Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Summer Adventures

So. Hi! Ten million years later, I'm back. It's been an eventful ten days or so, in which I have given myself a little "Come To Jesus," you could say, with attitude adjustment in check. Summer has kicked in and we're having a great time!
Right now Katelyn and Wandrew are sitting next to me keeping me company, both just cracking each other up with their brand new expression "Back off!" It arrived yesterday. I'm not a hundred percent sure how I feel about my little people picking this one up, but it is a little funny how they say it. It is usually accompanied by "Micky Mouse Clubhouse -- back off!" Or "Hy-yah! Back off!" Or "That's not your purse -- back off! Come on!" And then laughing, or jumping on each other and crying. It's great. I'm glad for our additional four-year-old honorary member. He entertains us. Plus he brings us new phrases, like "Cray-cray." He really integrates it into a sentence beautifully, too, like "My Mom is cray-cray, Miss Marie."
How can you not like that?
It's impossible.
So after I convinced myself that being a real-life recluse was not only inappropriate for the mother of young children, but also quite great-great Grandma Lomax of me and greatly contributing to feelings of loneliness, we've been venturing out to little ward gatherings and joining friends at the park, etc. And -- SHOCKER -- it's helped greatly! Let me tell you, people, I am slow on the up-draw. But I do eventually get it, and we're all the better for it. Plus, my Mother -- who is much smarter then me -- came up with some suggestions for me that we have implemented. The kids love them. For instance:
Having the kids help Dad more in the yard. This usually involves FIRE... magical fire... where we now know we have a serious third generation pyro-maniac on our hands in KJ. 
He just can't help holding sticks in the fire. He loves it so, so much. And since that is how the Double B spent his childhood, playing with a fire with his Dad, it's sort of the whole circle-of-life thing. Of course, we are very careful and teach him fire safety!!! But we are encouraging his spirit of adventure, too. KJ is a nervous fellow -- think the Lion from Wizard of Oz, in a way -- and we're trying to help him find his Courage. He's doing great! Plus, it's good for him and his Dad to have something to share. I love that boy so much. Olivia is second in command with the fire, and Katelyn keeps me company. Usually playing house with leaves, as demonstrated in this photo of "Mommy leaf" and "Baby leaf." That's imagination at it's finest, folks.
We've also been taking more adventures -- we decided to try the most popular barbecue joint in Kansas City -- called Oklahoma Joe's. It's in a gas station! And you have to wait standing in line for like an hour and a half. It was interesting. We're not super barbecue people, but it was pretty good. Mostly, it was the experience! We're trying to discover our fair city and it's hidden treasures a little more. I like this picture and I'm thinking of turning it in for science, and here's why: look at Olivia's adorable little yawn -- so cute. Now look three people to your left -- yawning lady! And she's just feeling it as much as Livi Lucy. So here is proof... yawns are actually contagious! And not just if you can see the other person, because obviously they couldn't see each other. They were just breathing the same air. Very scientific.
 We took Daddy out on a Father's Day date the night before the big day, because he had to work on Father's Day. I sent the girls off to change into clean clothes and this is what they came up with. I just thought it was so -- special -- that I left good enough alone. It really made me smile. Katelyn was especially proud of her "Family shirt" and the snow boots she got on all by herself. They are beautiful souls, inside and out. And I'm glad they were feeling it that night at Red Robin's. (Side note: clutter. Yes, clutter. I embrace it in this picture. You're welcome.)
At Grandma's suggestion, we've been holding frequent "cooking classes." KJ and Liv are really, really loving that, plus, it will really benefit our family! KJ is ten and Liv is seven (and already loves to be our assistant chef), but either way, he is more then old enough to start learning and she desperately wants to learn, anyway! They are really improving so quickly. Their only major request is that the recipe involves eggs, because they just love, love, love to crack eggs... they're getting better all the time. Yesterday we made chocolate-chip muffins which are pretty tasty. Every recipe has been a success! Daddy even taught them one class. Here is a picture after our first cooking lesson: pancakes. They loved eating the fruit of their labors! It also helps me to be patient when I set aside time for it and am TEACHING them, rather then trying to get dinner on the table and not being in the right mind-set. We're having lots of fun. Love those two. We're making progress on learning to love to work! Not easy, but very worthwhile.  
We also have a set reading time every day. I have been hoping to have Olivia catch the reading fever -- she is right on grade level, but hasn't had a passion yet -- and she's the one that reminds me about reading time every day! She is really improving quickly and I think enjoying it. She usually picks chapter books, and that is a fun challenge. So that is super awesome! So cute to hear her reading out loud and putting expression into it. Plus, it helps remove the temptation of technology for all of us. And that is a good, good thing.  
Look at those long feet!
Hope you're all having a good summer, too. Six weeks and counting! Signing off! 
 

1 comment:

Tink said...

You win the AMAZING Mommy award! Go you! Looks like you're having fun.