Arrrrrg! Thar be pirates!

Did you know that crafts give me mental hives? But that my kids LOVE them? It's a conundrum that only the start of school will solve. Or if not solve, at least lessen. Until then, I'll keep muddling along, soothing my mental itches with chocolate. And ice cream. Chocolate ice cream. From Ritters.

The kids have both been involved in play groups this summer. Megan's group only has 4 girls. Jared's has 8 boys. Eight. Boys. Between 4 and 7. I'm hosting today and I'm shaking in my boots. At least I would be if I were wearing boots. But it's summer in Houston and only a crazy person would wear boots...you may see me in boots tomorrow. After play group...since I will probably be classified as a crazy person.

Jared really wanted to do something involving pirates when it was our turn to host. He's been talking about it all summer. So, he and I made pirate eye patches out of black felt and some black elastic cording. I already had the felt, and the cording was on sale at Hobby Lobby, so I only payed $0.80. That's a price I can handle. And they turned out cute. The example I saw online had white paint decorating the eye patch, and I thought about doing that during play group for about 3 seconds. Then I remembered. 8. boys. ages 4 to 7. Nope - not painting today. :D

 (Megan and Kate wanted to get in on the Pirate action as well.)

We are going to have a treasure hunt. Last night, when I sat down to write out the clues, I decided that it would be fun to write them in rhyme. Not sure what possessed me, since it took waaaaaay too long, and we are talking about 8 little boys, who aren't going to understand half the words I used. Words like "avast" and "vittles" (and since the meter is off on a couple of them, which really, really bugs me...). I tore apart a large, brown paper bag, sprayed it with water, crumpled it up, spread it out and let it dry, tore it into smaller pieces, and then wrote the clues on them with a Sharpie. In the future, I think it would work better if I got it much wetter because the wetter the paper, the softer, more supple it is when it drys. I was in a hurry and didn't want to wait for it to dry much.

Here are my clues:

1. At the end of this hunt, there be treasure for you. Go find the first clue inside Jared's shoe!
2. So far so good, ye pirates beware, find ye next clue...beneath the computer chair.
3. Ye pirates sure know a lot of fun things. Look for the next clue out by the swings.
4. Pirates do be clean and posh, find the next clue in the place where you wash.
5. Ye pirate vittles, Yer always lovin', Look where they're cooked...Thar in the oven.
6. Ye next treasure clue is not in yer head. It is where Jared sleeps...Right under the bed.
7. All pirates are warned, watch out and beware, ye next clue is...on a pirate's blue chair.
8. To find the treasure ye must see far and vast. Look for the clue out by the spy glass.
9. Ye smart pirates will find it if ye are able. Right on top of...the kitchen table.

After the treasure hunt, they can decorate their own pirate flag, make their own pirate map, or just go play.

Whew - I'm tired just writing all of this. Wish me luck!

What we've been up to

The summer is winding down. Only a little more than a week before Megan and Jared will both be in school full time. I have mixed feelings. Part of me is SO excited for them to go to school. Poor Kate gets dragged all over town. It seems like every time she falls asleep, we wake her up to buckle her into the car seat. I am struggling to get things done - I have a class that I've been trying to get finished all summer. If I could just have a few hours of uninterrupted work, I could finish it. Things like that will be so much easier when they are in school. The routine will be a lot more consistent.

On the other hand, I have really enjoyed this summer. We haven't done anything major, mostly we've just stayed home and spent time together, but the Megan and Jared have become such good friends. They love to play together. And they both adore Kate. It's been fun to help them learn how to take care of her, how to play with her, etc. As much as I have complained, this really has been a fun summer.

This week, we have gone swimming a lot (like always!). We've also gone to the splash pad. Megan and Jared complain that they are too old to have fun at the splash pad, but they always have a blast when we go. And I enjoy it too - it's nice to sit in the shade and talk to the other moms, without worrying about the kids in the pool.

Megan has been learning to cook this summer. She can make a mean salad, without any help. And she's been helping Travis make a lot of other things as well. Sunday afternoon they made a three layer chocolate cake. It was fabulous. (I ate waaaaay too much.)

 

Since it's been so hot, we aren't spending much time outside unless we're at the pool. Instead, we've played a lot of xbox and computer games, and a lot of board games. Including Extreme Jenga. (Jared makes up the rules as he goes along.)

Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pool, 3 days old.

Travis is going to do an audit on an oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Before they'll let him on the rig, he had to have some safety training. Yesterday he came home and said that it was pretty boring - lectures, basic first aid, CPR, etc.

Today was a different story.This morning he got to do fire safety training - he got to get in shipping containers filled with fire and smoke and find his way out. He says it was HOT. Ridiculously hot. He got to use fire extinguishers and fire hoses, all so he'll know what to do in case of a fire on a rig.

This afternoon he spent in the pool. He had to learn how to use a re-breather (kind of a bag that you fill up with air, and then you can breath in and out of for about 30 seconds), and then he got to get into the helicopter simulator. The simulator is supposed to teach you what to do in case of a helicopter crash over the ocean, so once everyone is strapped in, they drop the it into the pool. Once it filled with water, he had to  knock the window out (it takes 80 lbs of force!), unbuckle, and swim out. 3 times. Once he mastered that, they dropped him in again, flipping the simulator upside down. 2 more times. Sounds like fun, huh?

He gets to go back for more fun tomorrow. Not sure what he'll be doing, but he has to wear a swim suit and steel toed boots, so I'm sure it will be "fun"...

What we've been up to

We haven't done anything super exciting or outrageous this summer, but sometimes the simple things bring the most joy.

On Friday, we went to lunch at Pappas Burgers with Travis.

We've gone swimming. A Lot. Just cuz, for play group, for swim lessons. We are all getting water logged. We've all got raisin toes. Swimming completely wears Kate out.

We've played with friends at their houses and our house and at the pool and at the park. We love our friends.

I taught my first class at Scrap Girls, after taking most of the summer off. It was great to get back to doing what I love. (and I am LOVING the new class format. It's wonderful!)

Supplies listed HERE

Travis and I had a movie date and watched the Princess Bride. It's been a long time since we snuggled up together to watch an old favorite. Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...

I don't think life gets any better than this.

Grateful Tuesday: August 9, 2011

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessing, name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

I woke up on the grumpy side of the bed once too often this morning (every time I'd doze off, after about 5:30, someone woke me up) and it's hard to shake the mood I'm in. But I know thinking about my blessings will help.

10 random things I'm grateful for today:

1.  Only 2 more weeks till school starts! I think I'm gonna make it!
2. 2 more weeks of sleeping in in the summer (in theory - no sleeping in around here this morning)
3. Friends who "get" me.
4. Sisters. And telephones. When we live so far apart, they go hand in hand.
5. Ritters (which may or may not be consumed for breakfast)
6. Air conditioning. And ceiling fans. And ice. (it's been a HOT summer!)
7. Pandora - I'm listening to some gorgeous jazz right now. If that doesn't improve your mood, nothing will!
8. My sweet kids. They may drive me crazy sometimes, but listening to them laugh together in the other room makes me happy (even if they are playing instead of doing their chores)
9.  The neighborhood pool. It's the only way to survive this summer.
10. My wonderful husband who is at Boiset training today, getting shut in a packing container that's on fire and getting dropped into a swimming pool inside a helicopter simulator. He does so much for our family, and I really can't imagine life without him.

LOL

I LOVE the smiles and belly laughs and squeals and shrieks these days. It makes me laugh.

Grateful Tuesday: August 2, 2011

 10 Random Things I'm Grateful For Today:

1. My husband, who has different talents than I do.
2. A sweet baby girl who is starting to squeal and coo and laugh.
3. Watching my older kids play board games together.
4. Decorating blogs to inspire me.
5. Slimfast for breakfast.
6. A clean kitchen (I know I say this every time, but there are few things in the world better than waking up to a clean kitchen).
7. Friends who chat on the phone with me for long periods of time when we have nothing important to say.
8. Ritters.
9. A neighborhood pool and bright sunny days.
10. The Relief Society organization. I didn't have a real testimony of the Relief Society before being called as the secretary, but now I do. I'm so grateful for the security and the friendships it has brought me.