Oh Summer

Arizona in the summer can be both beautiful and miserable.
On those miserable days, we throw a sheet on the microfiber couch and let the kids veg out on their or my electronics.
This was one such day. Kelly was off working with Nina and Wyatt was off to Boy Scout camp. Chelsea and I were in veg mode.
I so remember doing these same things when I was a kid. I try as a mom and adult to capture the essence of being a kid but also our summer.
So far the kids go swimming several days a week with Grandma at the YMCA, we've been trying to have movie days and library days.
The biggest thing they've done is clean their rooms, Yay mom says, boooo say the kids. It was bad, real bad.
The laundry is now under control, the clean clothes kept finding their way back into the dirty clothes basket, sometimes still folded!

The kids have rediscovered some of their toys, in Kelly and Chelsea's case they tried to bring them to the kitchen table to play instead of their room. When I said they couldn't, all toys need to stay in their room, their reason was they didn't want to mess they're room up!
Shaking my head...kids
*Carrie*

Happy 60th Mom!

 

Happy 4th of July and Happy 60th Birthday to my mom.
Mom has been saying how she didn't want a big to do and that she was going to go do stuff that she doesn't get to do that often.
Basically a ME day.
Sometimes hitting these big numbers can be depressing, I get it.
I wanted to have some fun, so last night I blew up 55 or so balloons with the thought that I would go to her house in the morning and decorate.

There was one small glitch. Mom is dog sitting for a client and needed to be at her house early, but this morning mom was running late.
I drove to her house, taking the back way  just so we wouldn't cross paths and as I about to come around the corner, I see her truck still in the driveway. YIKES
I ended up waiting around the corner for another 40 minutes till she left.
I got in and put up the plastic curtain I made. I hung up the birthday banner and then began dumping big garbage bags full of balloons all around her living room.

I then proceeded to blow up another 30 balloons. In the end, which included me making a second trip out to her house because I left a bag of  balloons at home,
I think there was closer to 80 balloons on her floor.
It looks so cool.
The Reveal: Things didn't go exactly as planned for mom's ME day but she had let me know that she was going to stop by.
Crud, I had nothing for her because it was all at her house!
Ma stops by, we sit and chat for like an hour. At the end the girls came home from swimming and I have to remind them that she hasn't been home to see yet so don't say anything.
Mom leaves and the clock watching begins.
A short while later I tried to play it cool when she called and asked if I was involved. I started laughing with her as I explained the back story and struggling to not say anything that would give me away when we were hanging out talking and how bad I felt not having anything to give her because it was all at her house.
Mom says she can't stop laughing and loves it.
I wrote in her card if she gets frustrated she can always start stabbing the balloons, I'm sure that would bring some stress relief.
Happy Birthday Mom, we sure do love you.
 *Carrie*

Chelsea turns 7

  Last Saturday this amazing girl turned 7. How can that possibly be?
Chelsea is a sweet, strong-willed firecracker. Our house is never boring with Chelsea around.
I love the fact that she still loves to wear dresses almost every day.
She drives me nuts because she won't clean up after herself and heaven forbid you ask her to pick up her room. That is when the, I'm too little, card gets thrown around.
Chelsea starts 2nd grade this fall and we have put her in the gate program at her school. I pray that she has an easier time than Wyatt did.

This year we are going to do something a little different.
Chelsea hasn't been able to have a friend birthday because of when her birthday is and not having anyones addresses or phone numbres.
Alas, we had a family party Saturday and once school starts we are throwing her a big ol bash.
Hint: its Hawiiaan themed.
One of the things that Chels has been asking for is a ukelele. Can I just say I was so excited to buy her this, lol. This last week it has passed hands as we all strum and "try" to make music.

We had fun tricking Chels when my mom arrived and she opened her gift and received a bike helmet and pads but no bike.
The bike was hidden and at first Chelsea didn't see it, but when she did... she yelled for everyone to come see.

We brought the bike into the house and after Rob made some adjustments we had her change her clothes so her dress wouldn't get ruined and took the bike out for a quick spin.

Now when her brother and sister go for a spin on their scooters she can join them.
I just know we need to get all of us moving more.
Granted now that the monsoons have arrived the afternoon temps aren't that bad. It really means getting our butts off the couch.

You sure can't miss Chelsea with her super cool unicorn helmet.
And just for posterity, she has been asking for  a bike for awhile and except for Rob, none of us ride like we should. So we are just learning and using training wheels.
Happy Birthday baby girl can't wait to see how your BIG party goes, hehehe.
*Carrie*

June recap

I can't believe that today is the fourth of July.
As most parents say, summer vacation is half over. I feel the same way, but I think I will keep my head in the clouds a little bit longer and deny that summer vacation is almost over.

In June I hid from the heat as much as possible, heck I pretty much became a shut in one week when our temps were over 107. My scrap room was almost unbearable to be in.

The big news around here is that Wyatt now wears glasses.
I want to get a picture of our family with the caption that 4 out of 5 Ross' wear glasses. So far Kelly is the only one with good vision. Of course my vision didn't start to change until high school. So who knows.
Chelsea was also overdue for new glasses so both kids got the hook up.
The one thing I like best about Wyatt having to wear glasses is that we have them made with transitions. He is very light sensitive and this has helped immensely.

Also in June we all went to the circus. Ringling Brothers knows how to put on an awesome circus. I teared up when the elephants came out to do their walk around. The oldest elephant they were using was 58, and she broke my heart. I'm really happy that Ringling Bros are phasing them out. I found the human cannonball so nostalgic and fun. I was lucky enough to get her entire flight in pictures, so cool.
My favorite part was the guys doing the aerobatics on the twin trampolines, that was insane.

But the biggest event of all was this young lady turning 7. Holy cow!
Birthday recap tomorrow!
*Carrie*