Summer Wrap-up

We've tried our best this summer to balance down-time with fun activities, vacation with education.  While Scott and I, and hopefully the kids, have enjoyed these summer days, we did both look at each other the other night and say "We could never home school."  (This was after the money counting portion of the lemonade stand.)  So while we are certainly glad for the opportunities to spend extra time with the kids, we are also looking forward to the routine that the school year brings, even if it does mean rousing the household much earlier and sticking to a more strict bedtime routine.

Here is a recap of some of the opportunities this summer has brought us:

-TJ ran his first triathlon through the YMCA.  50 meter swim, 1 mile bike ride, and 1/4 mile jog.  It was a really early morning for all 5 of us, but we were home by 8:15!  Quite unlike the all day swim meets for about the same amount of viewing entertainment.

-Luka and I enjoyed an all day art project.  We both got kinda crafty and painted, cut, and glued for quite some time. His masterpiece now hangs in his room right above his bed.  Hopefully the pieces won't fall off in the middle of the night.



-We've enjoyed watching these ducks in the pond grow up since spring.  Recently, TJ enticed them all to enter our backyard by throwing grass at them, which they thought was food, all the way from the pond to our house.  Mikayla loves these ducks.  She takes almost daily walks to the pond, and runs right at them.  She has gotten pecked once or twice.

-After finishing Magic Science Camp, I came home to find our budding little scientist trying to recreate the experiment in the kitchen, all on his own.  Too bad he was using corn starch instead of baby powder.  Well, why woudn't it work?  They look exactly the same!

We've also had the opportunity on many occasions to spend some time on the street with bikes, skateboards, the Big Wheel, scooters, etc.  It is a good way to kill 30 minutes before or after dinner.  I usually send the boys to get the mail, and Mikayla practices walking up and down the curbs, yet again.