Cookies and Lemonade

My kids have become quite the entrepreneurs.  Yesterday Savannah begged to make cookies so she could sell them to the neighborhood.  I drove the kids to the front of the neighborhood, and let them have a lemonade and cookies stand.   It was quite the scene, 5 of my kids (Kate stayed home and Nate was at a friend's house) trying to flag down cars to sell them their goods.  Even Owen was in on the action.  I let them do it for about 2 hours Thursday evening and they made $3.50.

This morning, Sara and Savannah asked if they could do it again.  I reluctantly agreed, and they baked some more cookies.  I drove the two girls down to the front of the neighborhood around 1:30 in the afternoon (I sent them with my cell phone, so they could call when they were done).  Today they had enough success, that they ended up staying till dinner time.  And they raked in $23.67!  The boys ended up joining them toward the end of their time there, but the girls told them they didn't get to split the money because they weren't there the whole time.  Not a bad business venture for kids. 

 

A Little Canning

My sister-in-law Jamie has apricot trees, and she was kind enough to share some apricots with us.  She picked them, and gave them to us at Marc's birthday party.  So on Wednesday, I got Josh to help me, and we turned two bags of apricots into 34 pints of apricot jam.  Not bad for a day's work.

Eagle Fun Days

Yesterday was Eagle Fun Days.  We ventured out into the heat with all the kids (and cousin Emma, who came home with us after Marc's b-day party for a sleepover) to watch the parade.  It wasn't the best parade we've seen - the candy was sparse and the floats were really spread out (we were at the end of the parade route), but the kids still had fun.

The first half of the parade is always dry and the second half wet.  The girls wanted to wear their swimsuits so they could fully enjoy the wet part of the parade.

Not having a swimsuit didn't stop Sara from getting soaked.

Josh spent most of his time hanging out with his friend that was next to us, but every once in a while, he'd sneak over to shoot his sister and cousin with his water gun.

After the parade, we got some pizza and headed to the pool to finish off the evening with some swimming.  It was a fun day, and a great way to celebrate having Dad back home with us.

Kate

Kate is 2 1/2 months old now.  I adore the newborn stage, when she was just a snuggly little bundle that ate and slept all day.  And I hate that the newborn stage was so extremely short, and that I spent most of it in a sleep deprived daze.  But, I do have to admit, this next stage is pretty fun.  Kate is sleeping at nights, and is starting to become such a social little thing.  

Hanging out with her protective big brother Owen.

About a week ago, I moved her to sleep in her crib in her own room at nights.  She does really well in there, and sleeps a solid 6 or 7 hours at night.  She still naps in her swing during the day.  The rhythmic movement helps cancel out the chaotic noise that her siblings make during the day.

Waking up in the swing.

And she has discovered toys.  She mostly loves to suck on them, but it's fun to see her aware of things around her.

Today for church, Kate was especially cute.  She slept during Sacrament Meeting, but then was wide awake during Sunday School and Relief Society.  And not only was she awake, but she was extremely happy.  She cooed and talked and smiled to me the whole two hours.  Everyone around her commented on how cute and how expressive she was.  She seriously is just such a little doll.  I adore her immensely. 

 

Week Without Dad

Scott had to travel this week.  He left Monday morning for Spokane, and came home Tuesday night.  Then he turned around and left Wednesday morning for his company's annual sales training meeting in Las Vegas, where he stayed till Friday evening.  And while we missed him terribly, the kids and I did survive while he was gone.

Monday evening I took the kids to the pool by myself.  I had Kate on my lap the whole time, so it made it hard to keep everyone else in line. 

Nate in time out for teasing Owen.

Owen - tired and ready to head home.

Nate - really tired and ready to head home.

After our experience at the pool, I told the kids I was never going to take them by myself again.  But, we still needed to find some fun things to do while Dad was out of town.  So, on Tuesday we had some friends come over to paint fingernails.  Owen got in on the action, too.

Wednesday the girls had Activity Days and Josh had Scouts.  And in the morning, one of my friends came over with her kids to hang out for a bit.

Thursday came, and we were all going a little crazy.  So, I had one of our favorite babysitters, Claire, come over to watch Kate for me.  And I braved getting into a swimsuit for the first time this year, and took the kids swimming.  It was much easier to keep everyone happy with me in the pool with them, instead of sitting poolside with a baby.  And because it was so much fun, we did it again on Friday.  I found that I enjoyed the break just as much as the kids.  (And on Friday, I had Claire come earlier and watch all the kids while I got out for some exercise, then stay with just Kate while the rest of us went swimming.)

And finally, Friday evening, I loaded up all 7 kids and went to Scott's little brother's 30th birthday party.  Scott's flight got in that evening, and he joined us about an hour into the party.  It was so great to get him home.  We really missed him.


(And a few more miscellaneous pictures......)

He still falls asleep in random places.

Sara is really into doing handstands.  I swear, that girl is upside down more than she is right side up.

Kate is just starting to figure out how to play with toys.

Snuggling with my little Kate.

On the way home from Marc's birthday party, I stopped to fill the suburban with gas and went through the car wash.  Owen was not a fan.  He kept repeating, "I want out Mom.  I want out Mom!"