Summer Fun List '12

Back in May as summer approached I started getting input from the kids on what we wanted on our Summer Fun '12 list.  This is what we came up with

Just like last year I purposely put things on the list I knew we were doing.  Some might call that cheating.  I call that smart.  Makes the list look exciting, but yet I can kinda already cross them off b/c I know it WILL get done. Yay! I love lists, and I super love crossing things off!

Make homemade pizza- last day of school!

 

Library Program

NOT on the list....Aidan's flu bug the day of closing on the house.  Slept, got sick slept some more....total of about 16 hrs sleeping & all better!

Road Trip from GA, through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma & KS.

My travel buddy...QT iced tea & Cracker :)

Visit Stately Oaks Plantation Home in Jonesboro, GA.

Not on the list, but glad to have over- MRI

Swimming.  Aidan almost passed out the first time with the eye & nose covered goggles. "I can't breef I can't breef with these on!!!" :) We swam at our neighborhood pool, Grandma's house & at Camp Mimi's.

Visit Fernbanks Museum in Atlanta.  Dinosaurs outside, inside & massive ones in the grand hall of the museum.

There were also neat play areas, history of GA and their temporary exhibit- the #1 exhibit about #2...

Isaac was tuckered out, but the good news is for a few extra dollars than a one day admission we could buy a membership to go any time all year...can't wait to go back.

Visit Friends- Wellington friends. Wichita friends. Arizona friends. Topeka/Melvern friends.

Camp Mimi

 

Fair & Parade at Melvern Sunflower Days

Fire works & snow cones at Grandma & Papa's

Melting & making our own crayons.

Service Project.  We collected quarters to send to a friend going on a mission trip to Africa.  She wanted to take approx. one quarter per child they were reaching.  She used the money to purchase materials for VBS.  It was a neat experience for the kids, especially Emma,  who saw first hand how a coin she other wise considers insignificant add up to "real" cash money. :)  We ended up with $23. to send just from searching random jars & containers in the house.

Marshmallow Creations.

Sponge Bombs.  It was a bit harder to locate plain ole sponges w/out a scrubbing side.  We ended up at Dollar General & got bigger sponges than I was looking for.  If it did it again I would buy more sponges to make them more full.  We tied them with all I could find in the house handy- ribbon for balloons or gifts...curly ribbon. :)

Now to take them to the pool and try them out.  A picnic lunch first. :)

Fizzy Fun!  Kids LOVED this.  And SO easy.  Pie pan filled with baking soda.  Little cups (placed in muffin tin to prevent spills) of vinegar tinted with food coloring.  Eye droppers for squirting the colored vinegar into the baking soda.

Not on the list- paper towel roll stacking. :)

And when you can't reach the top- brothers are there to help.

Painting bird houses.  To be honest I was dreading this one.  Painting mess with non washable paints, but was SO surprised at how well they did!

Isaac really got into it.  He especially loved red...even tried painting the inside through the opening.

Aidan surprised me the most with how meticulous he was.

His complete bird house.  Not sure what's with his expression....I never am! :)

Emma's meticulousness was not a surprise.  Give that girl paint & a brush and she's in heaven!

On our last day of summer the kids had the choice to do something on our list that wasn't done or go to Fernbank Museum again.  They chose the Museum. :)  Here we are at the Poop exhibit.  They love it!

How many hours does it take for an elephant to poop my kids' body weight? 7 1/2 hours!  Isaac sitting by the (fake) elephant poop.  The plugging of his nose was his own doing! :)

Nice photo op of Emma!! HA!  Emma & Isaac playing the dung beetle game! :)

My handsome mohawked boys in desperate need of hair cuts!  Emma & Isaac playing with big bubbles in the hands on science area.

Older two playing meterologists.

Maybe Emma doesn't have a future in meteorology.  She gets a bit distracted & breaks out in a dance party when she sees her self in a reflective surface. :)

Bowling.  Kids LOVED it.  Have begged all day to go back.

They took lesson from their momma.  Matt put me up to go first.  I step up there having not bowled but once since college and that one time was pre-Emma.  So...it's been...AWHILE!!  I grab my ball and look back at the kids and say "Let momma show you how it's done!"  And would you know I throw a STRIKE!! NO WAY!  Well....don't get to impressed....all following times up I maybe knocked down 2-4 pins at most. Blah.

Emma only threw the ball back toward the crowd once.  Aidan struck a pose after every roll.  Isaac would squat and we would all pray the ball would eventually make it to the pins. :)  The ball ramp helped toward the end of the game.  End of the game—which didn't end so well...for me anyway.

Noah's Ark is an animal rehabilitation center as well as a group home for children in the state of GA.  We plan to go to next weekend for Isaac's birthday. His love is animals and Noah's Ark is close by so we are holding on to that "Summer Fun" item for another week.

I don't have pictures of our movie night.  Snuggled in with popcorn & gummy worms we watched what was probably an overlooked movie by many called Smitty.  Honestly I grabbed it out of Redbox b/c it had a dog on it and was a kids movie.  It was very cute!  The boys liked it b/c of the dog and it had a great message for one Emma's age.  It was a clean movie with a great lesson.

We went to 2 movies in the theater thanks to the big theater in town having summer kids movies for $1.50!!  The first week we saw Mirror Mirror.  I wasn't sure how Isaac would do since it wasn't animated...and I love Julia Roberts and wasn't sure she could pull off playing the villain, but we all loved it!  The 2nd week was The Band of Misfit Pirates.  It was a cute movie that the kids seemed to like.

Isaac is so funny in theater seats.  The first week he literally sat with his feet up at his ears most of the movie!!  The second week I tried to get him to use a booster, but he cuddled mommy instead. :) He is also adamant here lately that he brings bags upon bags and arms full of "fluffy" animals.

Not on the list, but a fun day was when Emma and I ditched the boys at home with daddy and went school shopping.  She got a few clothing items...but NOT these shoes!!! :)  We got her hair cut and we had a nice lunch together at her choosing of Olive Garden.  She thrives on time alone with me and I enjoy it as well!

So that brings our summer to an end. Part of me cries "BOOO!!!" and then I think back to the handful of days where Emma & Aidan were nearly killing each other and I was sooo ready for school to start. :) We didn't get everything checked off our list, but that gives us more to add to next summers list. The thing Emma would have like more of is time with friends.  Her one neighborhood friend was gone most of the summer, so she didn't really get to play with anyone other than her brothers...which "isn't fun mom!!" :)  Emma is very ready for school.  So excited.  School is her favorite thing.  She loves school supplies, office supplies, her friends and speaks often of becoming a teacher herself. Warms my heart and she kinda gets me excited to want to go back to teaching someday.

I think seeing Emma go into third grade has a different feel to me.  It seems "bigger".  It's the oldest age I taught in school.  So come next year will I know what to do with her?!?! :) Someone once told me how quickly the years go once kids get in school and it's SO true.  Seems like yesterday it was Kindergarten in KS just days after having Isaac.  Then first day jitters for Emma and momma in a very new state of Arizona.  Second grade had a smooth start and such a rocky end.  We are both hopeful and excited for this year and getting more involved in her school.