12 Step Program

I realize that I'm backtracking just a little bit, and I had hoped to write this post on Sunday, but I was REALLY busy organizing the house and school stuff so that this morning would be successful, and it was, so it's worth writing this a little late.  I wanted to share how we survived entertained ourselves during the last week of summer vacation.
Without further adieu, the 12 steps to surviving the last week of summer:

Step 1: Buy some Orbeez. I don't really understand them, but kids are fascinated with them.  We left them on the counter in a bowl for the entire week and the girls loved playing with them every single day.

Step 2: Take a 2 year old, 5 year old, and 8 year old  to play putt-putt for the first time!  What an adventure this was!!!  We had a lot of fun, and fun watching our girls.  Thankfully, neither seems to have my issue with losing.  Elle didn't even want us to take score for her and was fine hitting the ball 17 times to finally pick it up and put it in the hole.  Ava was hilarious to watch.  She would hold her putter upside down half the time. 

 Levi was happy to stand close to the hedge and watch all the go-carts racing around the track.

 I put up a valiant effort...but Shawn beat me by one measly point.  A rematch has been scheduled, this Thanksgiving at the Putt Putt place in Tyler.

 

 

Step 3: Play pretend a lot.  Here we have two cute doggies with their water bowls.  They were very good at fetching :) (and spilling water)



Step 4: Allow the girls to make cookies, all.by.themselves.  This was a first.  I am usually overly involved in the process because I don't want to clean up a mess, but this time, I said Whatever! and let them have at it.  The only thing I did was put the cookies in the oven and take them out!  They were so excited and proud of the finished product.

Step 5: Learn how to sew with a needle and thread.  Elle got a sewing kit at Christmas I think and it was still not opened so I thought this was the perfect time to break it out, especially since it had a smaller and larger owl to sew.  The girls really loved doing this craft.  They are completely proficient at threading their own needle with a threader and very good and a few different stitches.  As I write this they are about 80% complete...the last part is kind of tedious so they bore of it quickly.

 

 

Step 6: Break out the Play-doh and clay and let me create till their hearts content.

 We realized during this craft that we are down to only a few containers of Play-doh that aren't dried up so looks like I need to make a trip to Walmart soon...

Ava's creation on the left is a pepperoni pizza and Elle's is a snowman....wishful thinking on both parts.

Step 7: Try out some Milk Art-such a simple craft.  Milk, food coloring, Q-tip, and Dawn dish soap.  If milk wasn't so expensive, I would have let them keep getting new "canvases" all afternoon!

 

 

Step 8: Experiment with Elephant Toothpaste--another easy experiment with a fun reaction!  Would have been more fun (at least for me) if I had gotten a higher percentage hydrogen peroxide than what you can get at HEB.

Step 9: Play with Oobleck: Yet another fun experiment where you can get messy.  All three kids loved this one and played with their oobleck for at least 30 minutes.

Step 10: Go fishing and have a weenie roast and S'mores.

 Here's Levi helping Daddy roast the hotdogs.

 Tried a S'mores with Reece's Peanut Butter Cups instead of plain ol' chocolate.  Not bad...but one thing I have figured out....off brand marshmallows just don't taste as good....lesson learned.

 Levi and Ava playing with mostly live minnows.

 A family picture at the River

Step 11: Spend one last late morning eating donuts.  This is a rare treat in our house so the girls were very excited to go!

 Levi was very specific that he wanted the green donut :)

 

 

Step 12: Go on a datenight alone without the kids!!!  Saturday night, Shawn planned an evening for us to get away after the intensity of the summer!  We went to Torchy's Tacos and had some great food, although mine was BURNING UP SPICY!!  Then we went to the mall and did a little window shopping.  It was a relaxing and great way to end such an eventful week and summer.