Setting our Intentions

I had 3 stepping stone kits that I got on clearance last year.  I was going to replace "Hop, Skip and Jump" with these bigger pavers.  But then I ran out of time. So they have just been sitting there.  I decided to put them to good use.  The kids each picked an intention, or a word (or two) for their school year.  And we set them in STONE!
It was a fun "family study" time.  (Even though Libby and Ben got a time out for fighting...I decided to bring back time out today.  It's going to help me finish out the summer.  I need something!)

Ben's Word: Cool (as in I'm cool?  I'll stay cool? I look cool?  Not sure--guess we will find out!)

Libby.  Strong and Successful (and cracked...oops.  My bad I think).  The stamping thing was pretty cool!  

Star Sarah.  I think because she will shine a light for her peers.  But maybe she will also be the star of the show.  

Wild WAVES!

For a couple of summers I have been promising to take the kids to Wild Waves.  I finally made it happen (by inviting a friend for each of them so I couldn't back out.)

It was really fun.  Beautiful (not too sunny and hot) day.  Ben & Jed were perfect partners.  They went on every ride, ran everywhere (unless I reminded them to slow down), and had so much fun.

Libby and Sarah both invited friends who liked roller coasters less than they do.  But it all worked out.  We had a great time.  I even got some reading in while they were swimming--and while I may have lost track of them during their water play.  Seemed safer to stay with the towels where I knew they would return eventually.  I am not really a fun mom, but I can occasionally help them have fun.  

Norton Reading Challenge 2019

The great Norton Reading Challenge of 2019 took place on Thursday this week.
It was a tough battle for 1st place. 
This year we read:

The Hunger Games (supposed to be for older readers, but we let Ben listen to it and he loved it.)
Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
Artemis Fowl (the first one)
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief

We listened to all but the Unusual Chickens (the audiobook is due out in Sept.)  It made for a great summer of listening.  I didn't really like Artemis Fowl or the Chickens Book (as it came to be known at our house).  But it felt good to be reading (listening) for a cause.

I got into Alex Rider as a good way to power through the last of my painting.  So I also listened to book 2 and 3. (Then I was over it for awhile). 

The competition was fierce.  In the end, Ben cried when it was over.  He tried so hard, even staying up late several nights to read the Chickens Book.  His team took last, but as Grammy kept saying, "They had a good attitude." 

We had snacks and special Mocktails made by Sarah as a part of her Summer 6 (separate post--maybe next week).  The kids also showed off some of the work they have done this summer--like the summaries they have written for screen time, their paintings, etc.

Libby had a table too--but she wasn't around when I was photographing, and I guess I never took a shot of her.  I was kind of hopefully that they would do more stuff--and that they would clean up after themselves after painting, etc.  But still, they accomplished a lot this summer. 

Beautiful Yard Moment

This year I had my (amazing) gardener come once to kick start the year.  Then I got my (gloved) hands in the dirt!  I was so pleased with the results.  It turns out that flowers really make me happy (outside flowers that is).  I have a wide internal smile when I pull up to my house.  Plotting what I can do to get more flowers next year.
The pictures don't really do it justice.  Just want to capture the moment.

I'm hoping to sneak in some evenings this year keeping it up after school starts...for as long as I can. 

The Sunroom Evolution: Can you Spot the Changes?

When we first bought the house in 2013: 

After the updates I did in Feb 2018

The start of the current project: 

AFTER: 

Volleyball!

I love volleyball.  And I have been wanting my kids to learn.  I was so excited when I saw the flyer for USYVL for the summer.  It was a time we could make it work...all 3 kids at the same time, just two days a week.  It was perfect!  They all learned a lot and really liked it.  I was worried about Ben's depth perception issues, but they really have improved.  He only took one ball to the face.  (His response, "it's okay, I'm a wrestler, bloody noses happen."  Then his coach told me about the nose, a little worried...my response was the exact same!)
We did miss a few weeks due to travel and weddings, etc.  And the one game day that we were going to make it for--rained. 
Still, I am happy that we got outside, the kids learned the basics, and I even got roped into coaching.  So I got to play too!

The whole crew! 

Our team was called the Fantastic Fivez (yes, with a z).  I wasn't the coach until they begged me after week 1, so I didn't help with the naming process.  Here are a few of my players.  I also might have recruited a wrestling partner for Libby! Most of the girls were gone off and on, so this is only a few of the players.  They were all fun! 

A Bedroom Makeover Tradition Continues

There is a tradition in my mom's family.  When my mom went to girls camp for the first time, her mom redecorated her room.  Then my mom did that for me and my sisters.  Even though I did Libby & Sarah's room just 2 years ago--I reused a lot of decor from when they were much younger.  It was time to give their room a new look.
Here are some before pictures:  The Makeover 2 Years Ago

And another:

I had the bonus of having Sarah to help me.  At this point she had already taken down almost everything from the walls.
Libby wanted me to paint the walls red and gold.  Wasn't going there (especially after all the painting I have done already this summer).  But I decided we could add gold accents for a reasonable price.

Spray paint was my best friend in this job.  I painted two frames gold.  This bench was formerly in our laundry/mud room.  It was jamming up the traffic flow.  But in here it creates another seating area and blanket storage. 

Libby is into makeup, but thankfully more into owning makeup than really wearing it.  I bought some makeup organizers and got her this chair to sit in while she applies makeup.  She can open the closet door and have a mirror while she sits in her director chair.  Sarah is bummed that she doesn't have a chair.  Maybe she'll get one for Christmas. In retrospect, I shouldn't have gone with the teal chair, since it doesn't match the curtains and that is annoying.  But oh well.  Such is the buying online risk! 

I still love the closet doors (sayings and mirrors) left from the last makeover.  

I actually bought the canvases over the beds for Libby to do her painting project that she wants to do this summer.  Then I realized it would be a cool way to put up her letter--in negative with gold spray paint.  I love how it turned out.  The L itself (and the S) are now on the door.  I replaced the dresser pulls with gaudy gold ones that look like they have diamonds inside.  The shelf above the dresser has some fun gold stuff.  I should take a close up!  Next to Libby's bed is a sign I got at athome in Utah. She got it for her birthday.  "What she tackles she conquers" There is a new gold lamp.  And a new alarm clock.  We have tried many alarm clocks for this girl.  This one is an old school ringer with no snooze, since her snooze count was getting up into the 7-8 range and she was never getting out of bed without coercion.  

I think it turned out quite nice...and the most important thing is that she LOVED it.  She went crazy when she saw it.  My favorite part was when she told me she was going to keep it clean.  We shall see on that one!

Swim Meet 1 and Done

We love swim team and swim meets...but this year this was the only meet we could go to.  We also missed so many practices, that we didn't get in as many practices as we might have needed.
But I was so proud of the kids yesterday.  (Especially because they were tired and hungry after swimming at the Shoreview Ward party with Grammy.)
Sarah now has an amazing flip turn and took 1st in her freestyle 50 m race!  Libby and Ben didn't fare as well (especially because in Ben's freestyle race he thought it was butterfly...not his fault--that race wasn't in the heat sheet, so I didn't write in on his arm, but I felt so bad for him!) Next year!