Ending the School Year

This has been a crazy week! Last Friday, we planned to go camping with Will's Cub Scout pack, but the school sent him home from school early because he was sick. Since I already had camp out meals planned, we went ahead and had breakfast casserole for dinner with oven-baked banana boats for dessert. We also let the kids camp in the living room with their sleeping bags. That worked out well because they were a bit frightened of the big storm that hit right around bedtime. I was glad to miss the first night of the camp out because we got a LOT of rain that night, and with four inexperienced campers, that wouldn't have been any fun. We joined the group Saturday morning. The kids enjoyed hiking, a campfire, a scout ceremony where Will advanced from Tiger Scout to Wolf, and then we watched the flag retiring ceremony from the comforts of our tent (the little kids were getting delirious with exhaustion.) We camped overnight Saturday, had a tasty breakfast, then packed up and headed home. The kids all napped for nearly four hours Sunday afternoon, then they got to enjoy the sprinklers while I worked on laundry then headed to the church for a meeting.

Monday evening, the scout pack had a picnic and end-of-the-year swim party (not all the boys went on the camp out). We were out late (for kids), but since Will was only playing at school this week, we weren't too worried about it.

Tuesday, I took Ben, Maddie, and Jon to school and they had fun at their class picnic. Meanwhile, I spent the day with Will -- first at the school during his class's end-of-the-year party, then he was dismissed early so we went to Barnes & Noble and he spent his birthday gift card on a Pokemon book. We stopped for a root beer treat, then we picked up the little ones.

Wednesday, I had to grocery shop since I didn't go Tuesday. The little ones and I started our day at the YMCA so I could work out, then we all went to the grocery store... all of us... together. I think shopping with three four-year olds with their own carts was more of a workout than Zumba, and I came home exhausted and ready for bed (at 10AM). Somehow, we got through the day.

Thursday, was my last day on my own for awhile. I dropped of the kids at school and wandered aimlessly through Hobby Lobby -- just because I could. I picked up some gift cards for gifts, and went ahead and got me a tasty lunch while I was there. I took it home to dine in the QUIET while I read a book. Will was dismissed early since it was his last day of school, so I picked him up. He and I stopped at the dollar store for some summer-fun supplies, then we got the kids from school. Thirty-three minutes into the summer break, I was calling Allen in frustration. The kids were already fussing, yelling, rough-housing, and whining. ALREADY?!?

Friday, the kids watched TV for a little while, but then I got them crafting while I reorganized the laundry room, did laundry, mopped the floor, and cleaned up the kitchen a bit. It was a productive day and a good start to summer. By the end of the day, everyone was getting along and enjoying the sunshine.

I have started working on our summer calendar and it is already turning out to be a busy one. I suppose this is what happens as the kids age, and I am sure I will appreciate that we have plenty of activities to keep from being home-bound, but I do hope we get enough down-time to enjoy the lazy restfulness that summer is supposed to be. June is packed with a circus, Vacation Bible School, Cub Scout day camp, swim lessons for all four, and a MOPS planning retreat for me. In July, we will have a family vacation and a scout overnight at the zoo. All the while, I hope to keep the kids reading and creating art in a way that gives them an "outlet" without driving crazy the neat-freak in me. I have gathered some reading materials for all ages -- Will is reading several years ahead of his age-group, Jon gets mad if he doesn't get enough reading time in each day (yes, he's now reading stories), Maddie reads the same Barbie storybook each day, but she is getting good at sounding out words, and Ben just shouts out words that the others are struggling to sound out (but he doesn't like sitting to read a book unless someone else is reading it to him.) Stay tuned for stories on how the art projects go.