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Is this thing still on? Hello?

Okay so I suck.

No surprise there right.

It was hot. Like record breaking hot... but I guess I don't have to tell you because it was hot wherever you are too. Ugh.

We had a crazy busy summer. Which was TOTALLY different from last summer when we didn't go anywhere because Booger Head was brand new and I was too afraid of having four kids to go out in public.

In June Stinky got baptized. It's a big deal and we are so proud of him and the sharp young man he is growing up to be.

 
My parents flew out just eight days after my poor Mom had abdominal surgery. Dad's folks and his two single siblings came, along with one of his younger brothers and his family (see the previous post for pictures of a cute baby that does not belong to me). We had a lot of people here. Not HERE here... because we haven't the space to house them all. My folks stayed HERE here a couple nights but when everybody got here they all stayed at a hotel down the street... which was less than pleasant for my parents. Sorry guys.

We all sweated our way through a week of Twilight Camp with the Cub Scouts, of which Dad is the Cub Master and I am now the Committee Chair. At a local park, from 5-9pm every night, for a whole week. I only suffered two nights but Dad and the big kids suffered all week... it was hot. But not as hot as it was about to get I guess... and the kids had a good time. And that's what matters.

July was a bit easier. Sort of. We had less stuff planned I think...

We started teaching the monsters to swim using this program. Our little neighborhood pool is 4 feet at it's deepest but Stinky and Pinky are paddling around like pros. They've finished level two and we'll move on to real strokes as soon as soccer is over... more on that later. Ralph won't put his face in the water. But he also won't stay on the stairs or in the shallow part (6 inches I think) and it makes me nervous and he ends up in trouble... grrr. Booger Head LOVES the pool but hates the baby floatie. He wants to bob around but you have to hold him, and if you try to get him to float on his back he'll freak out and try to pull all the skin off of your neck.

We also started working with the older two monsters on bike riding. Yes. We suck and neither my 8 year old or my 6.5 year old knew how to ride a bike before this summer. It's hot here. And I don't like sweating. Pinky took to it really fast and Stinky was just a few days behind her. They were both doing great. And then Dad pretended that he was a third of each his weight and age and tried to pedal Stinky's bike up the driveway and into the garage and snapped the crankarm right off. So now we wait for the bike to get fixed. Stinky has since told him, more than once, "next time you want to show me something on the bike, get your own."

We continued with bike riding and swimming in August and signed the three older monsters up for soccer. Again. Because some people never learn. But this season is going to be extra fun...

Extra Fun
Serves 6

3 young soccer players, 2 of which are old enough to practice twice a week.
1 Dad who is assistant coaching at least one of the teams.
2 fields where games will be played, located 10-15 minutes away from each other.
At least three games every weekend, sometimes four.
One car.
One Mom who hates sweat and parking at the soccer field.
One Booger Head who will be drug along for the ride.
Record breaking heat... we're still talking highs of 100-105 here.

Combine and cry for the next 8 weeks.

See? I told you. Extra fun.

Not to mention Soccer Mom Barbie on Pinky's team. "Let's have matching socks! Let's do cute hairbows!" Before she gets any more great ideas I'm just going to say now that I will not be donning a bedazzled shirt ever. for any of my children's extra circular activities. EVER.

It's going to be fun. I can tell already.

Booger Head started walking. And climbing. The little turd. And Mom is one step closer to crazy. It's a good thing he's so cute.

I purchased and cooked, for the first time in my entire life, fish. Salmon to be precise. And it was delicious. Cook it like this (you'll have to scroll a little bit) and serve it with lemon, garlic and dill butter. Your life will never be the same.

And of course back to school... after hours and hours of shopping, washing, packing they are back at school. Here are some things I learned...

Famous Footwear sucks. Crappy store, crappy organization of shoes and crappy selection.
Those prepackaged school supply kits come with a $22ish convenience charge. I only had to hunt down one thing.
First graders are too cool for Disney Princesses.
When the Justin Bieber GT folder vanishes from the backpack that you are SURE you put it in when you bought it, it WILL be all. your. fault. Just like it was when you couldn't find a JB Tshirt. Drama, drama, drama.

Pinky also got glasses this summer... as you can see from the required "On the doorstep on the 1st day of school" picture...

I hope you're all enjoying the return of regular naps :)