Summertime

I don't have the problem most moms have with their kids when school lets out for the summer. I have yet to hear, "Mom, I'm BORED!" from any of them. However, they keep pretty busy destroying the house, and silence is a rare occurrence.

I decided between the hours of Disney garbage, swimming in the pool and fart noise contests (yes, all three of them participate...sigh), I should try to throw in at least one educational activity per week of summer vacation. Since we have like ZERO dinero for fun stuff, let alone a family vacation I thought this would ease my oldest daughters' fear of having "the worst summer E.V.E.R.!!!!".

So far we have gone to the Science Center (we have still have a month left of membership), Grown Marigolds in a pot (still in progress of course), visited PetSmart to check out the rats, guinea pigs, snakes, frogs, fish, snails, grasshoppers, birds, cats and dogs. My kids especially love watching the dogs being groomed and saying "awww! she's so cuuuute!" to every cat in every cage. Yesterday I took them to IKEA. Not gonna try and stretch that into an educational experience. The best thing about IKEA this time was that Samantha was tall enough and potty-trained (enough for an hour) so she and Hayden were able to go to the play center they have there and Amanda and I were able to shop together without having to chase down any Gove's Gone Rogue. 
It was nice to get in there and get what I needed to get without having to yell at anyone not to jump on the beds or play 'catch me if you can' among the glassware.  

Today the kids are hounding me to take them to Menchies for yogurt. I'm making them work for it though. Clean rooms and bathroom or NO FRO-YO! So there! 

I have a feeling the van will be staying in the driveway all day.