The last week

The title that goes both ways! This is our last full week of Summer break. And this post is to tell you about our past week.

We went to visit the grandparents for a little over a week for the 2nd time this Summer. We had fun and it was great to spend time with family before school starts back up. Pete came down for a long weekend then went back home. His parents were out of town the first half of our stay.

The kids and I hang out at my parents house, swam and went shopping. The kids have all turned into fish this summer. Joe and Sam had swimming lessons right after school got out but not sure they did anything. They may have helped Sam some. But since Joe did not want to go the last week and they could barely get him IN the water, I'm guessing they did nothing for him!

The first time to my parents pool this year Joe and Ike held on with death grips to Pete or I. Not anymore!! Max is the only one that doesn't go jumping in under the water.

My parents pool--nothing too fancy but it sure is fun!
It is not too deep so Max and Sam can touch. Joe cannot.

My jumping daredevils.. Sam and Ike.

Joe also was doing this but at the time did not have his arm floaties on so he was hanging out with Pete staying safe!
Ike--- not afraid anymore!

Sam and Ike going back up to jump in

My sweetie pie Max

Hanging out at the grandparents also means they get to overload on cheese-balls...

The kids (except Max) love those huge barrels of cheese-balls from Sam's club. They ask me to buy them when we are shopping there and my answer is always, "NO!" Those are special for grandma and grandpa's house.

They also got to eat chocolate donuts at grandmas house.

Here is my goof ball Max...He is the one who took those last few photos. I am borrowing his camera because mine has died. Which he lets you know in this video of Sam and Ike jumping into the pool....




And one with Joe joining Sam and Ike...


And one with Sam and Ike jumping in together....


(it was getting foggy because I just brought the camera out to the very HOT air from being inside the nice cool air conditioned house)

Sunday evening Pete, me and the kids went to fair. It was fun but expensive! By the time we got there the animals were all gone. We saw sheep but that was about it. I asked a fair worker about it and was told most the animals leave Sunday night and a new group comes in on Monday.
So we looked around and then rode the Farris wheel. The Farris wheel for the 6 of us cost $30. Yeah, $30 for a few minutes of riding a big wheel around! I told you, expensive! We then let the kids each pick one more ride a piece. They all liked their rides they picked. We shared a funnel cake and the kids scarfed it down. We even made Max try a teeny tiny bite. It was torture but he finally did it.

Once my in-laws got back to town my sister-in-law came into town with her 2 girls. They are Max's and Sam's age. The kids LOVE hanging out with them.

The first day they were there we went to the fair. This time we got to see animals. Plus being at the fair always bring out some very freaky people! The kids all got to pick a ride. Found out Sam does NOT like roller coasters. She came off crying. She went with her cousin, who did fine. Max picked a spooky house ride. I went with him. Glad I did because he may have freaked out at the darkness and very loud buzzes they try to scare you with. He did fine though with me. We got ice cream and called it a night.

The next day was a big day. We were going to see Peter Pan in Branson. Branson is only about 45 minutes away from Springfield (where the grandparents live). While there we also planned to hit one of the outlet malls. I got plenty of stuff to prove it. I just love Ralph Lauren and Gap outlet stores. Also hit Old Navy, which sadly did not have much I thought I couldn't live without, Stride Rite and a couple others. I could have gone into a few more but it was starting to get late. You know, because the kids closets aren't already stuffed enough!!

Peter Pan was very neat. The kids all really liked it.

Next day the kids helped grandma make applesauce from all her apples from her tree and just played. They didn't want to leave. We went back to my parents house, swam, ate dinner and got going. It takes about 2 1/2 -3 hours to drive home. We got back home around 10:30 that night.

It was a fast, but fun week. Now we have to try and adjust our sleeping schedules to school time. Lord help me! We generally go to bed between 12 and 2 then sleep in. But very shortly bedtime will be 9 and Max and Sam will be getting up shortly after 7 am!! I dread it. Joe will be going to afternoon Kindergarten so it won't effect him as much. But it will help if it's up before the time school will be starting!