#4: Sleep In A Tent

This morning we were able to cross off #4 on our list of things to do this summer: Sleep in a tent. I worded this one that way because I didn't actually want to go camping. If you don't already know it, I am NOT an outdoorsy kind of girl. My idea of camping would be in an air conditioned cabin with running water and an actual bathroom I can use. (So, not really camping...) As you may have guessed, Jeff was the one who slept in the tent with the boys, while I sacrificed and slept in the house where Lily was. =) The boys were super excited to set the tent up in the backyard. They were "big" helpers to Jeff.

Even Lily wanted to help!

Riley worked really hard pushing the tent stake into the ground.

Zach decided to use a hammer.

In their PJ's and ready for a night in the tent!!!

What would a night in the tent be without a movie and popcorn???

They slept all night in the tent...and got up very early this morning. (Poor Jeff!) The boys had a lot of fun and want to actually go camping.....maybe when Jeff wants to take them by himself..... =)

# 3: Art Projects

We crossed off the easiest thing on our list of things to do this summer: art projects. We LOVE to do art projects around here, so this is one thing on the list we will do over and over again. The art project Zach chose was to make clay and then bake it and paint it. I use half a recipe and it is plenty for the three kids, but Lily only used a small amount. If you would like to make this clay, but need more, feel free to double what I used.

First, we poured 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup salt into a large mixing bowl.

Then we poured about 3/4 - 1 cup of water in, stirring as we poured.

You may need to add more flour if you get too much water in it.

After you get the consistency you want, divide it up among the kiddos and let them create!

After the kids made everything they wanted to make (ran out of clay) we put them on a cookie sheet and baked them at 300 degrees for about 30 - 45 minutes for each tray.

We actually waited a day, but as soon as they are cool, you can paint them. We just used acrylic paint you find at Walmart, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc.

Here are some of their finished creations!!

Riley made snakes, Lily made some balls, and Zach made a person.

So, we can cross off # 3 on our list of things to do this summer. We just have to decide what to do next!!

10 Things

I asked Zach & Riley to make a list of 10 things they really wanted to do this summer. The things they wanted to put on the list made me smile. Most of the things are very simple, yet fun things to do. This makes my job in accomplishing them a lot easier. =) They did have the random thing that I had to veto (going to Disney World....), and some of them were things we will definitely do more than once, but I think the boys came up with some fun things to do and this way I know they are getting to do stuff that they really want to do.

Here is our list:
1. swimming
2. play card games
3. do art projects
4. sleep in a tent outside
5. do fireworks
6. catch fireflies
7. have a sleepover with cousins
8. make S'mores
9. take a nature walk
10. take a day trip somewhere outside of Wichita

I added the last one. I am not sure where we are going to go, but I would like to go somewhere outside of Wichita that wouldn't take too long to get to and that would be fun for the kids. Any ideas out there???

So, this is our list. Hopefully we will do everything at least once. I will try to post pictures of each thing we do.

I hope everyone has a fun summer!!!!!

Memorial Weekend Fun

The kids and I spent a lot of time outside the last few days enjoying the weather and time with family. Poor Jeff was not so lucky. Sunday morning, he woke up with a very congested chest. He has really bad asthma, and we didn't want to take any chances of him getting worse by being outside where all of the things he is allergic to are, so he stayed home while the kids and I went to my brother's house for lunch and fun in the pool. I know Jeff was sad that he missed the fun, but he did get some quality rest in a quiet house. =)

Here are some pictures from the pool party:

This was as far as Riley would go. He thought the water was too cold.

Lily loved this thing! It has a fan in the bottom of it that pushes you through the water and then it has a squirt gun on it too, so she was driving around the pool squirting people. She was really good at it and was giggling so much. She decided it wasn't so much fun when she accidentally squirted herself in the face though.

(Don't worry, it looks like she was by herself, but people were by her the whole time.)

Today the kids and I played outside most of the day. They used sidewalk chalk....

....Lily mowed the driveway....

....and the boys rode their scooters.

While Lily was napping, the boys went through the sprinkler again!

Then they broke out the super soaker!

Here is Lily feeling sorry for Jeff.

Tonight we went over to Jeff's parent's house for dinner and to let the kids play in the hot tub. The boys had fun playing with their cousins William and Elayne.

Since Lily couldn't get in the hot tub, she decided to climb all over the deck.

We had such a fun weekend!

Refreshed!

Today I had to take some time for myself. Sometimes us Moms have to do that. I had been feeling kind of stressed out lately, trying to get to all of the end of school things for the boys, trying to remember everything they needed. So, I was excited to have a girl's afternoon with my best friend Stephanie. She had made an appointment for a pedicure for us. Saturday is "my day" to sleep in, but I usually never sleep past 9:00 or so, so I was shocked when I woke up at 10:30!!! I honestly do not remember the last time I slept that late!! I hopped in the shower, and when I got out, my WONDERFUL husband had homemade coffee cake and a cup of coffee waiting for me. So sweet! I had to pick Steph up by 11:30, so I quickly got ready and headed to her house. We decided that lunch after our pedi's sounded great too, so after a relaxing time at the salon, we headed to lunch for more girl talk. (Thanks Steph for such a great day!!) When I got home (several hours later...) I walked into a clean house and a husband who told me he was cooking dinner. I think he knew I was needing a break. Smart guy, that one. =) After Lily got up from her nap, the kids and I headed outside to run in the sprinkler.

Lily was not fond of the sprinkler, saying "rain, no rain!" So she played with the bubble machine instead.

The boys saw their friend next door come outside, so they yelled for him to come over. He came over with his mom, and we talked while the boys went down their home-made water slide. I love that they are old enough to have neighborhood friends come over now.

After dinner (and after Jeff cleaned up) we set up this tent for the boys to watch a movie. We are going to let them sleep in it, so they are pretty excited about that.

So, after a day of fun with a friend, being pampered at a spa and by Jeff, I feel refreshed. I can now tackle all of the activities that come with summer. =)

Graduation!

My niece Lindsey graduated from 8th grade last night!

Here is my sister with her baby girl.

She got a lot of awards!

I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Have fun in high school Lindsey! We are proud of you and love you SO much!!!

Picnic!

At the end of the year, Riley's preschool teacher has a big picnic for all three preschool classes at a park. It is a lot of fun for the kids to get together and play one last time before Summer. All of the parents bring food to share and get to talk to each other while the kids are playing. Riley was super excited about today. He had already reached the equipment before I could get Lily out of the car!

Here are my little daredevils:

Sorry this is just a shot of the top of their heads, Riley and his friend Natalie were very intent on the sand castle they were building and did not have time for me to take their picture. =)

Jeff was able to take a long lunch break and join us at the park. Riley and Lily were excited to see him. It is so cute how they act like they haven't seen him in years when they see him in the middle of the day.

We had a yummy lunch!

Then it was back to playing!!

Riley had a great year in Pre-3 and learned so much!! We are very excited that he will get to have Miss Eva again next year for Pre-4!

Ponytails

Lily has never had a lot of hair. Since she was born, I have wanted to do things to her hair, but have had to settle with headbands and little bows....which she pulls out. =) But the other day, I was looking at her hair and noticed that it was getting longer. It curls a little in the back, so it is hard to tell, but I thought that just maybe I would be able to do this to her:

Ponytails!!! I was so excited!!! I know, it is a pretty silly thing to get excited about, but I was excited anyway. =) These big bows kept slipping out, so I bought little hairbands today. (Which are still a little too big for her super thin hair.) She sat there on the bathroom counter and let me put these in and then said "pretty!"

And she even left them in!!

Tigers!

We went to see the new tiger exhibit at the zoo yesterday. The kids liked the new statue of the tiger and jumped right up on it for a picture....I swear they like the statues more than the actual animals...

While the tigers were cool to look at, I can't help but think that Zach was a little disappointed. They laid there chewing on some bones. I think Zach thought they were going to come running up to the glass roaring. They seemed pretty content to just lay there.

They also have a new Red Panda. Zach kept insisting that it was a fox. He would not believe me that it was a Red Panda. He was pretty cute. He kept walking around looking at everyone look at him.

After checking out the tigers, we saw that they were feeding the giraffes. The boys love doing this and this time Lily got to do it. They used to have little pellets that you fed them with, but they have switched to branches, which is probably more sanitary than the giraffe's tongues touching you, but I think the boys missed those long black tongues reaching out to them. =)

We had a good time checking out the new tigers and feeding the giraffes!