A few highlights in bullet points (which I am admitting I copied from a friend's blog)...

Things are really winding down here.  School starts in single digits and we are about ready.  This morning my small people are lounging watching Tinkerbell on DVD (the male small person is pretending like he isn't watching but I'm sure he is) and I'm getting ready to host Bunco tomorrow.  Here are a few highlights in bullet point fashion on our last few weeks...

* Today is THE day in school world...class lists will be posted and we are excited!!  Fingers crossed for the teacher's of our dreams.

* Soccer has started!  Cameron is on 2 teams this year so we will see how the juggling of our schedule goes.  We will also mix in dance for the girls so I'm pretty sure I will need a Taxi sticker for my car.

* The beloved pool time is wrapping up.  It was a fun summer of swimming and sun.  I'm pretty sure Cameron's hair may have a tinge of green to it so we're off for a school haircut this week.  It is amazing how much better swimmers all the kids became this year.

* Mr. Shook is gearing up to run 2 1/2 marathon's in September.  This is the time of the year when I become a runner's widow.

* We have all of our school supplies purchased and they are ready to label.  I am procrastinating on this task. Any volunteers are gladly welcomed.  I will provide the labeler!

* The kids are very, very interested in all the Olympic events.  Of course this thrills me as I love watching all the excitement and competition.  I think our favorites so far have been women's gymnastics and swimming.  Molly was so sad for Jordyn Wieber when she didn't qualify for the women's all around competition.  My favorite has been watching the hottie Ryan Lochte.  What a sight for sore eyes!  Wow!

* Yesterday both girls had great urologist visits and we don't have to see Dr. Rhee again for a whole year.  Hip Hip Hooray!  This is huge and I am thrilled.  Dr. Rhee commented that Molly has also gained 2 pounds since March which is a nice improvement for her as well.  Mike and I both wonder if it isn't from fun summer visits to DQ :)

* We have registered to walk for the 4th year in the MS Walk-a-Thon in Peoria.  It's always a nice time for a very good cause.  We joke that it's Mr. Shook's warm down as he runs a half marathon that morning and then we walk 3 miles for MS.  If anyone is interested in donating to our efforts we would love to hear from you.  We are always happy to support our friends The Sullivan's in Traci's efforts in finding a cure for MS.  We have our orange shirts ready!

* And speaking of orange shirts...5 weeks to Pumpkin Festival!!  Need I say more?  Fun times are a-coming!

Summer 2011...

Oh boy, Oh boy, it's summertime...which means I have been a bad blogger. Here's a slice of what we've been up to...

Trips to Lego Discovery Center in Schaumberg, American Girl in Chicago and the John Hancock Building. We met family there and the kids enjoyed time with their cousins...

Then a trip to Six Flags...I'm not sure who was the bigger kid there...

It's been a fun summer with trips to the pool, trips to watch Mr. Shook run, Vacation Bible School, bike riding, just having a good time. Have you been having fun, too? With this SUPER hot weather it's been really warm but we won't complain because soon enough is cold, windy and s-n-o-w!

First grade is over!!!...

Here's a picture from the first day of First Grade for Cameron...

And here's a picture from today, the last day of First Grade!!!

Cameron had an awesome first grade year and he learned SO much. He is looking forward to starting summer reading at the library, building some Lego's on rainy days and playing outside. We are sooooo proud of how well he did in school.

Keep up the good work next year, dude!!

And a growth spurt or two this summer wouldn't hurt either.

A face only his mother could love!!!

I love this boy!

Earning $$...

We had a really fun weekend doing some birthday celebrating...Molly and Mike...pictures to come soon as Molly really is having a week long birthday celebration. I'll tell you, she really knows how to do it at 6!!

Wednesday ends our school year here. Both Cameron and Molly have expressed a desire to have a few chores in order to earn some allowance. I think it is a great idea I'm just not sure how to execute it. What have you done for your kids in order for them to earn an allowance? Some of the jobs that I am picturing are things like making their beds, emptying the dishwasher, wiping down their bathroom. Things that are pretty easy but also things that will take more than just 5 minutes. How have you established how much you give your child for an allowance and what do you allow them to spend it on? I struggle with what they should be allowed to buy and what Mike and I should be providing them. They really don't want for much but I don't allow them to get things every time we go to the store. No can do.

Please share with me your ideas and practices...a little hard labor goes a long way, right?

Waiting with your breath held, right?...

I'm sure that all my bloggy friends have been holding their breath to receive an update on our potty situation. Well, guess what...?

SHE

COULD

CARE

LESS!

Surprised? I'm not.

This hasn't been nearly as successful as I might have hoped. In fact I would call it one big fat failure. What is a Mom to do about it? Drowned her sorrows in a Polar Pop? Don't tempt me!

I have decided that we might just have to give up our beloved spot at the preschool, we might have to accept that fact that we don't have a little Einstein on our hands, and I might have to admit that I am not the Super-Mom that you might have thought me to be. I had you fooled, right?

Instead we have been doing things like this...

Filling old water bottles with rocks, grass, ants, sticks...


Then have our brother practice his reading to his little sister while she just sits, and sits and sits some more...


Have a popsicle while sitting some more...


Build creative Lego creations and take all kinds of pictures of them (Mom's job)...



Making a royal wet mess in the back yard and loving it!...



If we go potty great, if not that's going to have to be OK, too. You see, I've decided that I do actually have a little Einstein on our hands because she is certainly smart enough to know that she can go potty. All the control is in the hands of one newly three year old. She IS pretty smart!

The new pool...

We started swimming lessons this past week for Cameron and Molly. They both have done lessons with parent (Mike!) before in Michigan but we hadn't done any yet here in Morton. Last year when Molly had surgery in June we were not allowed to get in a pool until mid-August or in other words, after all the summer fun had passed. We are taking advantage of the new pool that opened up over Memorial Day here in town. It is very nice and will provide lots of fun!

While Cam and Molly are taking their lesson I am able to take Amanda in the kiddie part of the pool which has a fun water area. Here are some pictures from our last visit...





One of the fun things about the swimming lessons is the chance to jump off the diving board at the end. My girl needed a little coaxing but she did it! I got a few pictures from that...







We hope to enjoy more times at the cool pool!

The start of summer fun...

We spent today and last night in Chicago, one of our favorite places to visit. The kids absolutely love downtown and so do Mike and I. We had a really great time but I imagine if you were a fly on the wall (or a fly stuck in our mini van) it might look something like this...

Mom takes boy and 2 girls to the pediatrician to get a-ok to travel to the windy city. Boy had high fever through the night and is complaining of his throat hurting. Kind doctor says bad news is adno-virus and the good news is to get on the road!

After checking into super cool hotel it takes an hour and a half to travel 20 miles. Husband/father is anxious and constantly reminding Mom/wife to watch not only the car in front of us but several ahead...when they break, we break.

Dad/husband takes one 5 year old girl under his arm and races to CAT tent to get his t-shirt and race number. Mom/wife takes 6 and 2 year old into strange parking garage and now has to find Dad/husband amongst 20,000 random racers. No problem, right? Mother corralled her kiddos for the 30 minutes it took father/husband to run the 3 1/2 miles and considered it a success that no one threw up in front of them this year.

6 year old wakes up in the am not feeling so great and yaks up the Tylenol that his mother lovingly gives him. Then loving Mother feeds son breakfast at a McDonald's and son yaks that up in to a bag at the table. But, then 6 year old bursts into tears with thoughts of heading south to beloved home and the guilt alone causes parents to load the car and head to Michigan Avenue. Potty break before heading out where 5 year old pees on the back of pants (my girl doesn't have good aim) so loving mother heads to car in search of spare pants. Found and replaced.

6 year old is better but doesn't want to walk so he and his 5 year old sister share a stroller with minimal complaining. The loving parents push kids to the American Girl store and watch in awe as 2 girls eyes are as big as saucers. On the way we stopped along the sidewalk to put 3 coats on and then went 2 blocks and removed 2 of those coats...not as cold as 2 children originally thought...

Family heads to John Hancock building to peruse Northface store but one 5 year old has to go potty. Family of 5 takes 2 strollers, American girl purchases and 3 kids down an elevator the size of telephone booth to find potties. We all go and are back on our merry way back to Northface store. After 5 minutes one 5 year old has to go potty again. Repeat last step.

Family then goes in search of lunch. Lunch found at yummy Girodona's but only after we unload 2 strollers and collapse them. 3 sippy cups, one backpack, 4 jackets, 2 shopping bags all unloaded from strollers. Full tummy's and happy family. Another bathroom break before heading out.

Entered Shops of North Bridge in search of heaven on earth...Lego Store...but first changed diaper of 2 year old. Done. Moved on to Lego Store and enter paradise. One 5 year old has to go potty. Back to Nordstrom's in search of Ladies Lounge. Return to paradise. One 6 year old has to go potty. Dad's job...not sure where this happened, could have been into a trash can for all I know...back to paradise. Searched, and searched, and contemplated purchases. And looked some more. Lot of time in paradise...

I think you get the drift...lots of bathroom breaks and lots of coats on and off. We still had a blast and our boy was a trooper and hung in there. He didn't want to miss paradise for ANYTHING!!! As 6 year old is yaking into a McDonald's bag inconspicuously a man stops me to remind me to enjoy these days, they go by so fast he says. I hear this all the time and I'm sure its true it just doesn't always feel like I'm going to miss them. These days are often exhausting!