Thoughtful Thursday - I'm Done With Summer

Once upon I time, I was ready for summer.
I could sleep late, enjoy my kids, didn't have to go anywhere.
But that fairy tale was long over weeks ago.

First of all, let's talk about the heat.
I'm in Texas. It hit 104 yesterday and today it's supposed to hit 105.
I have window units. They're OKAY, but certainly don't have the cooling power of central A/C.
Not to mention the fact that we have a gas stove. The pilot lights stay on. That kitchen gets HOT.

Now let's talk about sleep.
Sleeping late is overrated, to say the very least.
I feel worse and worse every day, and I think it's because I seem to be sleeping later and later.

Enjoying my kids?
Well, since it's too hot to go outside, and there's not much to do right now . . .
They're hot,
Bored,
Cranky,
and Annoying.

And not having to go anywhere? Well, that gets old after the first two weeks.

I have another two months of this?

Dear Summer:

I AM SO OVER YOU!

Love,

Silly Saturday - Summertime Blues

We all know what summer means for our school age children -
BORED
ANNOYING
KIDS

And for those kids that haven't gone to camp or summer rec (like mine), it's even worse.
Sure they have video games and TV, but what happens when they wear out?
And it's not like they can go outside every day in this Texas summer heat (104 last week!!!!!)
And on top of THAT . . . Craft supplies can be PRICY.
So how in the WORLD do you keep bored kids entertained on a hot summer day??

One of my favorite activities to do with the kids involves a bit of recycling (sort of).
We take old newspapers and wad them up into (loose) balls, which we then put into two boxes.
Then we take chairs and blankets, move a bit of furniture around, and make two "forts".
Even numbers on each side of the room and then . . .
SNOWBALL FIGHT!

My kids can do this for hours.

Other newspaper activities:
Paper Mache (you can make homemade paste by following this recipe)
Paper boats (if you live close to a pond or creek, you can have a boat race!)
Paper hats

So what if you don't have newspaper?
Well there are a few other recyclables around your home I'm sure: Paper towel or toilet paper rolls, scratch paper, magazines, fliers, chip cans, applesauce/yogurt containers (washed) - these can all be used to make some amazing recycled crafts!

Okay, so the craft idea is out the window for some reason or another (I don't keep trash, I don't want to clean up the mess, kids to young, kids too old) . . .

Give your young ones a couple of sponges and spray bottles of water and let them clean your kitchen floor (hey, this works!! They have a BLAST!)

If it's not TOO hot out there, water guns, a small wading pool, and water balloons are all cheap as is running through the sprinkler.

While the summer heat can be unbearable for many of us (some more than others) there are ways to work around it and ensure that our kids aren't bored ALL the time (lets face it, they're going to bored at SOME point).

What are some of your favorite summertime activities?

Good Bye Summer . . . A Photo Gallery

As August comes to a close, the winds still blow hot on our faces, the sun still beats down, and we still have to use fans alongside our A/C's to prevent being too hot. Yet school is right around the corner - my children start next Monday, as a matter of fact. So as we say good bye to Summer, 2010, we get to look back on all the memories we made.

This summer we . . .

Lost a Patriarch

Gained an Aunt and Sister-In-Law (and cousins)

Sailed the Lake

Got a massive sunburn

Replaced a Water Heater

Lost some teeth

Had a first boat ride

Learned to Ski

Played with sparklers

Played with more sparklers . . .

And learned we weren't too fond of sparklers . . .

We ate lots of Pizza

Had fun at VBS

Had our first VBS

Learned how to light fireworks

And Became a teenager

This summer has been filled with magic, wonder, fun, good times, and even some bad times. But all in all, it was a summer that I know none of us will ever forget!

Hope you all have a wonderful school year!

♥♥

Fourth of July Fun

It's taken me a while, but I've finally got enough pics to share from our fun out at my parents' house on the 4th of July. 

Emily learned how to light a fuse, Jake held his first sparkler, and my dad and Ronnie bonded over "man time" while playing with some of the most sparkly "toys" ever. 

Enjoy!

PePaw teaches Em the finer points of fuse lighting.

Most importantly is "RUN AWAY!"

Firecracker Massacre

Even Emily's shoes were sparkly!

Daddy helps Jake with his first sparkler. Until, that is . . .

"Turn it off, Pweese!"

Emily loved how they looked at night.

The Grand Finale wasn't so bad, either.

Summer is coming! Everybody hide!

The days are shorter and hotter

The sounds of screaming children fill the air

Everyone in my daughters class is ready for Friday (the last day of school)

Yes.

Summer is upon us.

Be afraid.

Be very afraid.

This summer I plan on doing a lot of nothing.  

Seriously.

I am taking a break from school, don't plan on making any trips to the pool or the fun park, or the park.

Maybe the library.

I don't get outside much.

I'm Irish.

I burn. 

Maybe that is going to end up a mistake.  

I mean after all, I am 

SUPERMOM. 

 I should have a game plan, yes?  Well, 

YOU'RE RIGHT.

I may not be planning the funnest of all fun summers.

No Disneyland trips for the DeMoss clan.

 BUT

I do have a plan!

Crafts.

Movies.

Picnics outside under the protection of the very large shade tree in the front yard (did I mention my Irish roots?)

Sitting on the couch with my baby girl playing Mario Kart and Mod Nation Racers.

Reading books.  Lots and lots of books.

Maybe a little blogging.

A whole LOT of cooking and recipe writing.

(maybe I'll finally finish that cookbook)

I even have a (flexible) schedule.

*yea me*

The next couple of days I get to enjoy a little more peace and quiet.

Then . . .

invasion

RUN!!!!!!!

I need a vacation . . .

You know, being a mom isn't easy. Being a mom that works is REALLY hard - but the bright side is that you generally get a break from the kids for at least SOME length of time. When school was in full swing, from August through December or from January through May, I am cheerful. Happy. I have no issues. I am not stuck at home 24 hours a day 7 days a week cooking, cleaning, chasing, changing diapers, diciplining, yelling . . . you get my point.

Summer stinks. Why? B/C I am currently home 24 hours a day 7 days a week cooking, cleaning, chasing, changing diapers, diciplining, yelling . . . you get my point . . . again.

I love my children. Don't get me wrong. And I LOVE being a SAHM - I wouldn't trade jobs with anyone. But it's HARD. Especially when you don't have a car. I can't even take the kids to the park. Sure, I could send them outside, but they come back inside 5 minutes later complaining that "It's to hoo-ot . . ." in that whiney way children have perfected since the 1st century. At least at the park, they don't have an option. But then, who can blame them, really, I mean it IS 90 degrees in the shade today, after all. And I can't be a hypocrite. I won't send them outside if I won't go outside. That would be just WRONG . . . Okay, well maybe not, but I would feel guilty as all get out.

Plus there's a little issue we're having with money. Yeah, that's kinda a constant, but about once or twice a month, we go through trying to figure out how we're going to scrounge up enough cash for groceries. I have meat in the freezer, pasta and cream soups in the pantry . . . I wonder if I have enough for casseroles and homemade skillet meals to last a week.

I had to go to wal-mart at 2 in the morning to spend $13 we don't have on a box of diapers b/c I had NO CLUE that we were out. THAT was an experience.

School starts in late August. Until then . . . well, you know . . . I need a mommy-break.

It's Too Freakin' Early

So my wonderful infant son wakes up at 6 freakin' 30 this morning. No worries, I was just going to change him and give him a bottle and crawl back into bed to snuggle with hubby until everyone else wakes up at around 8:30. WISHFUL THINKING. Who should I hear come up behind me (talking almost as loud as possible) - my step son. I love my kids - all of them weather I gave birth to them or not. But I had NO intention of being awake at 6:30 this morning, nor did I have any intention of STAYING awake. But, of course, Jake decided "no bottle for me, momma - Garrett's up - it's time to PLAY". So here it is, roughly 8:05 my time and I have been up for an hour and a half on a Saturday on Memorial Day weekend. Niiice . . . (catch the sarcasm there?)

On the bright side, now I have an excuse to wake hubby up at 8:30 (if the loud children don't wake him first). I plan on getting this house CLEAN this weekend. Not just a little clean. I mean CLEAN clean. The I-can-eat-off-my-countertops-without-being-afraid-of-a-staph-infection clean. If I have to be the only one cleaning this weekend - it WILL happen. I am tired of the mess and the filth. For every five things I pick up, seventeen more remain. And MOST of it isn't even mine!! So I have decided we are going to become minimalists. Yup. Nothing I don't need is staying. I am holding on to a few baby items for my hubby's pregnant cousin (we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet) but other than that - everything not necessary to life in our household is GOING. I hope . . .

Summer in the midst . . .

I love Summer. I really do. But I get so worried. Am I going to be able to handle Emily and Jake 24-7 and NOT lose my sanity? Not to mention the weeks that we are going to have Garrett and Christin in towe. I love my kids. All four of them. But I am so worried that I am going to want to kill them by the time school starts again!

Even today, Garrett and Christin are out of school today, so we have them until Monday. They are every so slightly starting to drive me banannas. Christin is helping a lot with Jake, but Garrett can't seem to NOT be argumentative with everyone - including me.

I have a TON of cleaning to do. My house looks like four tornadoes, a hurricane, and a land-fill hit it. My kitchen is not just nasty - its NAAAAASSSSTYYY . . . I have stuff on the walls and cabinets that I never noticed before Ronnie pointed it out to me. Hopefully this summer will bring control. I have to control the clutter and not let it control me!

So this summer should be interesting. I just hope I don't become the wicked step-mother!

By the way - Jacob sat up all by himself this past week! It was the coolest thing. Now, he'll yell ("Eh!!!") and make sure SOMEONE is watching him before he pushes up onto his tushie. Then he'll smile and go "Yeeeeah!!" and clap. LOL. He's so fun. I love having a baby again!