Last edition of CSF

Camp Stinky Feet just ended. We had so much fun with Ross. Here are my favorite Ross quotes. He is the funniest kid I have ever known. (Not to mention sweet, well-mannered and enthusiastic. He was a DELIGHT!)

~“Come on words. Don’t play hide and seek with me.” (When he forgot what he was going to say.)

~“Come on Lydie, crawl down the steps backwards. That’s what all the girls are doing.” (When he went to get Lydie out of the crib.)

~“If Lydia Joy were a bug, she’d be a love bug.”

~“I know how 6 year olds are. When they get really mad they act like bulls.”

~“This is huge. It will go down in history, I know it.” (Referring to the Sponge Bash Sponge Bob Square Pants show that is coming on Friday night)

~“It was very stressful. I was anxious. I think I started to sweat.” (talking about voting on-line for his favorite Sponge Bob episode)

~“We were little squirts back then.” (Referring to last year)

~“I can’t wait for Sloppy Joes.” (He was actually referring to Monkey Joe’s!)

~“We’re hooligans. I have no idea what that word means. I think it’s a tribe in Africa.” (said around the dinner table)

~"I'm opening the hatches! (When he peed in the front yard...with my permission. :) )

“Can I have a drink of water?” (It was bed time. Andy said to wait til tomorrow thinking it was a ploy for extra awake time.) “Okay, I can just drink my spit. It tastes pretty good.”

More Camp notes

(I forgot my camera when we were away from home today!)

Day 3:

Church playground. Monkey Joe's. Chick-Fil-A. Star Wars. The creek. Tie-dye t-shirts. Sponge Bash on tv. More ice cream and peanut butter m&ms. Grilling out burgers and corn-on-the-cob.

3rd Annual Camp Stinky Feet

Night 1:

Pretend tales in the backyard. Safari hat and binoculars. Meatballs and spaghetti. 3-D movie. A visit from the tooth fairy (Jackson).

Day 2:

Breakfast picnic. Building marble runs. Transforming Transformers. Legos. Our favorite park. A trip to the creek. Chuckie Cheese.Treasure boxes. A quiet video. Poppy seed chicken. Ice cream cones. Bowling.

Final day of camp

Yesterday was our last camp day. We had a wonderful time of worship at church and one last lunch date. My husband took his turn to make the seven hour journey (round trip) to pick up the kids. By yesterday morning, I missed them so much it hurt. So I spent the entire afternoon trying to busy myself. After a one-hour random stroll through Target, I came home and worked in the school room. I have so much to do in there before we start school!

This will be my last shameless post on my home projects and polished toenails and all that. In case it has been a little sickening, I apologize. If it is at all redeeming, I got out the vacuum cleaner twice in the hour that the kids were awake when they got home. And there were two crying outburst. So on that note, here's what I did in the school room.

The bookshelf before

The bookshelf after. I found a sheet that has royal blue, robin's egg blue and lime green stripes. I like not having to look at all of the messy papers and books under there. So I cut the sheet in half and took off some of the length and then hemmed it.
I hung this leaf above Lydie's table. The table, chair (with flower pad), and leaf all came from Ikea* for next to nothing.

I hung stuff on our learning wall.

This is our theme for the year...in bright colors, of course
Another Ikea* find. I hung this mirror at eye-level for the kids near their dress-up area.
It is easy to open with a Velcro attachment. This is all I could focus to do as the anticipation of seeing my babies was killin' me. They look more beautiful than ever! I am so glad they are back.

Day 2 of Camp Polished Toenails

Yesterday was another late start for us. We sat around for the first hour or two of our morning in our family room with coffee and a quiet time together. I usually start my day this way, only with the children along side. The quiet and stillness took a little getting used to...but we managed.

Then we decided to take advantage of the sunshine and do a few "projects".

Our yard was in desperate need of some attention. Here it is after we mowed, weeded, swept. I love this little house. The back yard is still a bit of a jungle, but in better shape. We had to quit and pace ourselves because this was looming...
Our garage has been unorganized since we moved in two years ago. This is my husband's area and I didn't want to step on toes, but it was unbearable for me. I could not stand it another day. We started the yard and garage projects at 10:30am and came in to check the time at 6:00pm. But look at the after shots! (We filled two large garbage cans and two extra trash bags full of junk.) Two completed projects!

I kept having to remind myself that it didn't really matter that we left for dinner at 7:30. I'm not used to being on my own schedule! So we went to this great little Mexican restaurant, complete with music and Mexican dancing.

I couldn't mortify my introverted husband and ask a stranger to take our picture again tonight. So we took individuals. Doesn't he look rested and happy?

Day 1 of Camp Polished Toenails

I decided that when the kids are away at Camp Stinky Feet, our home would be called Camp Polished Toenails. This name symbolizes the lavish lifestyle I am enjoying while I have no responsibilities. Here's a peek into day one:Cooking at Camp Polished Toenails: And then we eat our food in bed with a movie! (This is actually from Thursday night.)
Grocery Shopping at Camp Polished Toenails: fresh flowers, decorating magazine, cute striped umbrella (not in picture), and lunch (favorite potato chips and a Diet Coke)
Project #1 at Camp Polished Toenails: clean every inch of the van, even the trunk. Work is not allowed at this Camp...unless it is a "project", of course.
Good bye, carpool number.
Exercise at Camp Painted Toenails: One hour walk without pushing a stroller. I needed the exercise to prepare for dinner.
Shopping at Camp Painted Toenails: I hardly shop anywhere but the thrift store these days. I had $40 and found two outfits and a dress for me and two dresses for Lydie. (The boys' sections had nothing cute at all!) This simple outfit above cost $3.99, the shorts were $1.00.
This dress for Lydie costs $2.00. I need to replace that broken ribbon around the bottom, but otherwise it is in perfect shape. This is why I don't take up smocking, because I can find these hand-made dresses for next to nothing!
My crush at Camp Polished ToenailsDating my crush at Camp Painted Toenails: a night at our favorite restaurant and a movie
Who my prayers are filled with at Camp Painted Toenails!!

It's just us

It's 9:23am. We just rolled out of bed. I think the last time we slept this late was in 1999. I feel so rejuvinated! Our sweet boys are at the second annual Camp Stinky Feet. We started a little family tradition last June of have the boys cousins spend a four day dirt fest together. This year their aunt and uncle are hosting. And Lydie is with my parents. We are here without our children until Sunday. I miss them already, silly me. (But I certainly do enjoy the sleep.) It's our first time to be away from Lydie overnight. I was surprised at how emotional I was when I dropped them off. You would think after three kids it would have been a piece of cake.

Maybe tomorrow I'll post a completed house project. Or maybe I'll just lay out by the pool. :)

Camp Stinky Feet, day 3

Camp is over. After a trip to the farmer's market, the town square, pizza, ice cream and swimming, we said our farewells. It was so much fun having an extra little set of stinky feet around here. My boys were beyond exhaustion when we finally tucked them in bed. #1 began to cry because he missed his cousin. #2 fell asleep during bedtime prayers. Times like this pull at my heartstrings because we do not live closer to family. Although we are only three hours apart, it does feel odd to be the only members of our family that are in a different city. Simultaneously, I feel at home here and know we are exactly where God wants us to be. I am very thankful for this precious time together, and I hope that Camp Stinky Feet will be a lasting tradition.

Camp Stinky Feet, day 2

The kids were up early for donuts and a canoe ride. Thank goodness the canoe did not tip over...I had a dream that it did and I was worried!
After lots of legos, dress up and transformers at home, lunch at McDonalds.

Then we went to this really cool kid gym to play. #1 practices his balance.

My nephew does a twisty twirl into the foam pit. This foam pit provided hours of entertainment!

Even #3 found a place to have fun!

We decided to have a cookout for dinner. Good old mac and cheese and hot dogs. (We did have carrots and fruit, too!)

#3's second time to get in our pool. We always swim when she is napping. She really loved it! (The last time we put her in she screamed and kicked furiously.)

Swimming was real hit tonight. We splashed and played for several hours.

My nephew enjoying more sugary desserts. This was him devouring a vanilla cupcake.

We promised a bonfire on the last night of camp. But then we thought about the drought and the woods around our house and the law...and we decided it was NOT a good idea. So this was our compromise. Our neighbors must have thought we were CRAZY when they saw smoke rising out of the chimney.

This has been a great day for us all. I knew it was a hit when #1 asked if my nephew could be adopted as his brother. I am looking forward to our last day tomorrow. Now I'm going to go fall into bed!