Last week of summer swim team

Thursday is the last day of summer swim team.  At least three days a week all summer my kids have swam their hearts out at 7:30- 9 am.  We were not able to compete in any meets this year due to scheduling, but my kids worked hard none the less.

Today Steve had late patients so I went and spent 90 minutes watching and taking pictures of my boys swim.  I've wanted to do this all summer, but taking Grady and Saylor to the pool in the morning "just to watch" isn't a good idea.  

The boys woke up about 30 minutes before we arrived at the pool.

They look so so happy to be there.

This twerp wouldn't let me get a decent picture of him.

This is one of the best I got.

It's the start of a smile…maybe.

His shirt says it all.

Colby was the first of my children in the pool and got to work right away.

I LOVE open mouth breathing swimming pictures.

They are the real deal.

Working on his butterfly stroke. 

I'm pretty proud of this boy, he's improved leaps and bounds this summer.

Backstroke beginning.

Is that the sun or a crusty look?

Carter's butterfly.

I'm amazed how much he can pull himself out of the water.

He's improved a ton too this year.  I love how swimming is keeping my boys strong and keeping blood sugar in check.

Here's one of those open mouth shots.  

Crack up!

He begged for me to get a picture of the back of his butterfly.

Cute boy.

Thrilled about his mother taking pictures.

I'm so embarrassing.

Coach Frank loves to give Colby a hard time.

He pushed Colby off the block once…Colby made sure it didn't happen again.

Killer smile and killer tan.

Little boys will still pose.

Older boys just ignore your presence and continue on as always.

Learning how to relay start with Coach Ashley.

Got that one down!

Colby was done earlier than the other two so we had fun taking more pictures.

"I got this Mom!"

Even though they won't admit it, even older boys like when a butterfly picture is taken.

Your welcome Andrew.

no pictures…just details…and they are short

Steve left with the three middle kidlets Thursday evening for the Dixon reunion at Alturas Lake.  I don't camp with babies (I'm a grinch…I know) so I happily packed all the stuff and then stayed home.  This worked out conveniently because Andrew didn't get home from his raft trip until last night around 6.  I'm glad I could "so unselfishly" be home when Andrew arrived.

The house has been quiet with over half of our family gone and remarkably clean.   Andrew and I have eaten out almost every meal and will continue that pattern until Sunday.  (We're gluttonous grinches)  We've also spent copious time on the Internet shopping for Andrews birthday clothes.  (Teenagers want clothes for gifts.  It's fun.)  My biggest ambition today is making cookies.  It's shaping out to be a good weekend.

I heard from Steve last night and everyone is doing well and playing hard.  They will get back late Sunday night and Monday I will do the unpacking, laundry, clean up thing.  It's a good trade for a quiet weekend.

Cheap Entertainment

My family is entertaining to say the least.

Seeing an eight year old getting in and out of a baby stroller backed up with a 4 year old sporting a snow white dress is crazy fun.

Steve entertains me too.  His glove fetish cracks me up everytime…everytime.

(He even took the gloves to girls camp and used them in the kitchen.  He's hygienic.)

Grady's insistence of have TWO spoonfuls of Nutella was a crack up.

It was messy…but funny.

But my best entertainment lately?

Andrew.

Teenage boys are insanely weird…and funny…and entertaining.

I caught him trying to cram his 5 foot 5 1/2 inch body into the bottom part of our skinny linen closet.

Just because.

He "almost" got in.

And then he tried getting out which was even more funny.

Next he tried to get in other closet and shut the door.

He was about 1 inch too thick to close the door all the way.

I called an end to the shenanigans when Andrew stared tyring to put Grady in the closet.

Not funny and not entertaining.

Grady in Steve's hat was much cuter and quieter.

But alas, my entertainment left this morning for a week long raft trip with the teachers and priests of our ward.

He tried to tell Grady goodbye.

I don't think Grady has forgiven him for the closet fiasco.

My house is going to be quiet for the next week.

Andrew is the oldest, biggest, and definitely the loudest.

And I love him and will truly miss him.

Totally off the subject of Andrew, even though I found myself here because of Andrew.

He needed a few last minute snacks for the raft trip.

I just need to say for all posterity sakes…Winco is fantastically quiet at 6 am.

No lines, no crowds, no kids, no fuss.

It was just me and the hustle and bustle of people stocking the shelves.

I think I found my new time to grocery shop.

I hadn't showered, was kind of still in my pjs, and have never liked Winco more in my life.

All tuckered out

Summer is kicking our trash.

Saylor fell asleep without eating dinner at 6 pm like this yesterday evening.

She was transferred once at 7 pm to the couch and again into her bed at 9 pm.  She didn't move or fuss.

At 11 pm she came upstairs and asked for a drink of water and then went back to bed until this morning at 7:15.  

The schedule of early morning swimming mixed with late night playing (it doesn't get cool enough to play until around 8pm) makes for very tired, very grumpy kids.

Colby was sent to bed at 8 pm last night for his inability to control his emotions.

When will early morning swimming be over?

When will it starting cooling off earlier?

When will it get dark by 8 pm?

When will school start?

old man on a skate board

Carter and Colby's long boards came in the mail yesterday.

(my kids are officially spoiled)

But Carter worked his tail off at girls camp for me so I told him I would get him one.

(so its just Colby that is really spoiled)

 It was Christmas in July.

Carter was on his board for no less than 5 hours yesterday.

He has the sore bum muscles to prove it.

He's been on the board for another 4 hours today.  

He is so sweaty when he comes inside its almost nasty…but he's all smiles.

He's also gone through more than 6 juice boxes trying to keep his blood sugar above 70.  We finally got smart and reduced his basal rate this afternoon.

Steve spent some time on the boards last night too.

Have I ever mentioned that my husband was a skater in high school?  Well, he was and his skills came out in bounds last night.  I'm not sure who loves the boards more, Carter or Steve.

I love…my day lilies that finally bloomed.  I walked around my house this morning and found this surprise.  It was Christmas in July for me too.

I had forgotten what color I had planted last fall. 

My lilies in the front are blooming too.

These double blooms are amazing in person.

My favorite petunia?

I have no idea what they are called, but they are crazy fun!

(please ignore the weed in the background)

I dared him not to love Roald Dahl as an author.

He tried really really hard not to, but succumbed as all kids do.

everyday summer nothingness

Summer is marching on and I wonder if I'm losing my mind.  It's been crazy hot and we've stayed inside purely for survival reasons.  If we walk outside, we melt. 

The only time it is habitable to walk outside is after 9 pm when it drops below 90 degrees. 

Due to this insane heat, my kids are staying up way to late to enjoy the outdoors, my house is a mess because we are all inside together, and my kids are at each others throats because they are too tired and too sick of hearing me yell to clean up the house.

…is school going to start yet????

But onto the picture part of this post.

I finally finally have flowers thriving on the west side of my house.

I've lived here almost 6 years and this is the first time I kept west side flowers alive.

Petunias and day lilies are all that will grow.

Good think I like both of them.

Andrew stole my phone and took this picture of the sunset.

I'm glad he appreciates the beauty of Idaho sunsets too.

The bane of my summer is fixing kids' meals, especially lunch.

The kids think I need to be a restaurant and take orders.  I think I need to be an orphanage and serve gruel.  Chips and cheese are a good compromise sometimes.

Andrew brought up the sombreros as a festive joke.  What ever gets us through one more summer lunch.

Eating in a big hat makes even cheese taste fancy.

And the little milk cartons make everything fun.  They were left over from girls camp and I now know where to buy them…school lunches here we come!  (I hope I can get chocolate.)

Isn't Andrew's face just dripping with enthusiasm?

(cough cough)

Also left over from girls camp was cream cheese…lots of it.

I will be baking more of these bad boys and then hopefully giving them away.

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE cheesecake.  Its one of my favorites.  

Grady has run a fever since Saturday.  I took him in yesterday and he has a ear infection.  He's grumpy and in pain as I would only expect him to be.  His only saving grace is sleep- and lots of it.

I hope he feels better soon.  

Carter is learning more and more diabetes skills.

The other day his pump ran out of insulin right when he wanted to eat lunch.  One shot of two units was over in a blink of an eye.  He's brave…and tough…and wonderful.

Yesterday Andrew had an ortho appointment at the same time Steve had a lunch break from work.

We dropped off Andrew and then picked up lunch.  We then picnicked at Dr. Ward's office taking advantage of his bench and shade.

We love our orthodontist.

Grady, all dosed up on Motrin, enjoyed some waffle fries while still wearing his pjs. 

Now you know why we didn't go into the restaurant.  Some of my kids didn't even have shoes.

Our neighbors the Young's have a new litter of kittens.

Susan was kind enough to let my children enjoy her air conditioning and her kittens all afternoon yesterday.

I picked up my kids and found this.

Sure glad this cuteness doesn't belong to me.  I don't like the kind of cuteness that sheds.

Moral of this hot crazy summer week?

If you don't want a picture of yourself in a tiara saved for all posterity, don't tease your sister by wearing hers.

Just saying.

Last but not least….I found these pictures on my phone that I had forgot about.

Long long ago, we Walker siblings painted our names in the shed at the log house at the end of Wildflower Lane.

Jo and I took pictures of our names when we visited the old house a few weeks ago.

Yep…I was there.