summer is here!

this is what greeted the kids when they got home thursday afternoon - from their LAST day of school!

and we waded through some of the piles of stuff they brought home. that isn't my favorite part.

some neighbors had a party (in the rain!) that went we to, and then i went to bootcamp. i found this new bootcamp that a friend does and it's SO fun. it's outside, costs $5 for an hour, it's a park so my kids can just play while i do it. perfect!

once we got the kids to bed, pat and i went grocery shopping for his camping trip this weekend. more on that later...

friday morning was our first REAL day of summer. the kids were supposed to have swim team practice...but it was POURING rain so i told them they didn't have to go. they ALL slept in until 8 am! that's crazy for them! and i slept til 7:46!! whoo-hoo! for someone that typically gets up around 5 am, that was so nice!

we spent the morning doing some chores, finishing packing and just letting them play.

mid-morning we had a meeting. a "welcome to summer" meeting. it started with LOTS of fun stuff set out for them. (they are all - except levi - doing a tennis camp this summer. so they needed rackets!) and some bubbles, and chalk...

 and craft stuff...

 no summer list this summer. i can't handle those anymore.

but i did make this. totally up to them if they want to make it a priority. for every mile we walk or bike together, we color in a square. at 50 miles, we go get frozen yogurt. at 100 miles, we go out to lunch.

 we cleaned all that up, and got out our journals. and made some summer goals. that was too cute :-)

then i told them we would be gathering every afternoon - after quiet time - to learn some things God has laid on my heart to teach them. i did this little example (that i got off pinterest and changed a bit) for a visual. i took a bowl and we, one at time, thought of things we have a hard time with (being impatient, anger, being selfish) and every time we said one, i put a ball in the bowl.

i told them that ALL of us have these ugly things in our hearts that we struggle with. they are not going to just go away on their own. GOD is the only one that can take them away. and the only way He can do that, is if we are learning about Him always...if we are always seeking Him.

the water was God...pouring into our hearts...

 LOVE sawyer and levi's faces!! :-)

 i made sure to leave a ball. we will NEVER be perfect. and that's ok. but we should always be seeking Him.

 then pat got home around lunchtime. him and the older 5 kids were heading out for our church's "dad and kids camping trip." but it was raining. a lot. so they hung around for 4 hours trying to decide if they were going to go or not. that was tortuous. but they finally decided to go (!!) and headed out.

so...levi and i have 36 hours just us! i have a list that i'll never get done. but i'm so enjoying the time with just him and the relative (he talks a LOT!) quiet of my house!

praying i can gather my thoughts and heart about me to embrace the summer ahead!