Summer Week 12

August 13 - 17



Our last full week of daycare was a memorable one. We had a themed Fair Day to start the week, got in all of those activities the bigs just had to do before school started, and generally just enjoyed each other as much as we could. Here are the highlights (from only my perspective this week):

It couldn't be a Fair Day without eating everything on a stick! Our toast for breakfast was on a stick, popsicles, corn dogs, animals crackers, and apples on a stick. 

Our Fair games included: bags (in the Ninja Turtle game center), numbered ducks (pick a number 1 - 10 and if you picked up the duck with the same number, you won), juggling, food vendor (the food truck), and farm animals (which included cats and dogs as well).

Max was in charge of the games (including 'guess how many pieces in the jar'). I love everything about this picture: one kid is attempting to actually guess, another is saying he'd rather be going down the slide, and another kid is getting her hair done (kind of against her will). There's never a moment where something isn't happening!

The kids took turns selling popcorn to each other and got to eat it with afternoon snack.

I don't allow cereal for breakfast during the school year because it doesn't do much to help curb hunger. The last week of summer I allowed it for breakfast THREE TIMES. I was everybody's favorite those days.

We only played with Barbie's a few times throughout the summer. Everyone (boys and girls) loved having them up in the living room for the week. There's something so sweet about little boys loving the Barbie's just as much as the girls!

It took the kids all summer to figure this one out: all summer long, whenever I saw someone leaning, tilting, or not sitting on their stool/chair with a flat butt, I'd say "sit nicely in the chair or I'll take the chair away and you won't use one anymore." One day after using that line, a child said "I wonder what it's like to eat without our chair?" Que everyone trying it out and saying "this isn't so bad. We don't need our chairs after all." I'll need a new line for next summer.

Our salad bar for lunch was such a hit that my kids request it for dinner. It's an easily done dinner (especially after busy days). The only issue is the amount of Doritos the six year old feels is necessary for her salad topper. 

Little People on each state because each LP was going on vacation. The kids would then take turns describing what the LP were doing in each state, which was usually something we had learned about the states. I love how our 50 States theme carried over all summer long!

Daycare provider/mom's night out. With adults. I *almost* didn't know what to do.

Daycare's annual summer painting. Each child painted a color (of their choosing).

All of the kids came rushing inside one morning (at 8:40 a.m. after being outside for an hour) and started making accessories for "playing Avengers." Playing Avengers kept them busy most of the morning, making everything I had planned for the day toast. That happened frequently throughout the summer. 

We filled a kiddie pool with baking soda snow and added trains. Later in the day, the kids added in bowls, spoons, measuring spoons, and knives and played kitchen with it.

Veggie nachos for lunch one day. Surprisingly, these were a hit!

The cats have become accustomed to the noise level of our house. They can sleep through it all.

I had expert bug catchers and expert soup makers (in the mud kitchen) this summer. The last concoction of the summer was cicada shell soup topped with crushed grasshopper and dead fly.

Another day in the backyard with the baking soda snow. I was shocked to see that it lasted for two full days of play!

Mexican quinoa was also a hit lunch. The kids enjoyed eating it with tortilla chips.

A fun reminder for the kids that school was near: school bus graham cracker snack (a frosted graham cracker, with square pretzels for the windows and mini Oreo's for the wheels). The kids had no idea what these were, even when I told them multiple times. They were more excited about the frosting on them than anything!

All of the girls spent sooooo much time this summer doing each other's hair, doing their doll's hair, doing anything with hair hair's that it was hard to know when to stop. Elizabeth even practiced in the evenings on her dad. He was a good sport (and really happy he wasn't home during the days!).

As you can imagine, we didn't get to everything on the kid's list to do before school starting, but they still had a great week! It's been a treat for me to watch this group of kids grow up. While the summer's are insane, it's a completely different dynamic with the bigs here at daycare. The big are definitely the leaders, as they now create their own activities and fun and the littles follow right along.

One Last Summer Vacation Weekend

This weekend wasn't quite as insane as my 16 hour Saturday, but we did a lot of fun things! I got to spend a day with my minis and a night out with friends. Saturday morning the minis and I were at the Museum. Playing for them, writing and organizing programming material for me. 

Max is getting to the age when he doesn't want me to hug him in public. Or touch him in general. But sometimes I get lucky and not only does he want a hug, sometimes he wants me to cuddle with him. And sometimes he wants to take a picture of it. I didn't care if I was in the middle of three different things during my volunteer shift, I took the cuddle and the picture for proof!

To Target for last minute back to school needs (and some unexpected housing decor, treats, books, etc.).

The best part of these friends is that they love my kids too. We showed them The Hall for dinner and then left the kids with a babysitter. Part of a great night out with friends is that I get to try out the places I've wanted! We mixed old with new on this night: Angry Goldfish, Hello Marjorie, a walk around the Sculpture Park, Beer Can Alley, and a game of beer pong with volleyballs on Court Avenue. It was a night I could feel young and yet really old at the same time.

The Hall is extremely family friendly and is a great mix of people. It's one of our faves in the Des Moines area to frequent with the minis.

Whiskey flight at Angry Goldfish.

Bathroom signs that one can only think is hilarious while at with friends. I really need to get out more...

One of my favorite views of DM from the Sculpture Park at night.

A little note for our awesome bartenders while we played and danced on the patio.

I can't really get mad about shoes being in the middle of the living room when two out of the four pairs are mine. Oops!

Sunday morning wasn't as rough as it could have been.....but it would have been even easier if the minis slept past 6 a.m.! Instead we had a Lil Miss E in our room, looking out windows, reporting to us what every neighbor on the block was doing. She's the neighborhood watch!

Despite it being an abnormally cool day for the end of August, we shuttled ourselves to Adventure Bay for one last trip down the water slides for the season. We'll be out of town for The Bay's (as Max calls it) last two weekends, so we had to get our fun in!

I felt like I could use a nap, but instead we got the house ready for the last two daycare days of summer. The minis went to bed nice and early (a bit of prepping them for the school year) and I stayed up until midnight baking Kool Aid pancakes. I suppose it was a successful Sunday.

A Root Beer float to keep me going even thought I was really tired!

I was kinda proud of my creations!

I can't actually believe that's the end of our summer vacation weekends. We have tons of FUN weekends planned coming up, but I definitely enjoy the freedom summer vacation brings to our schedule and routine. We had a fantastic summer though so I can't complain at all!