June 30

 Friday night Julia and I went out to pick up a Redbox. On the way, she asked for a Starbucks. Not coffee - have no fear, I am not giving my 8 year-old coffee (like she needs more energy). We like their chai tea. Yum! We sat outside, drank our tea, and had fun chatting. She's a cool kid.

 

 

 Yesterday morning we all went to Julia's last softball game. She had some solid hits again. 

 Who knows! 

 

Making them work for their dinner.

June 29

Yesterday was one of those days where if you had to be outside, you needed to be in the water. So I pulled out the baby pool and let the kids play for awhile.

June 28

 Early morning sister snuggles while watching Sesame Street.

 After dropping Julia and Kat off at VBS, I gave the boys a choice of going home and playing or going to see the Smurf movie. They chose the movie. About halfway across town I realized that 1 - Lucy didn't have any shoes, and 2 - I didn't have a diaper bag. That's what I get for being spontaneous!

Lucy lasted about 30 minutes into the movie before getting too loud. It's a theater full of young kids, so to be too loud, you have to be REALLY loud. Anyways, she dumped water all over me and herself, so we went to the bathroom and used the hand dryer to dry her shirt. Really. I am a germaphobe, and here was my baby standing in a public restroom, no shoes and no shirt. It was pretty close to my idea of Hell on Earth.

Did I mention that as soon as we found our seats, Elliott dropped the popcorn and spilled about half of it? If the popcorn wasn't so expensive, I might have laughed. Might have. But I didn't.

 Lucy is now sitting in a booster seat at the table. So long high chair! Spaghetti might not have been the smartest thing to cook on her first night at the big table.

We no longer have a crib in the house after 8 years! Lucy spent her first night last night in her big girl bed. We did it with Julia at 18 months old (because we needed the crib for Kat) so we've done it with all of the kids at 18 months. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, Jack! (said in my Si voice)

Lucy can now get down stairs too! Lots of changes this week!

June 27

 Julia with her friends Amelia and Rebecca at VBS.

 While the girls were at VBS, Elliott, Lucy, and I went to story time at the library. It was a camping theme.

  After picking the girls up from VBS and eating McDs, we headed back to the library for the Junk Genius Robot Challenge (the kids battle robots).

 

 

After the library, we went to Papaw G's house to pick radishes and green onions from his garden.

June 26

Yesterday was the girls' final gymnastics class until August/September. It will be nice to have a little break. I asked Coach Kathy if the girls could both take their class at 1:30 (Julia's class is at 2:30, which means we are there for 2 hours), and she agreed to it. It was nice to only be there for an hour!

Last night Clay bought a bunk bed for Lucy's room. She is about the age all the other kids were when we moved them out of their crib and into a big bed. I am ready to get the crib out of the house - Clay is being sentimental and having a harder time with it.   :P

June 25

I signed the girls up for VBS at another church this week during the morning. It will be nice to have some time with just Elliott and Lucy. The girls had a great time yesterday and are excited to go back today.

 Look at her go!

So ummm... Clay decided to shave his head Sunday night. Every time I see him I sing the Mr Clean song. Both my boys are bald!

June 24

After church we came home and ate lunch, a few of us took naps (me included), went out for dinner, and then came home and played/did yard work. I am not sure who had more fun playing - Clay or the kids.

Kat can now ride her bike without training wheels! She needs to practice starting and stopping without help, but she can balance without assistance now.

June 23

  Julia had two solid hits during her softball game yesterday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Clay came up with the idea of taking the kids to a swimming pool. We had a good time, but after an hour and half, Lucy was done, which meant we all had to leave.

Who can say no to $.25 ice cream cones? Even if I didn't like ice cream, which, of course I do, I'd eat it for a quarter!

Last night our awesome friend Peggy came over and kept the kids so we could go to a Sunday School social. They ate pizza, and watched a movie. Elliott was crying for Peggy this morning. He had a great time.

June 22

We met Jill and her kids at Henry's Ark yesterday to feed the animals. Then we had a picnic lunch at a small park and let the kids play. Last night we went to the final night of VBS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kat and Mollie love reading!  

 Kat really enjoyed being in the VBS choir this year.

June 21

Yesterday we picked up two extra kids - Jonathan and Camryn. We spent the morning outside playing, went for a walk, then grabbed McDonald's and had a picnic at a neighborhood playground. Then it was on to VBS...

Art is better when you are up on a countertop?

 

 

I haven't seen one of these old-fashioned metal slides in a long time. It was so fast, Elliott is blurry in the picture.

 

 

 

Peek-a-boo!

June 20

Another night of VBS fun is done. I think I can. I think I can. The kids have not been going to bed until nearly 10pm this week, which is late for them. Elliott and Lucy are still waking up at 6:45-7am. I thought after swimming yesterday that Elliott would take a nice long nap, but he slept for a little over an hour. I think his napping days are coming to an end.  :(

 

 The VBS Choir on stage leading worship. Kat is in the purple hat near the singer. She is loving being on the stage - not shy AT ALL!

 We have about 300 kids attending VBS. The Worship Rally time is alot of fun!

 

We got home from VBS around 9:30 last night and saw some lightning bugs, so we caught them for a little while before heading to bed.