Outdoor living

As usual, this summer is flying by. I haven't even written about all the fun we are having. It really is such a blessing that I have been able to spend this time with my kids. We are really strapped financially, but in the end it is so worth it. The last two years of graduate school have really done me in. I have really needed the outdoors and the quality time with my two "crazies". Weston's first and second weeks of "school camp" (this is how we are reframing summer school) have gone well. He was pretty pissed off at us for signing him up without even asking him. "Who would do that?!" he said. The first day he was very excited to take the small bus. He came home with a smile, but really wasn't impressed with that type of camp. That night he went with my mother in law to her house and they went out to eat at Five Guys. I had to work. His second day he was even less enthused to go, but he did. This day my sister picked him up. Ella got a special day shopping in the morning with her aunt for her birthday clothes. In true Ella fashion she got some crazy outfits that were full of "bling" and color. That afternoon was filled with swimming in the pool. Wednesday I picked up Weston and we went straight to the beach (got to get it in while we still can!). Unfortunetly, he had to pee so badly that I forgot the sunscreen in the car. Thankfully I was the only one who burned...and I did it badly. We had a fun time though. We went to the other section of Rocky Neck and climbed all the rocks out to the sea. We were looking for crabs but didn't catch any. I didn't wear shoes because I thought it would be too slippery. Big Mistake. Ouch! Still it was a good time. Anytime on the beach is a good time. Thursday was the 4th! Woohoo! One of my favorite days of the year and this year it was extra awesome! We went to the Canterbury Parade as usual. Ella was actually with us this year. At the parade, one of Weston's teachers came by with a coupon for a free pony ride. We went home to cool off and have lunch (because it was horribly hot that day), and then went to get our pony rides. Afterwards we went to my friend Marie's house for a picnic. It was so much fun. Andy joined us later and everyone had a blast. The kids swam all afternoon and played with friends while we chatted with the adults. We tried to walk down and see fireworks over the pond, but there were only a few this year. Friday, Ava came over and we went to the pool. It was another hot one. We were going to go to the beach but it was too hot, we heard that many had been shut down the day before because of overcrowding, and two kids drowned on the fourth which made it scary for me. That night the girls went with me to the Tigers Game and helped me recruit foster parents. Well mostly they went to the gift shop and watched the game, but still it was fun. At the end of the game was fireworks. Really awesome fireworks! I also had them announce the girl's birthdays on the screen. Saturday, was Ella's family birthday party so I baked and cooked all day and dragged it all to my mom's house. It was a fun time. We just had immediate family which went well. The kids played with their cousin's and Ella got a lot of nice things. Mostly cash which she loved. Sunday, Ella was off to camp! I haven't seen her since. We spent the morning packing and buying the things we didn't have. That was pricey! Monday was back to school camp for Weston. I tried to clean out Ella's room in the morning, but two trash bags and two hours later I only had about 1/3 of it done. After he got out we went swimming at the pool with Missy and Matt. Tuesday I worked and Weston went with Kris and Brady on a train ride. He said it was his best day ever. Wednesday I spent the morning driving to North Haven because our patio was being poured and we needed some materials. I snuck in a trip to Ikea and got some new shelves and a stuffed animal holder for Ella's room. :) Nana and Pa picked up Weston and he was ready to leave when I got there. He didn't want to miss that cement mixer! I cleaned the rest of Ella's room while that was happening. Thursday, I had Brady. We stayed home in the morning and played a few board games when it began to thunder and lightening. Then we went to Target. When we picked Weston up from camp we went rail-fanning in Niantic. Then to the book barn. The boys bought two train books. We had DQ and went to New London to rail-fan. Today we went to my mom's house. She suggested going to Hopeville so Weston could ride his bike. We went to get his bike tire fixed, made a picnic lunch, and were off to Hopeville. It was a lot of fun and great weather outside! Afterwards we went to the pool to hang out with Missy and Matt. Now we are getting ready to pick up our Ella at camp!

The first week

We have been very busy this first week of vacation. Last Friday was the kid's last day. Missy got them from school because I was at Yale visiting my mom (who is doing great post surgery!) Missy took Matt out of school early and the kids had a lot of fun playing over their house. They were pretty bummed that we hadn't done our annual last day trip to Buttonwoods Farm for ice cream, so they convinced me to go that night. We were able to use their free coupons they earned from screen free week. Saturday was hot! We went to Aunt Kris' pool in the morning to cool off and then the kids got themselves ready to sleep over their Aunty Ali's house. All five cousins were there including Donna. They played all night and swam again on Sunday. Sunday afternoon I drove to get them and as soon as we got home Ella was off to sleep over Carina's house. Weston had a birthday party to go to. Then we went to make Nana some dinner since she had just come home from the hospital! Weston got to play with Brady at Nana's house. Monday, both kids woke up with a rash. Weston's looked similar to poison ivy. Ella's I didn't know about until later since she was over Carina's house. A trip to the pediatrician later, West was put on steriods. Then we were off to Rocky Neck beach with Brady and Aunt Kris. The boys had a blast watching the trains and fishing with nets in the brook. They even got a few rides with their boogie boards down the brook into the ocean. It was a great day. Then they got Dairy Queen ice cream on the way home. Ella came home right before I left for work that night. Her rash looked more like a sun burn. Everyone is looking much better now that it is the end of the week. Tuesday, Ella's hair had dreadlocked all on it's own from two days of pool swimming and not washing it. Ugh! It took over 2 hours between Monday night and Tuesday morning to comb it out and a lot of expensive conditioner. It called for an emergency hair cut! She finally agreed to go shoulder length. Thank god! It looks adorable and she can handle the maintenance of it. Then Mammy came down to get the kids because I had to go to work. She took them overnight and they got to go watch Monsters University at the movie theater! Wednesday I had to watch Matt, so he came over early in the morning and we drove to RI to get the kiddos. We came back and hung around the house for a few hours. The kids played so well together. There was no fighting or ganging up on each other. Then around 2 we went to the the pool. The kids swam for over two hours even with the threat of thunderstorms. Then we came back here and had dinner. The kids wanted Matt to sleep over, so he did. Thursday we had a play date at the splash pad with the other moms. It was overcast, threatening rain, and although it was humid at home it was chilly when we got there. The kids still went in the splash pad even if it was freezing, but it started to sprinkle after an hour and a half of playing on the playground and splash pad. We were way through eating our homemade lunchables when we had to leave. We went home and the boys played outside for a couple of hours. Then we went to the library to sign up for the summer reading program. Then we dropped Matt off at home. Friday we had Brady. We went rail-fanning at Old Saybrook. We brought a picnic lunch and saw a few trains. Then we went to the Book Barn. That place is awesome! The kids didn't want to take the time to look around, but I figured we'll go back one day so I can really look. We tried to find books on trains at the Midtown location, but we didn't realize we were at the wrong one. Then we got Dairy Queen and came back here. Last night we went to Target. The kids got their allowance. They decided to get water guns which were on sale for $12 and they used $5 off coupons to make them both $7. We hope to have a water gun party later on in the summer. :) Ella is sleeping over Ava's house today for her birthday party after going to Skate Inn. Weston will hang back with us and hopefully get some yard work done. We are making gains to get this patio completed. The only thing about being busy is that housework doesn't always get done. :)

Creeping up...

While it feels and looks nothing like summer in New England right now, school is almost out. The kids have exactly one more week left of school. 2nd and 5th grades. Ella will be in middle school. Where or where has the time gone? Next Tuesday is my mom's surgery. The first few weeks of summer are going to consist of taking care of her. It is going to be tough, but we'll make it through. Money is tight as always so we'll be trying to figure out some cheap activities to occupy our time this summer. Weston will be participating in "school camp" for the month of July, so he'll be gone M-Th in the mornings. He also has boy scout day camp and Ella is going to her first year of 4H camp where Lizzie is a counselor. We have made a list of activities we hope to do during this summer, but I think it might be hard to fit it all in. There was a time when I dreaded the kids getting out of school, but for the last two years I have really loved it. No homework, no schedules, no packing lunches. Sure a little more fighting and such, but nothing I can't deal with. :) I cannot wait to enjoy my kids after two years of graduate school. MSW