Whatever Happened to the Lazy Days of Summer?

10 Days!  That's all the rest I got!  I started my class a week and a half after school was out and its been crazy ever since.  The first two weeks of June I took a 5 hour graduate certification course in the Kodaly method of teaching music.  I was so down in the dumps after my really tough year that I dreaded the class.  I needed the hours to re-certify my KS teaching certificate.  I was told it would be really tough, but I didn't realize how hard it would be.  I was shocked at the amount of work that I had to do (my family was really shocked at the disappearance of mom!).  I was up until 2 a.m. every night and in choir class by 8 a.m. every morning - a shock to my body (and a testament that college is better suited twenty year olds). Most nights I didn't get home until after 6 and I started my homework by 7:30. After two weeks I was wiped out but surprisingly renewed.  I remembered why I loved teaching music and it was really fun to sing with fabulous musicians again.  I got a lot of new ideas and this method has put so many things together for me.  I am actually excited to try this new framework with my students.  Why didn't they teach me this 15 years ago?!?!?

The summers are so busy anymore.  I remember spending days on end lying by the pool. It's just not realistic to do that any more.  We are spending most of our time getting ready for Halloween and Christmas.  We have to get all the websites ready and the advertising printed.  We spent 5 days on a trip to Dallas Market getting the stuff for the Christmas shop.  I am squeezing in time for my own work as design jobs are picking up again.  But, I do feel like I am actually getting a chance to work on projects around my house (still nothing completed...).  And, of course, the kids are always need my attention or some entertainment.  Now,  here it is one week from our family reunion/summer vacation and I have had only 2 days at the pool!  We will try hard to enjoy what summer is left!

Here are a few reminders of summer fun.

 Jacob, Kennedy, and Aidan 

  What 4th of July would be complete without sparklers?

Wallpaper fun!  I ran out of paper, but this is going to be so pretty when I'm finished!

Rare

This is my fourth morning in a row that I haven't had to be up and at em first thing. I honestly don't know what to do with myself! School is out and less client work coming in. I'm struggling with the fact that I can't seem to get myself going now that I'm not needed everywhere else. So I sit and sit and sit. I've been reading blogs, magazines and my textbook for my upcoming course work, but it feels like I am doing nothing. I am trying to enjoy it, but it is really not easy to relax and be content when there is so much that needs done around the house.

This morning was a rare morning where we all slept in. Once Owen was up we had great fun pretending in my bed and soon we were all smiles. Then Aidan got up and climbed in with us. (Of course things got ramped up once he got in the mix.) It was giggly, tickley, silly fun and I really enjoyed it. Now that we have had our Sunday pancakes and everyone is off doing their own thing, I find myself sitting again - trying to remind myself that maybe its okay to just sit and relax.

The Cuddle

Owen gives me a big hug and says "Awww." I say "Awww" back and give him a squeeze. He says "Wait, No!" He wriggles his way out of my arms and states emphatically "I need three in the the cuddle." He proceeds to run over to a small stuffed animal, grabs it and runs back to me. We hug again and he repeats "Awww." I love the cuddle (*smile*).

Mother's Day?

I lay in bed at 7:30, ready to get up. Should I get up? Aidan really wanted to get me breakfast in bed this morning, so a couple of days ago we bought a mix of my favorite coffee cake and I gave him a plan to accomplish this. So...I should just stay in bed, right? But, I'm ready to get up and everyone is sound asleep. I wait until about 8:15 and I just can't stay in bed any longer. So I sneak out of bed and head downstairs to finish up a gift for my mom. I hear footsteps upstairs, so I think they must be getting up. When I get upstairs 30 minutes later, I see Aidan in the chair engrossed in his book. "Mom!" he exclaims, "You are supposed to be in bed!" I tried to explain that I needed to get up but that I am going to take a shower so he can have everything waiting for me when I get out and get back in bed. He agrees that he will have breakfast waiting for me when I get out of the shower. So here I am in bed at 9:30 waiting for my special mother's day breakfast in bed. Aidan is in the same chair, reading. Kip is making the coffee cake. Owen is playing trains and practicing somersaults in my bed. I'm hungry. So, this plan is foiled, but I am still grateful for my two sweet boys and their adorable ways of showing their love. Owen keeps giving me squeeze hugs and with that honey voice he says "You're so cute mommy." Aidan just gave me his handmade gift and card and I couldn't be reminded in any better way how great it is to be a mom. Even though I still don't have my breakfast...

Its a pen!

You (Rock)

Mom you are a (wheel) of fortune. Your are Jackpot.

Turn in this card when you want me to leave you alone.

One leave you alone (ticket). Happy Mother's Day to Mom.

Warmer Milky

Owen still wants to drink his milk warm. He will not drink it cold. Every morning the first thing Owen would ask for is his milky milky. This boy really loves his milk. Kip was getting it for him one morning a couple of weeks ago and he apparently did not warm it up enough. Owen turned his lower lip down and gave us the saddest puppy dog face and stated he needed "warmer milky." Kip warmed it up a little more and called it hot milky (which Owen disagrees with). Since that morning a couple of weeks ago, every time Owen wants his milk he sweetly asks for warmer milky. Nope - it is no longer milky milky. We have graduated from that! He sure is growing up and, you can see, his vocabulary is too!

Before We Forget.....Harry Potter

I just realized I never posted pictures of our visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Oops! So I wanted to write this before we forget all the details.

The reason for our whirlwind trip to Orlando after Christmas was to see Universal Studios latest addition - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It seemed like perfect timing to treat Aidan to this experience since he has been a little Harry Potter obsessed for the past few years. So this was a very important part of our trip.

After our long Monday of travel, we decided it would be worth it to get up very early and get to Universal - even though we were exhausted. So up we got and went straight for the park. Aidan was so excited about HP and wanted to go immediately there....then he saw the Hulk roller coaster and we got a little sidetracked (oops - shoulda waited to ride...). After our first roller coaster adventure, he was still antsy to get to HP so we headed straight there. Much to our disappointment, we got to the entrance only to find out that we had to wait forever in line or get a timed pass to enter later because it was too crowded. Boo! Luckily, we got a pass for 2:00 (only about 3 hours to kill in a theme park - easy enough right?) even though Aidan was willing to wait in the very long line to get in. So, in the meantime, we visited many other rides and ate lunch. When 2:00 rolled along,we walked right into HP and right into a MOB of people! It was so packed we could hardly move! Nevertheless, we were immediately enthralled with the incredible details that went into replicating Hogsmeade and the HP world. Forgive me for so many pictures (I've edited them down a lot!). If you've read Harry Potter books, you would love this place!

It looks just like it did in all the movies with the "snow" on the rooftops and the old English architecture. I loved looking at all the buildings especially the rooflines. We luckily found out that if you went inside The Three Broomsticks you could get butterbeer without waiting in the insanely long lines on the street.

Butterbeer! It tastes like a caramely cream soda...YUM. Aidan loved the slushy kind.

Of course the focal point of the whole area is Hogwarts Castle. We stupidly left the area without going in because the line was too long at that time. Unfortunately there was no getting back in for the day (all the passes were gone) and when we tried to get a pass for Wednesday - it was a 2 hour line just to get a pass! This resulted in us spending our last free day, Saturday, at Universal - which turned out to be a blessing because we didn't have to wait in any lines all day and we thoroughly enjoyed the best ride located in the castle - several times.

The Hogwarts Express was a colorful focal point right when you walked through this entrance. The sign reads "Please Respect Spell Limits."

The streets were pretty crowded and people were waiting in longer lines to get in the shops than to ride the rides. The shops really were the charm of the place so we waited in some lines. It took about 30 minutes to get into Zonkos Joke Shop and Honeydukes. The displays were fantastic but everyone was packed in there like sardines. Needless to say, we decided not to wait in the 2 hour line to have a wand "choose" you at Olivanders.

Honeydukes and Zonkos

Hmmm....Chocoloate Frog or Bertie Bots Every Flavored Beans. How about both - $20 later!

We sent postcards with the official Hogsmead stamp from the Owl Post.

The Sorting Hat talks to you while you wait in line for the castle ride.

I loved the "Monster Book of Monsters." Its just what you would imagine when you read about it. This shop also carried all the latest models of broomsticks including the Firebolt. We also threw away more money, (I mean made our dear son happy) by purchasing a "collectible" Golden Snitch - a must-have for any true Harry Potter fan!

Aidan got his want at a kiosk on the street and he has been very happy with it despite not going through the wand ceremony. Universal has created a magical place and it really is very well done. Once the hubub dies down a bit, you should definitely go!

I wuv you!

Owen has recently started telling us that he loves us. Ahhh...it's so sweet. I know sweet is a word I use regularly when it comes to talking about Owen, but its so true. He is always a very loving boy. He loves to cuddle. Loves to hug. Its super adorable when he puckers up for a kiss. But now with this recent addition of affection, we can't help but smile from ear to ear around here. Just this morning we heard this from him:

I wuv you daddy.

I wuv you mommy.

I wuv you Aidan.

I wuv my brudder.

I wuv balls mommy.

I wuv baseballs, I wuv basketballs.

I wuv my baby teddy.

I'm really going to have to get a recording of his funny little voice that makes us smile so much in this house!