Last day of camp

Jimmy, Alex and Helen head off for their last day of camp on Friday. This year they attended the YMCA Summer Camp at Lake Nona. It was only for four weeks so they had plenty of time off in between to just hang out. Right now they have 28 days left until school starts. (I seem to be the only one excited about that. ) All in all though the summer has gone by pretty quickly. While it's nice to have the routine of the school day, it's also very nice not to have the morning rush of getting four little people up, fed, dressed and out the door by 8:00 am. For now we're all enjoying these last days of summer...together.

inspiration in the mail

I just got my latest issue of Scrapbooks Etc. I love this magazine! My favorite designers in it are Jamie Waters and Shannon Tidwell. As soon as my issue arrives I quickly scan it for any layouts by the two of them. I also receive Creating Keepsakes and Paper Crafts. I also used to subscribe to Simple Scrapbooks, but they stopped publishing it a few months ago. So sad.



I can't believe how much I love this hobby and how quickly it has grown. Back in 2000 I was looking for ideas for Christmas gifts and figured I'd make something. I've always enjoyed crafts and thought handmade gifts were generally less expensive than store bought gifts. Plus, with kids now I thought everyone would love something that had photos of my kids all over them. I headed over to Michael's, bought some mini albums and proceeded to make scrapbooks for the grandparents. I was hooked! Flash forward to 2009 and I subcribe to all of the scrapbook magazines I know about, I currently receive the monthly kit from Studio Calico and my entire desk is packed with scrapbook supplies (as well as the cabinet under the t.v.)

Scrapbooking is so great because it gives me a creative outlet plus helps me record all of these great stories for my children that I wouldn't have otherwise. Does it get any better than that?

A boy and his hat

Alex wearing the hat Yiayia and Papouli gave him for his 9th birthday. He has been a fan of Indiana Jones for quite a while and he had asked for an "Indiana" hat for his birthday. So far he has worn the hat everywhere (even inside). I have to admit he looks quite dashing in it. I wonder if he'll want to wear it to school.

A Good Read

Right now I'm reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. From the back of the book:



"The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and
redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply
dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's
brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination,
teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly.
But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother
was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't
want the responsibility of raising a family.
The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed,
clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way
to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless
even as their children prospered.
The Glass Castle is truly astonishing-a memoir permeated by the
intense love a peculiar, but loyal family. Jeannette Walls has a story
to tell, and tells it brilliantly, without an ounce of self-pity."


Such a great book. Sad and touching. I'm actually reading it for the second time. I can't wait to read her other books.

What I like

A few days ago Helen had me write down her list of favorite things.

What I Like by Helen

1. ponies and pony houses (She's into My Little Pony)
2. purses -little purses
3. ice cream
4. to draw in my journal
5. to read with my mommy
6. to slide at the park
7. to run at the park
8. to jump
9. to roll
10. to watch movies

And then she added one more. (And no, I did not tell her to say it.)

11. I love my mommy

She got me thinking about the things I like right now. So here are my top ten.

What I Like by Jennifer

1. my children (or should they be 1-4?)
2. a good book
3. anything scrapbook-related
4. doing laundry
5. receiving a card or letter in the mail
6. hot coffee
7. a rainy day (like today)
8. sleeping babies
9. taking pictures
10. shopping for school supplies (which I get to do next month!)

Fourth of July

We had a blast this Fourth of July. We ate hot dogs for dinner, of course. Then around 8:00 p.m. we left to go see the fireworks at Avalon Park.

We parked the car and got out the camping chairs. Some people in the area were setting off their own fireworks so we were able to get a little preview. Once the show started all the kids just stood looking up with their mouths open. It was spectacular! We were so close that bits of the exploded fireworks were raining down on us. Alex was the most excited. He kept shouting the whole time.

This was Will's first fireworks show and he was pretty much in awe. We weren't sure how he would handle the bright lights and loud noise, but he loved it. He kept saying, "Wow!" After the show we piled into the car for the long trek home (because of all the traffic it took 2 hours). Will was the only one to fall asleep. When we got home Jimmy, Alex and Helen wanted to light more fireworks. Since it was so late we told them we would do it tomorrow. They had a great time last night lighting sparklers and all our other fireworks.

My baby turns 2!

I can't believe how quickly the time goes by. My baby just turned 2 on Saturday. Will is my fourth, so I should be used to it but I'm not. So many changes happening so quickly. A couple of months ago we cut off his baby curls which instantly made him look older. On Mother's Day I received a big kid potty for him to use. And on Saturday we took apart his crib. Will seems to be taking everything in stride. I, however, am a wreck. I'm just trying to slow down and take each day as it comes. If only they would just stop growing up...at least for a little while.