I assigned her next to Jada for our new travel seating arrangements, to read to her, get her toys, food, sippy cups. ..part of my game plan in surviving the road trip.  Girls in the middle, boys in the back.  Children #1 and 2 NOT next to each other.  It'll work.  Surely.  I also bought and wrapped up a bunch of dollar store prizes, garage sale books, and individual sized snacks to be doled out.  DVD player, some books on CD, big bag of pipe cleaners for crafty fun.   I think we might survive.  I'm holding out for a loving, happy, harmonious dynamic through the long driving days:

Have a great end-of-summer while we're away from the nest awhile. . .