Priest Lake Gardeners

Last crazy Thursday for a while

Today will be the last jam-packed day for a while.  Yes, we're all signed up for a million things for the fall, but nothing like our summer schedule!
9-10 Georgia tennis (at the valley club)
9-10 work out
snacks
11-12 Murphy tennis (at Comstock park)
lunch
clean house (it has been seriously neglected since we've been focusing on the basement.  At least I'm on top of laundry and dinners...)
3-3:30 Georgia violin
snacks (have to fire Georgia up for swimming!)
4:30 pick up Mason from daycare
5 or 5:30 - can never remember which...but better figure it out soon - Georgia swim meet (last one for the summer!)
dinner @ the meet
showers, tubs, teeth brushed and hopefully crash by 9

Now, in the fall, we're changing things up a bit.  Georgia and Murphy are going to try gymnastics (watch out Paul Hamm - I have a feeling Murphy may be a natural), Georgia will do swim team 2-3 times a week, Murphy and Millie have group lessons twice a week, Georgia will still have violin once a week, and Irish dance as well.  I will have another passenger in the car who hopefully appreciates her car seat, because if she doesn't, it looks like I have to invest in some good noise-canceling ear plugs for the other kids.  Oh - this is all on top of school.  Georgia will be gone til 3 (Sad!! What am I going to do? She is such a key player during the day!), Murphy 9-11:30 three days and 9-12 two days, and Millie 9-12 two days.  It is going to take a while to get into this new routine, but I like it.  We do better when we have things to do...and not time to just sit at home doing nothing. Although I did factor some of that time in too.  Because the house doesn't clean (or paint or rearrange or organize) itself.

So...off to refuel with coffee before my busy day really begins.  Next week makes me laugh.  We have nothing planned.  Nothing but a few days of tennis, working out and a long overdue play date.  Which makes me think it would be a wonderful week to have a baby (are you listening No Name!?).

And this will be our last weekend at the lake with just three kids in tow.  Oh...that reminds me...I better start thinking of the new car seat arrangements...

:)

Murphy is playing with Legos and blocks.  Building 18-wheelers and robots.  Pretty cute.  He is putting them into the buckets counting in Spanish uno, dos, tres....up to 10and I have to help him from 10-20.  After a few times he said, "mommy, let's just talk normal again."

Camp for Murphy, play for the girls

Nice forehand.

Georgia threw her hat for Millie the puppy and she fetched it. Strange children.

Georgia doesn't leave home without a book!

Murphy has tennis camp for the next two weeks, meaning the girls and I get to play at the park while he swings the racket.  It is pretty darn cute to watch Murphy, with his little twiggy arms, hold a racket 3/4 the size of him and attempt to get a ball over the net.  Doesn't seem like it should be physically possible.  Bless his heart, he is working so hard!  There are several seven year olds in his class, which make the size difference even more noticeable.  Priceless to watch.

And it's fun to hang out with Georgia! We never really spend down time together anymore, as she is the one usually in camps and activities.  What an amazing big sister she is, and will be for Baby No-Name.  I pretty much have a live-in nanny!  I'm debating the idea of home schooling so she will be home every day. :) No, not really. 

Fun times in the summer continue (even with a few illnesses mixed in...doesn't seem to slow down these kids)!

Kid Funnies

Murphy: "Mommy, I love you more than and old fashion, no roof car with fire blades, all the way to the sky."

Millie: "I love my daddy Lincoln every weekend."

Millie: "I love you mommy."
Me: "Thanks Millie! That makes me so happy."
Millie: "Me too, mommy."

Georgia teaching Murphy about tennis: "This is how you do a forehand.  You use one hand, not four, even though that's what it's called."

A trip to the park and a photography addiction

Oh how I am addicted to photography.  I can't stop.  Poor Georgia was neglected on this walk/trip to the park because she wasn't feeling well.  She'll get her turn, I have no concern!

So funny

Millie's laugh is contagious.  And Murphy never stops making us laugh either. On our way home from the park/a walk, Murphy told me he had to go potty.  I said "Hold it in!  We're almost home!"  Well, Mr. Literal....

Trevor

How did I get so lucky?!

A weekend like none other

We were all set to go to the lake once Trevor got home from work Friday...for a relaxing weekend of doing absolutely nothing.  Friday afternoon, a wild and crazy idea popped into my head.  "I wonder if Trevor would take the kids (and dogs) to the lake and I could get things done around the house?!" Well, upon offering the suggestion, I heard a "sure!"  So, a weekend alone I got.  Friday night was WEIRD. No sounds.  No running around.  No pitter patter of paws.  Weird.  But I slept well.  Saturday was full of accomplishments.  I basically finished the basement in three hours.  A task it has taken me weeks to attempt, but with little helping hands, progress was stalled.  I moved furniture, added to the Good Will pile, sorted tubs of clothes, and took a lot of trash out.  Then, come noon, I was ready for a break.  I hit up TJ Maxx (found some puzzles for Millie Jenkins), Home Depot (got a few replacement plants for the house and a under-the-sink organizer), Costco, and a furniture store I've been meaning to go in to but have always had the kids with me.  I found lots of over priced stuff, so I was happy to have not wasted my time previously. Then, back home, I ate half of the Costco strawberries in literally 15 minutes, did a little more basement work, watched Inside Edition (strange for me to watch TV in the day time!) and hung out until I saw my friends and was invited to dinner with them.  So, after inhaling a huge calzone, I came back home to an eerily quite house, folded a load of laundry and laid in bed watching stupid TV for way too long.  Another good night's sleep and here I am...contemplating how to spend my day until my little (and big) buddies arrive home this afternoon.  Grocery store, vacuuming, bringing up some baby clothes, taking a walk...

Tennis

Georgia had a blast at tennis camp these past few weeks.  So cute to watch!  She went the stylish route today with the shades. 

These two...

Happy Birthday Millie Girl!

Sweet, sweet Millie.  Happy birthday.  You have the ability to make your mom, dad, brother and sister laugh like crazy in a second.  I hope you're as silly next year, and for the next 100 years, as you are now.  We love you!  Happy Birthday!

Birthday Girl