Two Day End of Summer Party

August 20 & 21

These days did not go as expected. I had big plans for these days that involved LOTS of backyard fun: sensory pools, homemade slime making, baking soda snowball fights. Unfortunately, it rained one day and was extremely cool for late August the next. So cool that the kids didn't want to put their swimming stuff on. Luckily, the only person this really effected was, well, me. I was disappointed by it, but it didn't seem to bother any of the kids one bit! I'm lucky that the kids only seem to need each other to find the fun.

Here's what we DID manage to do our last two days of summer vacation:

The Kool Aid pancakes weren't a hit for breakfast, but for afternoon snack. Read more about our Kool Aid pancakes here.

The costumes are always a hit, however, I don't get them out as often because we have so, so many of them that they take up a lot of space. They're now reserved as "special day" toys.

The big kids realized they had done "racing trains" yet this summer and promptly built their tracks. "It's crazy that we almost went the entire summer without racing trains!" said the oldest mini.
"I can't believe it either!" I replied, without a hint of sarcasm (I was really holding it back, trust me).

A few last baby playing sessions.

I bought a disco light to specifically have an epic dance party before lunch. Lights, music, instruments, karaoke...of course, it should surprise no one that the kids broke the disco light before the dance party even started. It wasn't much of a dance party as it was a playing-all-the-instruments-louder-than-they've-ever-been-played hour.

The bigs got permission to have a Nerf gun fight during naptime. They did a surprisingly good job of picking up the darts afterward.

Of course there was slime making. Pom pom slime at that. With glitter!

           

I had the kids bob for apples (aka- work for their afternoon snack). The kids loved it! A few of them had never done it before and a few of them weren't on board at all!

Clearly one that wasn't on board!

Pancakes in the afternoon. Apparently they weren't good in the morning, but by 2:30 p.m. they were wonderful. Despite working with kids for 7 1/2, I still don't understand them!

It stopped raining for thirty minutes. Plenty of time to go out and make mud pies!

The kids asked for recyclables to make boats. Then they tried to float and race them.

The second day was much cooler out, but too cool for pools and swimming suits (according to the kids). The pom pom slime came outside with us for a sensory activity, but mostly the kids ran around playing tag, played babies, made mud pies in the mud kitchen, and had "talks in the treehouse."

I'm sure going to miss the randomness of these days: children passing by in costumes to go outside (with indoor toys), a crowded playground, and the counter filled with cups. It's always these little things that will make my eyes swell with tears on a quiet day in the middle of winter. I truly hope these days will be thought of someday by the kids with the same fondness I have for them.