Summer Bucket List: Upcycle Flip-Flops

This was fun! The flip flops were a dollar at Old Navy (I was watching that sale like a hawk!)  The fabric was a few bucks and we just ripped it up into strips. 

The girls did the rest! 

They wanted to perfect photo of their handiwork....nope, can't see your feet, ladies!

That's a few feet, and probably good for your abs....

That's super cute...but we are missing your smiles!

Got it!

Viking Aspirations

Well, Ethan. We may or may not have Viking heritage...if we don't, it seems your descendants will.

The Falls

Until the summer turns truly roasty toasty, we like to ride our bikes to the waterfall. It's actually a super fancy landscape installation by a fancy neighborhood, but it's fun to climb around in (that's against the rules!) and dip our feet in.  We make the most of what we have!

Sometimes twice in one day!

Chalk art masterpieces

The girls really love to do chalk art challenges. I give them an idea and they draw it. This time we thought we'd make summer photo backdrops!

I love these!

Burn it all

Old homework burns better than anything else!

And s'mores roasted over a year's worth of worksheets taste doubly sweet.

At long last

She's dreamed of this moment for 6 years.

She did it. She made the All School Talent Show.

And can I say? She was FABULOUS.

Take a bow, Laney!

Way to go out with a bang!

Megan Graduates from Chisholm Trail!!

That's three, folks! Three of my children that have successfully weathered the stormy waters of middle school. 

Megan sailed through! Well, she did have a crappy bunch of lamo friends there for a bit, but she's leaving that in the past. Who needs em, right?!

Anyway, Megan did so great in school. She was on just about every list they had. She stood up over and over and refused to let herself smile. Seriousness is the name of the game.

Unless she looks at me, of course.

This is one of my favorite games. I call it.....

"I dare you not to smile". I rock at this game.

And Megan rocks at life.

And now she's going to HIGH SCHOOL!!

So proud of you!

Laney graduates from Sunnyside!

She is going to go to middle school. 

This earnest and wide-eyed dreamer of mine. I don't think it will be as hard for her as it was for me. She has the gift of being totally oblivious to the stupidity and meanness around her. 

She's going to rock it.

Mrs. Hercules giving her her awards and accolades!

And being recognized for her writing and artistic talents by her favorite teacher, Mrs. Walker.

Class of 2019! (actually, 2026)

Color coded

Things have reached a new level of intense when it comes to the kids and everything they are involved in over the summer. We need a calendar. A big one.

With color assigned to each kid and a legend and a personal assistant.

Having fun can be hard work!

Ethan Graduates!!

I'm not sure I have words to express how happy we are that this day has come! It was so fun to see him smile and walk across that stage and know that he completed this part of his education. The future is bright for this sweet boy. This sweet bearded boy.

Fieldtrippin

I knew this day would come.

I'm "without commitments" and the kids know it.  The fieldtrips come fast and furious at the end of the school year and they all know I can chaperone if I want to. And, of course, I want to!

School buses. Packed lunches. Counting heads.

I totally want to.


Day at the K with Laney:

Coterie Theater and Antioch Park with Everly:

And Kaleidoscope with Anna....we left early because she had a stomach ache. Also a perk of having a mom there to take you home when life deals your intestines a raw deal.

Thats okay. We had a nice day at home and got caught up on our laundry and a few movies.

Summer Bucket List 2019

We have conferred and selected. Vetoed and approved. 

BEHOLD! 

Here is the bucket list in all its glooooory.

There are some good times ahead.

Gab sesh

Lindley and Everly know how to chew the fat...and the strawberries.

Free at last!

Hot diggety dog.

Ethan had his last day of school.

He will never be compelled to attend school again (by me...haha)

And so to celebrate, he purchased this young healthy coconut and is going to drain the milk and dig out the meat with one of his many many knives.

The relief in the air is palpable.

Longest Day

I think an itinerary would have been useful from the moment we stepped out the door today.

First things first! The girls both had auditions for the school talent show. Right before we left to go drop them at school, Anna got something in her eye. Now, of course, we all get things in our eye and we do our best to cry it out our wipe it out or even rinse it out. None of those things were working and it was clear she was not going to be able to go right to school. So we dropped off Laney and Everly and we headed to the walk in clinic across the street. The doctor there gave her some numbing eye drops and naturally she immediately felt relief. What she didn't do was get the stinking thing out of her eye!

So while we were thinking all is well, we jammed over to Sunnyside to watch Laney's audition. She ROCKED it, I tell you!

I was thinking I'd be able to leave Anna there and come back to watch her audition, but the medicine was wearing off and the pain was back full force. We talked to nurse Amy and she recommended I take her to Eye Associates and have someone look at her. Duh!! Eye doctor...makes sense!

So we managed to get in and this amazing woman gave her the numbing drops for the second time today (apparently, if you overuse them, you will do permanent damage) and she located the sharp piece of plastic that had embedded itself in Anna's eye. (ouch!!). She could also see that Anna had scratched her cornea. (OUCH OUCH!)

So we left with the sharp object removed, a happy girl and these super stylin shades. She missed her audition, but she'll be okay. She'll live to uke another day.

Fast forward through all the rest of the regular after-school rigmarole and we have the endless end-of-year band banquet. Ethan is a senior, so he gets to share his future plans with everyone.

He said he plans to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and join the marine corps. We did some hootin and hollerin for him!

We sat and ate the customary friend chicken and sparse side dishes and then it was time for the concert! I'm always happy to listen to my kids play. LOVE that part.

But then there is another hour and a half of announcements and awards to get through. I sent Mark home with the kids and I waited for the boys. 3 hours in one venue isn't even something we do at church anymore! But Mathew got to stand up...he was made uniform manager....so that was exciting for a couple minutes!

And now....we sleep!