Summer Time

 Now that we are home from all our trips--Disney/Sea World (one day each), cruise, St Louis and Indiana, life has settled into a routine.

Pretty much we get up and I make breakfast while the others sweep their rooms and make their beds. Then we all clean up the kitchen. (Rick and Tyler leave by 6, and the rest of us don't get up until 7:00-7:30) We have a quick devotion time, then do exercises and hopefully get to the nearby park that has a walking path. We see how far we can get in 30 minutes. That's as long as we have because Jasmine had/has band camp last week, this week and next week Monday-Thursdays in the morning.

While she's gone, the twins work on the Bridge book they are doing. It has activities especially for kids going from 2nd to 3rd grade. You can get them for each grade. If Kayla gets a spot in 3rd grade at the charter school, they will expect her to have done this book during the summer. So we are just going ahead and doing it. Kaleb is doing it also because he needs the review too.

Jasmine has assigned summer work too, and she does it after band camp. In the afternoon they do whatever their jobs are and finish up any work from the Bridge books. We are trying to go to the pool 3-4 times a week to work on swimming. Other than that, they have free time to play inside or outside.

In the evenings we play Wii or watch a movie. After the twins are in bed, Jasmine has started watching "Murder She Wrote" on DVD, and we watch it with her. She's pretty good at figuring things out. Anyone watch that?

I had my half-birthday July 7 so now I'm officially 51 1/2!

Max turned 14 the same day, and we celebrate Scrappy's the same day because we have no clue when his is. He is about 14 also. But Max we've had since six weeks old and Scrappy since he was about 2.

We had three girls in one room, Kaleb and Adam in one room, and Tyler has had his own room pretty much his whole life. The two younger girls moved to Adam and Kaleb's room, and Kaleb moved in with Tyler. That has been a big adjustment for Tyler because Kaleb does not always respect other people's belongings! Adam is a lot more easy going than Tyler, so Kaleb has found himself in trouble with Tyler several times. 

Jessica helps with the band run in the morning. She has summer classes. Caspian is helping her with her work.

He seems to be a bit bored.

Jayden brought Daddy an early birthday present. Tyler is red because he's trying not to laugh. I was having trouble getting a good photo and taking forever so Jessica yelled from the living room, "Why don't you just invite it in and throw it a party!" I think it's too late for this mouse. Party's over.

The girls have been playing Just Dance Disney together.

The BAB's are all dressed and watching the dancing.

Working on a term paper on Cocaine use.

On her way to band camp.

The twins are doing an activity from the Bridge book. They had to try and blow up a balloon that was inside a bottle.

They found out you can't do it unless you cut a hole to let out the air already trapped in the bottle.

We haven't had a cooking schedule. The kids have just helped or cooked as needed. We'll get back to it in August.

Jasmine helping Kayla read to the bears/cats/dogs/dolls.

I did Jasmine's hair in big, loose corn rows last night, and today several people have told her she looks like Jaden Smith from Karate Kid. What do you think?

Jasmine had skull surgery as a baby and as she's grown, so have the scars. They extend clear across her head. No hair grows over the scars so it looks like we've messed up the braids. I can't do them tightly because it hurts her. So I just did fast, loose ones in tow layers so she wouldn't have to comb out her hair after swimming every day.

We haven't heard from Adam yet. I'm sure they are keeping them busy.

What have you been doing so far this summer?