july

This summer has gone by really fast.


Makes me think of when I was a kid, and time would drone on and seem to take forever.  Probably because when you are a kid, you have nothing really important to do.  Just endless free time.


Oh….sweet free time….




I seem to be failing mightily at helping my children occupy their free time.  Who said that was my job anyway?



My ideas are always deemed “so boring” or “lame”.  Whatever.  You don’t like my idea of a picnic at a park?  Here’s the bucket of cleaning supplies.  Cleaning the bathroom is definitely more fun.

(Amigurumi bunny I made for E)

(Bike ride with the girls….right before I slipped on loose gravel and crashed…)

(Geocaching with Friday Friends)

One thing our family hasn’t been short on this summer is appointments.  Somehow I ended up on the summer rotation for all of our checkups, and it feels like we’ve spent the equivalent of Christmas vacation in one doctors waiting room or another.





Olivia ended up with a cavity in one of her molars and two front teeth that just wouldn’t come out.  The dentist calmly explained to me that since, “Olivia is quite uncooperative, and downright combative, we are recommending Conscious Sedation for the procedure.”


Gulp.


It was quite an ordeal.   If you know me and any member of my family, you are very well versed in the way we handle dental procedures around here.  Who knew a doped up 6 year old who could barely stand up straight would be able to make her mother chase her around the dining room table? Now come on Olivia…this is ridiculous…stop running….you are going to fall over and get…..yep. See I told you that would happen….No.  Don’t scream please….the doctor wants you to lay down until……oooo…I bet that hurt….Olivia….stop running.


Yea.  It was like that.






She has no memory of the entire ordeal, and even asked me after finally falling asleep for a nap, “What happened to my teeth?”


But she sure looks adorable with those two missing teeth!






I mentioned appointments didn’t I?  Both boys have had evaluations and started receiving treatment at The Shandy Clinic (Occupational Therapy: Isaac to help manage his ADHD and several sensory regulation concerns, and Nate to help manage his anger.)  So far the appointments are once a week and at the same time.  Not sure what will happen once school starts though… 






My parents are in town for the summer and have taken the boys each for camping trips.  Nothing like fishing and dice games with no siblings around to fight for attention!







My sister and her family came out to visit for a week.  It was really wonderful to get so much time with them!

(He’s already mastered the “What?!?” look.)

I really wish I could spend more time with my sister….

(Don’t tell the girls, but I’ve booked a special trip for the three of us to visit in October!  The girls are gonna flip that they get to go on an airplane!)

(An Old Fashioned Church Picnic)

(A hike around the pond at Fox Run, just to feed the turtles and the fish.)

(Keeping Isaac busy with Lego assignments )

(Collaborative Art during stations time: Build a Map of a City)

Nate tried really hard for a little while to deal with the flexible schedule of summer.  But this boy needs structure.  Which means that the rest of us have had to put summer on hold until school starts.  I personally just can’t deal with the drama anymore, so if that means that we stay home, and recite over and over what the plans of the day are, than that is what I will do.  I think the girls and I will live up the last two weeks of August as our summer vacation before officially starting up homeschool.






We’re heading into August with both of our birthdays and our anniversary to celebrate!  I can’t really believe it’s been 17 years with this amazing man by my side.