Schooool’s Out for SUMMER!!

It’s the first day of summer vacation!

Having learned my lesson about how summer days can go awry, I am going into this year with a plan. Two bored boys, with no structure to speak of, will inevitably descend into bickering out of sheer boredom. And then the bickering becomes full-on fighting, and I end up being a shrill, screeching harpy. I don’t want to be a harpy…it will give me frown lines.

I decided that from day one, we would have some basic rules, a loosely structured schedule and the plenty of projects to keep things interesting. As both my mother and our pediatrician will tell you, kids like routine. Sure, a little spontaneity is always fun, but they still thrive in the comfort of knowing what they can expect. Coincidentally, we are now working to transition Bean from her on-demand lifestyle to a more predictable daily routine…one that hopefully includes naps that last longer than fifteen minutes.

I know I want each day to have three key components: chores, some type of educational activity or reading, and exercise (obviously disguised as any outside play). As long as we accomplish those three things, we can play the rest by ear. With the boys, my greatest downfall has always been inconsistency, and with inconsistency comes Heathen anarchy. I’m hoping to have a basic routine that is still loose and adaptable, so we can stay consistent without being tied to an overly structured schedule.

So, we started the morning with breakfast and the customary cartoons. While Bean napped, we cleaned up and did a few chores. Then, we headed off to the park to get some exercise and fresh air before it got too hot outside.

We had lunch, made cookies and then had a little work time (summer reading and journaling…can’t have their little brains turning into Swiss cheese, now can we?). After that, they got the rest of the afternoon to do whatever they wanted until it was time to start dinner.

Over the next few days, I’ll be building a list of low or no-cost ideas of how to keep them entertained this summer, so we can make the most of their time off while keeping the peace.

Why? Because we’re only one day down, and I still have 87 to go.

The Anatomy of a Smile

Our internet has been down this week. After my husband tried a little home improvement on our internet, we ended up with a mangled phone line and no phone or internet for several days. Two kids, one husband and no internet? That’s another definition of Chinese water torture, if you ask me.

In the meantime, Bean had her two month check-up (as well as three shots and an oral vaccine), and she is absolutely perfect.

In the meantime, I finally managed to catch a smile.

Wait for it…

Almost…

Oh Dear God..

The cuteness!

Yep, she’s perfect, alright.

 

Big Brother/Little Sister

He thinks she rocks. I think he rocks too.

 

The Good News is that We Are Not Crazy…or Haunted…or Crazy AND Haunted

Let me preface this post by telling you that Bear thinks our house is haunted. He’s talked about this for a while, and I am sure it’s not helping matters that we let him watch My Ghost Story on A&E. Yeah…I get the gold star for questionable parenting choices sometimes.

Last night, my husband and I were jolted awake by the sound of our bedroom door rattling…loudly. The door was locked, and it literally sounded as if someone was on the other side of the door, trying to get in. I was instantly convinced that a bogeyman had broken into the house, and my heart pounded desperately. My second thought was that one of the kids had been shaking the door, because they don’t know the meaning of the word “knock.” I was prepared to either fight off the bogeyman with a baseball bat, or explain to my kids in no uncertain terms that shaking the door at 3:00 AM was not in their best interests.

My husband jumped up and went to investigate…and found absolutely nothing. We racked our brains as to what could have caused the rattling door.

Obviously, it was neither an intruder nor a wayward child, and we were both severely freaked out. I could find no rational explanation for what could make the door rattle all by itself. Maybe Bear was right and our house really was haunted…

We went back to sleep, and as I drifted off, I wondered if this was a problem that would require copious amounts of holy water and that little old lady from Poltergeist.

Weeeellll, guess what I found out when I woke up this morning:

See that blue box? That’s a freaking EARTHQUAKE!

Of all the possible explanations for the mysterious rattling door, I never would have guessed earthquake…this is Louisiana for cripes sake!

So, the good news is that we don’t need a voodoo priestess.

Yet…

 

Summer Amnesia…or Denial…or Wishful Thinking

We are in what I like to call the “honeymoon” period of a Louisiana Spring. The flowers are blooming. My husband’s garden is thriving:

And the temperate weather is just enough make me foolishly optimistic. The yard and garden sure don’t seem like that much of a chore when it’s only 80 degrees outside.

But deep down, I know it’s coming.

The heat…dear God, the heat. By mid-June, I know my currently euphoric love of the outdoors will morph into bitter misery.

I’m already a big sissy when it comes to the oppressive Louisiana heat, but last summer traumatized us all. We had months of temperatures over 100 degrees (often reaching 110) and absolutely no rain. The record breaking heat and drought destroyed lawns, landscaping, trees, and crops. Our electric bill nearly put us in the poorhouse, and our kids dang near went stir crazy because they couldn’t play outside for most of the day. When we tried cooling off, we failed. Even if we waited until late evening to swim, the pool was still hotter than most people’s bath water. I really, really do not want to relive that.

Every year, a beautiful Spring makes me hope that maybe, just maybe Summer won’t be so bad. Maybe we won’t be constantly confined, or burning our hands on scorching seatbelt buckles, or dreading the double whammy of excruciating electric and water bills. Maybe my poor husband will be able to mow the lawn without the real danger of heatstroke. Maybe we will be pleasantly surprised.

And maybe pigs will fly…*sigh*

Finger Pointing

The baby weight is not coming off as quickly as I had hoped. Why do you ask? Because my husband is a SABOTEUR!!!

He has been on a baking kick lately, and makes things like this:

And this:

And it would just be rude not to eat them after he went through all that trouble to bake them.

Yep, my inability to drop the baby weight is all HIS fault!

Riiiiiiigghht…..

Ten Years of Joy

Ten years ago today, I gave birth to a special, incredible, absolutely perfect little boy. Even after ten years, I still can’t believe he is mine.

He is smart, polite, and kind. He is the light of my heart.

I wouldn’t trade him for the world.