Summer 2015

Summer is nearly at an end and I am ready to sing praises to that! It has been physically and emotionally taxing to have everyone home, especially with the littlest two. Some days we're able to just have fun and other days it's as if everyone is at each others throats. Space and individual activities will bring back the loving feeling .... I hope!

We had lots of friends come and stay with us this summer. Sometimes it was just an overnighter, other times it was for a few days, either way, it was a great diversion for my older two while maintaining a schedule for the youngest two. We played at parks when it was cooler, hit the Glendale Rec water park when it was hot and even had water balloon fights in our backyard.

Friends from Snowflake came with their two boys and one girl. Isaac was in heaven and Keila could practice being the nurturing older sister.

Friends from Tucson came that date back to our horror year in Albuquerque. Wish I had thought of the camera before it was dead late with no light. We will just have to have another excuse to get together!

Fourth of July with friends from Queen Creek.

Those same two families combined! Kids had a blast and made lots of memories.

Our only trip was out to Snowflake to visit the same friends that came and saw us. It was a welcome relief from the heat and I LOVED the fact the children played outside so much. We took a small hike up on the Rim. Eli had to work his core muscles hard with the uneven surface and Keila had a little ladybug friend land in her hair.

There was an empty lot across the street where they could explore and find bugs to their hearts content. There were more ladybugs and pill bugs than Keila could begin to count. Isaac had the guy friend who was obsessed as he was with Legos and fort building.

Ever the teacher - I had them take art classes, a nice counterpoint to swim team.

Isaac wanted all his art work to be documented

Keila's own gallery of her favorites

Swim team end of season party. Eli and Leora got their very first otter pops!

We had cooking lessons and it was so successful, I'm planning on it again next summer. The older two are now ept at making egg and cheese burritos, cheese quesidillas, grilled cheese sandwiches and the Hawaiian favorite of musubi. While they still require supervision, my hope is to have them practice enough that by next summer we can add 4 more things to their repetoire!

Apparently it's true that everything tastes better when you make it yourself!

Isaac starting Cub scouts.

Shared summer treats.

There were many days like the picture below, but I realize time passes quickly. Documenting all this insanity will leave a smile on my face ... someday! Until then, just seven days until school starts!!!