Every year I have to re-learn that summer schedules seem harder to keep track of than schooltime schedules! We have had an eventful few weeks since my last post, and are enjoying our summer vacation to the max. Here is a glimpse of the latest happenings around here...
Two days after school let out, we celebrated Anna's 10th birthday with...
...picking 14 pounds of fresh, plump, juicy blueberries at a nursery about an hour from home...
...then coming home to swim in the bayou to get cooled off for a bit...
...then, after dinner at the local Chinese buffet (yummers!!), working on decorating Anna's homemade chocolate cake with buttercream frosting with fresh blueberries. Anna wanted the cake to look like a blueberry, so she decided to use oreos on the side to simulate the little frilly part on the top of a blueberry where the stem comes out...she and her friend Aubrey worked hard on this design:
..and I made some homemade vanilla ice cream to round it all out...
...finally Anna topped off her evening (before Aubrey spent the night) with a dip in our pool at home...
All in all it was a fun birthday for Anna! Double digits for my medium girl--wow!
Anna spent every day last week taking part in rehearsals for a production of "Sleeping Beauty" put on by the Missoula Children's Theater (they did a great job!).
Jared has been spending one day a week babysitting for my neighbor's two little boys, and one morning a week babysitting LIlly for me so I can teach spin. He has also been really busy building and testing a raft that he and his friends bring down to the bayou and float around, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer style. They are having a blast with that. So far, both kids are averaging one sleepover a week with a friend--a trend I'm not sure we'll keep up all summer, since they are pretty useless the day after the sleepover!
I have laid out "summer policies" again this summer--so each kid has a clear picture of what is expected in terms of keeping their rooms cleans and helping with household chores each day. They are also clear on expectations in music practice and restrictions on "screen time." So far so good.
Anna has started piano lessons in addition to her violin, and she is LOVING it! I am so happy to see her at the piano. Jared has started some private trombone lessons this summer, which will hopefully be of benefit when he goes back to be part of the jazz band and symphonic and pep bands at Destin this fall.
Tom continues to keep his nose in his Air War College reading--he is working SO very hard to finish it up in time for his upcoming performance review board. I try my hardest to make it possible for him to do nothing but read and study when he is home...
We are working hard to coordinate Lilly's medical care, now that we know Dr. Campbell wants her to see a neurosurgeon. Getting her medical records transferred successfully from CHOP to the surgeon at Children's Hospital of Birmingham/UAB has proven to be a challenge, and I have had some frustrations in working with some of the staff at CHOP. I am hopeful the records will arrive soon and we can get on the surgeon's schedule for an initial consult and spinal cord surgery soon. Then we can proceed with Dr. Campbell on Lilly's VEPTR surgery.
Now on with my day...Lilly is calling over the monitor!
Amy, as you have noticed I also have 3 children (one of whom is no longer a child) But I can't even begin to imagine a lifestyle as busy as yours..You just amaze me..:) You seem to have everything in order (very unlike me) LOL
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