2 Weeks Down.....

It's already been 2 weeks and we have just slowed down! We went "camping" at the lake the first weekend. Billy had another jet ski race and he did so good!!
Getting better every time. He placed 4Th out of 12, but in more impressive results, no broken or hurt body parts! That works for me every time. Just after Billy's race was safely under the belt, some people approached Billy and I to ask if Ty would like to race for them as a junior racer. My response was an emphatic,"NO!". But Billy's response was "Cool! Yea. That would be great." WHAT?!??! I'm not going to address this one for a while. Just let it blow over, or at least hope it will. He is a great rider, but he's 11!.

The next day after returning from the lake, I was the teacher of a 4 day cooking camp. So much fun! I made them all their own monogrammed apron, a laminated cookbook and a bag of essential utensils for their baking enjoyment. The class limit is 10 of which we had all 10. 8 of them were boys!!!! You can only imagine how that all went. They were good, but we were done 1 hour early almost every day. They did everything at lightning speed. Good times~

Then my friend came over with new baby Owen. 3 weeks old today. Happy Birthday baby boy! Owen, Anne and I are planning a shopping trip today since all my boys are at our farm working on the windmill. I love being the only girl who can opt out of all the farm duties I want to. And today with heat index of 105, I opted out! I haven't shopped with a stroller in a real long time. But I know that baby won't be in the stroller if I can help it.

Busy Little Bees

Summer is finally officially here! The boys last day was Wednesday, which went on just a little too long for me. But who asked me? No one! Anyway, every Summer, I have a "Summer Talk" which could also translate to semi-threat, promises of fun or punishment. You know, laying down the law so to speak.

Examples?
I don't want to hear the following:
*I'm bored
*He's being mean to me
*I was doing this first and I want to be alone
*why can't we go to the pool until daddy gets home?
*there's nothing to do or eat in this house. Can we go to Fiesta Texas?

I'm all for fun and being not as structured as in the school year, but with 3 boys, there has to be some sort of structure! I gave the talk last night which consisted of a chore chart by name and specific jobs along with the payment on Fridays IF they had done their job. Everyone was compliant and I went to bed thinking it was well received. This morning, I woke up to the vacuum running, the dishes being put away, the lawn being watered, Ty's clothes in the washer and the recycle trash can was already on the street for pickup!

I am so thrilled!! I may not have to do too much this summer, as it should be!!! I'll be kicking in the back yard reading in my lawn chair, sipping fresh squeezed lemonade. I should add that to the list. All this for only $2 per week per child.

THIS JUST IN: Tanner came in wanting a raise! "Mom, since I have to do (rattled off his personal list). Can I have $3 per week? I can barely breath right now." (which reminds me, I should sign him up for acting classes. He's a natural)