Ok... I'm attempting to post again. Things have happened. School is out. Work is work. We still play all week and I never have time to finish the laundry. The dishes wait to be returned to their proper places. The bathrooms need cleaning. The beds need changing. But the kids play. Mom plays. 
We still have fun and ignore the work. How do you tell these kids they have to sit in front of a movie or video game just so you can clean or put away? :) Ok, I know it has to be done. Eventually. And now, at 11pm I'm posting stories and pictures instead of going to bed. 
I know that 5am comes very quickly. I know that my 4 hours of sleep last night just wasn't quite enough. I know these things. But these stories and pictures won't last forever in my head. In fact, they may not last beyond tonight. So I blog. 
Lydia turned 4 last week. We had a sort of impromptu party for her and another friend on our usual Thursday night dinner. We had a pool party and some friends joined us... as well as both sets of Grandfolk! 
Corie made the requested Princess cake and did a fabulous job. Lydia and Ruth both made HUGE steps in the pool. Ruth has finally eased off the steps and braved the edge of the pool. I bought character arm floaties at the local dollar store and both girls deemed them acceptable for social wear. 
Lydia wanted to go all over the pool BY MYSELF while drinking large volumes of chemically treated water. I had to stay within arms reach because she just doesn't get the fact that face full of water and breathing doesn't go together. But she did stay afloat and she did maneuver the entire length and width of the pool. 
Ruth also put on the arm floats for brief periods but still isn't quite ready to leave the comfort of the edge of the pool. I'm just glad she's actually IN the water! It's only been 3 years since her infamous near-drowning episode that she still remembers. Argh!
I've been working at camp for their registration dates. It's fun, entertaining and also helps knock off a few pennies from the kids' final bill. I always enjoy meeting the campers and harassing them for a few minutes before they set off for their week(s) of adventures. B&M will go next session while it's extremely h-o-t here. I hope it wasn't a mistake to not go the first session this year. I'll work a few full days the last session in July. I'll get to eat camp food, play games, treat minor injuries (maybe), and make sure all is well. The potential responsibility is a little scary sometimes... but generally all is well. I just hope there are no stomach issues. I don't do that! This week is VBS at church. It's a long week and tiring days. I work pretty much every day so I can get off early and make it to church in time. Curtis failed to make them nap today. Not so good for the parent/teachers with the evening shift. There were tears when things didn't go the right way for the 5 year olds... who had TWENTY kids in their class tonight. Eeek! Lydia had a difficult time with obedience according to her teen helper. I inquired as to the issues once we got home and, of course, she denied any guilt. She was just playing. She did "nothing". Then she decided it might be good to blame someone else... so "AJ made me not to obey". I called her bluff and reminded her that AJ is not even IN her class. So, she tells me "he looked at me... in the hall". ha! Already blaming her boyfriend for her errors in judgement.
Maggie got to go to a friend's birthday party this past weekend. Another pool party. She has become quite the swimmer. No real form, but able to stay afloat so I don't have to be in the water with her. 
Ruth and Lydia and I were going to go have a day doing something fun... like walk around Helen?!?! But, Gracie's mom convinced us to stay and join in the party. 
There was a 1 foot kiddie pool that Lydia and Ruth enjoyed since I didn't join in the water fun. It was a fun day... and very non-productive as far as the normal weekend housework. Like I mentioned before... swim and play with my girls or laundry?? Hmmm... I will never pick laundry over watching my child jump into 8 feet of water and paddle her heart out to get to the ladder. She was so proud of herself... and so was I!
We also had a family wedding to attend the other weekend. 
We dressed up the kids and drove to the other side of Georgia. 
It was actually a fun trip, a nice wedding, and good to see the family we don't see very often. 
Here's Auntie Linda with the kids. :)
