Summer 2012--Week Eight, Nine and Ten

Clearly I have slacked on blogging.  I have actually kept a running list of what we have been doing, but that is it.  I haven't taken many pictures.  We have spent a lot of time inside...it has been so hot.  (Actually I just learned that July was the hottest month on record in St. Louis!!)  We have been dealing with insurance and getting a new van and watching the Olympics.  I have been trying to catch up on all of my DC blogs.  And we have been doing a lot of the same stuff that we have been doing all summer.  It's been good...just kind of slipping by.  And that is kind of ok. 

Week eight:  DC.  See the last gazillion blogs. 

Week nine: 

• Pool
• Water play in backyard (Caleb cracked head--Z was swinging the hose and the nozzle cracked him...where was that mom?!)
• Magic House
• Kung Fu Panda 2 (free movie) with a friend
• Mad Science at the library.  This was one of the library programs and it was actually pretty neat.  The guy did all kinds of physical science "experiments".  I kind of felt like I was back teaching again ;)
• Pool
• Suson Park.  I took the kids and they had in their heads that they were somehow going to fish using a paperclip.  Boys.  Thankfully that idea was removed when they saw the playground.  We played then checked out the animals and saw 2 baby cows that were less that 2 weeks old!
• Backyard water play
• Zoo (with the rest of st louis).  It was finally a "nice" day and I felt like we could enjoy some time outside.  The problem was that it was the first day in weeks it hadn't been in the triple digits and it was a Saturday morning.  So where do I suggest?  The zoo.  It was nutttttty.  I was reminded again of how grateful I am to be a stay at home mom and go to the zoo when the rest of the world is at work.  Much nicer, much calmer, much easier.  But it was fun to have Nate with us. 

Week Ten: 

• pool
• city garden
• library
• ice cream cones with library coupons
• six flags with papa and emily.  Only Z and I went.  It was about a gazillion degrees out but we stayed cool because we rode the water rides and got drenched!  We spent the first part of the day at the rides part.  Z did great and rode all of the rides that we suggested.  I'm not sure if he loves roller coasters yet quite like I do but he tolerates them.  In the afternoon we went to the water park.  We were proud of him because he wasn't sure about going down one set of waterslides that were completely enclosed but he did and came out smiling!  It was a great time that we all had together.  And Nate had a fun day with the little boys just giving them attention without Z around. 
• Lowe's build and grow.  We signed all 4 boys up for this one.  They made some random Kung Fu Panda thing (that we threw away 24 hours later).  Nate and I each took 2 kids and helped them to build, and they loved it.  Will have to remember to sign them up again. 
• box play.  With 3 new carseats to replace the ones that were in the accidents, we had 3 huge boxes.  They held up for 2 days.  :)

lemonade stand. Z and S had been asking for ages to have a lemonade stand. One afternoon I think it was "only" 93 or so, and I decided to let them go ahead. They made signs (thankfully the one that read "Bugs 1 cent" didn't make it outside). We made 2 kinds (pink lemonade and cherry limeade) then hauled out cups and ice and our drinks in the wagon. Then all 5 kids stood on the corner and yelled LEMONADE at the top of their lungs at everyone who passed. They actually "earned" $20 in an hour off of 25 cent cups of lemonade! We have kind and generous neighbors. :)