Dinner with Friends

We had Lisa, her daughter Shae, John and his friend over for dinner tonight to plan for the church campout.

The 3 little kids got to eat by themselves!  Shae brought her scooter over so we went out to the street to ride them for a while until Brian got home from work.

We inflated the bouncy house and Erik stayed in it forever!  This is the first time he has jumped since we figured out his food allergies and his acid reflux and man oh man did he love it!

The 2 girls took over the tree house!

Shae was to be a Vet like Ella so they got out Grandma Jill's Vet kit and played for hours with it!

Brian and John carried the treadmill out of the shed and onto the patio.  I think it will be easier for me to use here-more central to monitor kids in the house and backyard!

 

2013 & 2014!

Last June 2013

This June 2014 

Soccer Camp

Today was the first morning of Soccer Camp!  All 3 kids wanted to be on their own team this year!

Camden played goalie first and drove INTO the net to save a ball!

He got a chance to play forward as well and actually had an assist.

He got the ball a whole lot more than he did during a school recess, so he was very happy.

Erik chose the Red Team and had a great day.  His team plays a game first, then worship. 

He posed for me! 

By the time I made it around the HUGE field with 6 full soccer areas on it, he was already doing drills. 

Good kick Erik!  

There was a lot of standing in line and waiting today, but the kids didn't seem to mind.

Ella got the Yellow Team.  She posed quick for me but didn't have a ball. 

Her coaches are a little unorganized, but she just chatted with her new friends in line. 

She got to practice dribbling the soccer ball to the fence. 

Her group ended up playing Red Light, Green Light and Duck, duck, Goose.  I am not sure why?  There was a lack of soccer action for sure though. 

We packed a picnic lunch as I didn't know how soon they'd need to eat.  It seems like this year, they can handle 3 hours no problem.  Ha, I just realized I have traffic light color kids!

 

Skateboard Swing

Camden and I saw this skateboard swing online and thought it would be easy and fun to make.  He has a skateboard, but doesn't enjoy using it on the street.  We invited Uncle John over to help us with the power tools and started by removing the wheels and tracks. 

Next, we marked and drilled holes through the skateboard.  Camden remembered to wear his safety goggles himself! 

Then, after drilling the holes through the wooden dowel handles, Camden pulled the rope through.

We measured for their placement and tied knots to keep them in place. 

Someone started getting excited at this point... 

Don't text and stand at the top of your ladder people!  John works on ladders for a living, but still I almost had a heart attack seeing this!  John slipped the ropes around the tree limb and back down for the other side. 

Camden was the first to test it out standing... 

and sitting! 

Then it was released to the twins! 

Both of the twins LOVED it and stayed on it all night! 

We put it on the tree between the shed and the playhouse (where the old swing set was.)  We sold the swing set and I gave Camden the money to buy the rope, metal loops, and wooden dowels with.  I thing Daddy will be surprised tomorrow when he gets back from his backpacking trip!

Creeper Shoes

Camden told me he would wear lace tying shoes if I painted Minecraft characters on them.  He is 8 and still struggles with tying his laces, but this is the summer he will master it!

I went over to my Mom's to borrow her art room and paint.  I painted the creeper squares and them she cleaned up the edges for me!  Painting on canvas surfaces is hard!  I used a black sharpie for the eyes and mouth.

Needless to say Camden was thrilled and started tying them every time he put them on.  Half the time he does it on his own!  My Mom has the best hand printing in the world, so I had her print "Minecraft" across the white toe of the shoes too.

Swimming Lessons

Camden is in Seal class this year and lucked out with getting the Director of the Pool as his instructor!  He is on the left.

He was really nervous at first because their class meets in the landing pad of the water slide and thought it was deep.  The water is only 3'6", and once I walked over and showed him in black and white on the concrete, he was okay.  Look at him go in the black goggles!

The Director to an immediate liking to him and got pulled out twice for special sessions within his lesson!

They even had a Seal Cheer at the end!  Camden said he had fun and loved the cheer, "just like a real Navy Seal Team."  (Although I am pretty sure the real Navy SEALS don't cheer to announce their job well done!)

Whew, tired boy!  It's harder to get pictures of the twins as  they are in the middle of the pool this year.  I also wanted to make sure Camden got changed and found his way back the first day.

 

Erik and Ella waiting for their lesson with Ty!

Gathering to meet their teachers.  Such a difference in their confidence levels this year!  "Yeah Mom, we got this okay?  We'll just sneak away from you to be up front, thanks!"

Ella floating with the teacher on the left and Erik attempting to float without getting water in his ears on the right with the teacher!  We have 3 more lessons this week!

 

Father's Day

We spent Father's Day at the Bowlsby Grandparents.  The family was filled with kids playing video games!  This was my view from the couch! 

The kids got a little hot tub time in at Grandma's. 

Life is good.

Summer Schedule

The Summer Schedule! 

Every morning, I am having the kids do these things first!  Today was our first day and they all got done around 9am.  I am hoping that by next week they start sleeping in a little more and we finish around 10am.  After they get up, go potty, make their bed, and eat breakfast they start on the schedule.

Ella's kindergarten worksheets were too easy for her, so I might have to get her some 1st grade ones!  She works out in the kitchen so I can read the instructions to her while I empty the dishwasher, etc.

Erik has 4 pages of 2nd grade work to do since he is super motivated!  Even though he was the last one done with his worksheets, he is the first one done with the entire schedule.

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Camden is learning cursive over the summer to give him a little head start for 3rd grade.  He struggles with keeping his hand writing nice when he writes more than a couple of sentences.

Erik chose to dust a room for his job.   CJ took out the recycling, but he didn't realize it was raining and got his socks wet.  He of course, got all upset and I got him dry socks, so...no picture of him!

Ella finished her laundry from this morning.  I plan to teach the kids how to hang their shirts on hangers and stack their socks and underwear.  They already know how to fold pants.

Ella reading her story out loud to me.  She has improved the most out of the 3 kids this school year! 

Erik reading out loud.  Check out the naughty kitten on the sink! 

CJ doing his Check out story (out loud reading.)  His stories are really long!  He was reading about the Chariots and the war against Troy!

After out loud reading the kids read to themselves for a while, no set time though.

Ella was d-o-n-e by now, she is still struggling with finding books at her level to interest her.  You can tell by her body posture that she quickly shoved the book in her face when I walked into the room, "Yup, I was reading Mom!"

Erik chose a Sid Hoff book, his new favorite author! 

Finally, the kids reached their "Own Hour" in which they play by themselves, in their own space, on their own!  :)  Yes, I am a genius for thinking up this one my Last friends!

Last summer the kids were so glad to be done with the require summer school practice and chores that they'd run off together and try to play, but they were so frustrated from all the concentrating that they could only fight!  This summer, they get a whole hour to themselves to unwind and get ready for the day's trials of getting along with each other and running errands with Mommy!

I didn't want TV to be an option during this time, but CJ really needed it.  He wanted to play with the cat and he her cat toy in his hand, but... 

she was a NO GO!  "Own Hour" CJ, not pester me, okay?  The kids start their week of swimming lessons tomorrow-Friday and then soccer camp next week.  It's going to be a fun summer!