Day 8 - Gardening

Today is the first day we did not go to the pool!! We worked in the yard and got the garden ready. There are quite a few tomato plants, big boy and cherry, cucumbers, basil, eggplant, and peppers. Here is a before picture. It should look a lot different by the end of the summer.
We also got Nick's report card and test scores in the mail today. He did excellent and we are very pleased with his hard work this year. As a reward, I took him to Target so he could spend his birthday money. impressively he decided on his own to buy his brother and sister a gift also. I love that boys heart.

Day 7 - Relaxing

Saturday

The kids stayed in Pj's for most of the day. I realized this morning that they have not been in a car or out of the neighborhood since Tuesday! It was a lazy morning and the boys played Wii Soccer all morning, all the boys! Thanks to the Jenkins family for Wii Soccer. In this picture, I find interesting the foot positions of the feet you can see. I often see Shelley do this very thing when his shoes are off. This touches my heart deeply.
Today we purchased a bike rack off of Craigslist for the car so we can travel with the bikes. I hope this thing gets a lot of use! When Shelley and the kids went to pick it up, the lady was outside her house picking mulberries. Yes mulberries. So the "first" for the day is eating a mulberry. Guess we will be getting one, everyone enjoyed them!

Day 6 - WORMS

Daddy's home.. No more Jazzercise for kids.. Ryan spent the night. All the boys and the girl went fishing. Charlotte picks up the worms and says that they are cute and cuddly!

Day 5 Party Time

Today we celebrated Nick's 9th birthday at the pool with a party. I prayed all day long that it wouldn't rain, and it held off until clean up time. I will take it. Everyone seemed to have a great time and no cake was served...HUH???

Day 4 part 2

This picture has been "staged", but still just as precious. Even though neither of them are asleep, we all feel like we should be.

Day 4

Tuesday.. Jazzercise and Pool.

Today Luke discovered that his new adult front teeth actually work and he can now bite into a whole apple, which he hasn't been able to do for quite a while.

Day Three

Monday.. Everyone off to Jazzercise. More pool time.

Charby wears a life jacket in the pool and discovers she can swim to any place in the pool. This is the first time she is allowed in the "deep" end unassisted. The boys are super excited with her new found independence, that they do not leave her alone. I must have heard a million times today.. Charby jump in, Charby come over here and jump in. She decides she is not that independent. No jumping in from the side quite yet.
Nicholas who loves to eat, often is picky about what he will eat. Last year refused to eat sandwiches, which is a howerton staple. Today he decided that sandwiches are delicious with fresh spinach on them. Insert huge smile on my face. Complete turn around from last summer, now he says he "craves" sandwiches. HAHAHA. I give it a week.

Summer Day Two

Sunday, day two consists of church, naps and more pool time. Today Luke discovers he can retrieve things from bottom of the 9ft deep end. Daddy starts his new dinning conversation. "It was a great summer, what was your favorite part?" This drives the boys crazy, they insist it is way to early to start this conversation.

Not a single post in over a year...

I can't believe how fast a year can fly by. In attempt to slow down summer, I have decided to annoyingly update the blog every few days with a picture/video of the day. So that maybe by the end of the summer we will have a very long account of all the fun, simple, pleasantries of being together all summer. Sounds a little ambitious, maybe. Any guesses as to how long it will last?

Summer Day One..
Pool opens, it is cloudy, but we must go swimming anyway. The sun eventually comes out and we finish the day with Hot and Ready's on the porch.