Archive for July, 2017

Dog Days of Summer

Wednesday, July 26th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Our busy summer is winding down. We enjoyed our time visiting family over the last two weeks. Now we are home, relaxing for the last few weeks of summer break before another busy school year starts. However, even when we try to relax, we still seem to be busy. I guess we all want to fit in as much fun as possible in the next couple weeks.

The summer heat has finally set in. It is 80 degrees before mid- morning and in the upper 90’s by mid-afternoon, almost every day. The heat is really putting a damper on any outdoor activities. Even early mornings at tennis camp are hard on the boys this week. Their instructor does his best to keep them excited with games, drills, and lots of water breaks.

Afternoons at the pool are a staple in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, even the pool has fallen victim to the heat. The water temperatures are warm now. Unless we get a cool night or a heavy rain the pool isn’t as refreshing as it was a month ago. Even with the warm water temps, the pool is still fun, especially for the kids and their neighborhood friends. If it’s too hot for tennis and riding bikes, the pool is still the place to be. I’m going to enjoy the last few weeks of vacation, even if its 99 degrees out.

 

“Lolli-pop!”

Monday, July 24th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
I am not proud to let you know about this, but Hudson is obsessed with lollipops. He asks for them every day. I am even less proud to admit that I do indulge him almost daily.

But here’s the thing. He only goes in for a few licks at a time. Then he forgets about it. He hands it to a grown-up to deal with, and might ask for one again six hours later.

I don’t think it’s such a big deal to indulge him and prevent a tantrum. Especially since he doesn’t get them at meal times, he only has a bit, and he still brushes pretty religiously.

I hope I’m not setting him up for a bad habit or getting him hooked on high fructose corn syrup. Truthfully, I have been slowly scaling him back. I also think he will cut down more when he starts school in the fall. These days, it’s like he walks around the kitchen, remembers that they’re there somewhere (we keep hiding them) and it occurs to him to ask for one. Hopefully a new routine will break the pattern.

Hope you have a lovely (and sweet!) week.

Free Time

Wednesday, July 19th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
I spent last weekend sharing some quality time with high school girl friends at the beach to celebrate our 20th high school reunion. We had our toes in the sand and talked about our high school memories. We all keep in touch through social media and texting and we visit each other occasionally, whenever our busy schedules allow. We were all thankful our schedules aligned for a few days, and we could all catch up. We were also thankful for the husbands and grandparents that watched our kids and gave us the opportunity. 

I got home from the beach, just in time to say goodbye to Jack and Tate, again. Their paternal grandparents arrived to pick up the boys for few days of “Lake Camp.” Jack and Tate always look forward to “Lake Camp” and all the fun activities they get to do with their grandparents. I can’t wait to hear all about it.

As a stay at home mom, I rarely get a chance to get away by myself. I love the time I spend with my kids, but I can always use a break. I am thankful for supportive grandparents who are happy to help watch my kids. I miss my boys a lot, but sleeping in a few extra minutes and having some time to myself really help recharge my batteries. Once we are all back together, I will have more energy and a better perspective on how awesome my family is. 

Little Fishies

Monday, July 17th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
As we do every summer, we recently set up an inflatable pool in the yard. The kids love to swim in it, even though Haley still complains that it’s not a “digged up pool.” This year, Hudson is really getting in on the action. He’s a lot more comfortable in the water than he was a year ago. With the hot temperatures we’ve been experiencing, the opportunity to cool down in the pool has been invaluable to the kids’ happiness and my sanity!

I have to admit that I should take a cue from my kids and get into the fun myself. While I always supervise them carefully (or make sure another grown-up is doing so), I haven’t gone in with them much. Either there’s something I need to take care of, or I don’t want to have to re-do my hair, etc. I always have an excuse. But I should probably let loose a time or too and splash around with the little ones. Those are the memories they will always cherish.

I’m resolved to do better this week. Hopefully I enjoy some water fun, and you do too!

Family Fun

Thursday, July 13th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
The boys and I are in Pennsylvania for the week visiting family. Summertime is really the only time we can travel without too many scheduling conflicts. So we flew home using our non-revenue passes with my husband’s airline employer. 

My grandmother and great aunt both passed away this year, so my family has been going through their old photo albums. We did a slideshow of some very old photos of my family from the last 50 years. Jack and Tate couldn’t believe their eyes. They were amazed when they saw pictures of their grandparents and great grandparents when they were only kids. It was fun looking at pictures of myself as a kid, too. I had never seen most of the pictures, and I was surprised how similar Jack and Tate looked as children.

We also spent a fun day with my husband’s family, including my sister-in-law and her husband and two children. We are rarely together in the same place, so it was great to get the cousins together. Despite the age differences, the kids played well all afternoon. There was plenty of laughter and fun. 

We’re all looking forward to more fun over the next several days. Unfortunately, my husband is working hard at home and could not join us. He wants our boys to have great family memories. I’m glad we’ve made plenty already this summer. There are only a few more weeks to make more. I hope you and your family find time to do the same.

Happy Camper

Tuesday, July 11th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Today Haley starts her first day of camp. It feels like just yesterday Haley was a little baby in my arms. Now she’s a big girl ready to head off to days of outdoor recreational fun. It’s really amazing. I’m so happy for her that’s she’s growing up happy and healthy and eager to explore her world. Yet her burgeoning independence is bittersweet for me.

Going to camp, in my view, is a decidedly “big kid” activity. I worry about how well Haley will handle it. She still gets nervous to leave Mom at times, but I think she will adjust quickly. Many kids from her school will be there, and I think she will have fun getting to know children her age who attend other schools in the district. Besides, these past few weeks without structured activities have been difficult on Haley, her brother, and me. She’s simply at the age where she needs time outside of the house.

I attended the same camp as a kid, and I have great memories of my times there. I also was a counselor there, so I have a good feel for what they’re all about. There are tons of fun activities and time for free play. Not to mention the daily water activities and “fun days” such as bubble day and stuffed animal day. We’ll see how Haley takes to it. Hopefully, it won’t take too long before we have a happy camper.

Seven

Wednesday, July 5th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Today is Tate’s seventh birthday. We jokingly call him our “little firecracker.” Born the day after 4th of July, Tate is our strong willed, big-hearted, silly guy that we love so much. He makes everybody laugh with his funny antics, but his spontaneity will keep you on edge. You never know what you’ll get with Tate, but you do know life won’t be boring.

Over the last seven years, I’ve had a lot of happy moments with Tate and a lot of challenging moments with Tate. He loves to cuddle on the couch and always gives me a goodnight kiss. He also knows how to push my buttons and test every behavioral boundary we set. As much as he can stress me out, this is our Tate and I love him, even when he pushes the limit. He has a lovable determination when he takes on a task. His focus is hilarious, and if he wants something he is a real go-getter.

I look forward to this year with Tate. He is growing up and turning into a big kid. He has his own opinions and ideas about things. He organizes play dates, and selling lemonade. Every day, he surprises me with a new joke, word, or experiment he tried. Tate makes me laugh out loud. I am blessed to have a kid who loves life the way he does. It’s been a great 7 years, and I look forward to many more birthday celebrations.

 

Happy 4th

Tuesday, July 4th, 2017

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Independence Day is upon us! And even though we haven’t officially gotten there yet, I think most of us got a jump-start on the holiday over the weekend. Over at our household, there’s been grilling, water fun, and even s’mores. It’s so fun to see Haley and Hudson get into the holiday spirit.

Haley is also nearly old enough to understand what it means for the fourth of July to be “America’s birthday.” She knows a little about the Revolution and is so pleased that “the Americans defeated the British!” I think this year, we’ll be able to delve a little deeper into history, and she can learn what the Declaration of Independence is all about.

Hopefully Haley will be interested in learning more about our great country. Maybe she’ll just want some s’mores. Either way, she’ll continue to see that this is a time of year when we celebrate our country and our freedom. Eventually she’ll know why, and she can always be proud that she did.