Keeping the Children Busy

I've been so tired and so busy recently that I've not made the time to think of things to do with the children. It always amazes me the amount of effort it takes to plan something fun to do with them. Nicolas never watched TV before the age of 2 but they have probably watched 2 hours a day for the last few weeks and it makes me feel so guilty.

I have planned all kinds of things for them for Aug and Sept and when Lianne was here we bought all kinds of craft stuff for them to use. I always wanted to be the kind of Mom who was always making and doing things with her kids, but swim team, and summer in general with all four of them for 14 hours a day, always sucks the energy out of me!

Jaden and Kirsten spent a week with their Mom so I had time to recharge and spend time just with the little ones. It's getting harder and harder to find things that all the kids will enjoy. We went to a place designed for little kids last week and they loved it! They had all kinds of stations set up, a vets office, a grocery store, music, sand and water. It seems like Adison could have a career as a vet as that was her favorite place to play.

My friend Katrina lent me her cooler for our party and I've not given it back yet. The children must have spent 20 minutes paddling in the ice water in the bottom. It's amazing how the simple things keep them busy for ages.

I'd bought a big bag of fluffy balls not really knowing what we'd do with them, but Adison is obsessed with glue and so she squeezed it all over and stuck the fluffy ball to the page.

Nicolas added blow pen color to his page of fuffy balls
Then one day I actually washed up in the morning (I feel like my whole life is just washing up, laudry and loading and unloading the dishwasher!!) and the children got to play in the sink. It was all going well until Adison decided to wash her hair......

.....and before I know it Nicolas is naked and Adison's in her diaper! Nicolas would spend his whole life running around naked if I let him!

When Jaden and Kirsten came back from their Mom's they joined in the sticking and painting action.

Jaden's favorite thing to do it bake. I think he humors me with the baking part so that he can eat whatever we've baked at the end!! We made cookies and topped them with cheese cake icing (cream cheese, lemon juice and icing sugar) and fruit. Adison ate nearly a whole punnet of blueberries which made for a yukky diaper the next day!!

I always feel better when I have a plan and something to look forward to, so Aug should be a fun month once Jaden and Kirsten are happily back in school.

We met Kirsten's teacher on Thursday and she was Jaden's 4th grade teacher, and we loved her, so we are very happy. Now I just have to learn my way around Jaden's middle school and get him signed up for all the things he should do but doesn't want to do!!