Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood...

Today was a BIG day.  As every Wednesday is, today was field trip day for Summer Camp.  We loaded the kids up, including Kayla, and spent a fun hour and a half at the bowling alley.  The kids all seemed to have a great time and frankly this is one of the easier field trips for me.  I have to take some stuff and there is always a bit of fuss and last minute scrambling, but generally its pretty simple.

So, after field trip time in the morning we returned to camp, the children ate lunch, changed and went swimming.  Then they returned to snack and 'activity period.'  Kayla once again chose to do 'special art' during activity period and made a rubbing picture, a sand art picture, and did a little painting.  She really loves art.

Thus we came to the end of our day at camp.  I got to spend a little time with her today at camp, but honestly most of the time she is doing her own thing and having a good time with the other kids. This is a good thing!

As we prepared to leave for the day I began to think about what we were going to do tonight.  It was hot, way too hot to be outside.  So, we needed another indoor activity.  I decided we'd eat a quick dinner (out) and go see a movie.  Winnie the Pooh is playing and I LOVE POOH BEAR!  So, I asked Kayla what she thought and she concurred that it was a great idea.  We rushed home, changed, checked out movie times and left.  We ate dinner at Pizza Hut (Buffet for quick service) and then made it to the Movie Theater by 6 for the 6:10 show.  The movie was great.  It was only a little over an hour long and a really sweet movie.  It wasn't full of big plot twists, complicated dialog or anything cheesy.  It was just a nice story that Kayla seemed to enjoy.  I liked it too. 

Probably the best thing about the movie was the length.  It was long enough to tell a story, but short enough for a nice evening (and to stave off boredom in young children.)  We arrived home, had bath time, hair time, stories (including one Winnie the Pooh story) and Kayla was off to bed.  Now, I'm completing my nightly routine and will be off to bed soon.  All-in-all a great day and not too stressful.  I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday and is Kayla's last day at camp.  I'm going to miss seeing her face with the rest of my kids and I know some of her new friends will miss her.  Okay, must stop, as I am trying not to get too emotional and cry.

Enjoy the photos!

Kayla Sue, bowler.  She really was pretty decent at bowling.  I'm proud.

Kayla (and some of the other kids) during special art time at camp.  She is doing sand art in this photo.

At Pizza Hut.  We enjoyed a nice dinner and had time to talk about our day.

After the movie.  I Love Winnie the Pooh!

In the front yard.  Just liked the backdrop and the subject is nice too!

Kayla and I were both enchanted by this sky.  She thought it looked like a rainbow.  I just thought it was pretty.  Thanks God!

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day...

Today was a Monday.  And I am an anti-Monday girl.  I have to admit though, I had a blast with Kayla today.  She was with camp for most of the day (my icky bits) and then we went back (for her) to the pool and swam for another almost hour and a half.  That was totally awesome.  She is becoming such a great swimmer and can do so much in the water.  We worked on floating, holding our breath, swimming underwater and breast stroke definition.  She's really coming along.

Then it was home and I thought making dinner.  No, did not happen.  No cooking, it was too hot and I was too tired (as was Kayla) for cooking.  Instead, I cleaned up while she watched the first half of a movie and then back to town for Bob Evan's for dinner.  I hate that I sat her in front of the laptop for a movie (Nick & I didn't have ANY TV time.)  But, I'll be honest, I'm still having a good deal of pain from my last procedure and frankly this weather sucks.  Muggy, hot, gross.  So, I had to shower or I would have melted.  Ewww.

Anyway, we ate dinner (tearily, Kayla and maybe me a little); then went to the store for some more of my meds (Kayla might be beginning to suspect something is up) and some much needed groceries.  (I ran out of bread and am getting low on milk.  How do I miss these things?)  Then home, just in time for a storm to start, so no bath (though she probably REALLY needs one), stories and bedtime for Miss Sue.  Now, she is knocked out (between camp and time with Aunt April she was in the pool around 2.5 hours today!) and I have work to do.  But to be honest, I'm totally stalling. I don't want to finish the laundry, wash the breakfast dishes, pack lunches & bags, take out the trash and generally red-up.  I don't want to!!!!  But, I must.  Almost every night I've had the kids I try to see if we can trade places and I'll go to bed while they do chores and while the almost go for it, it always fails.  Bummer.  The joys of adulthood.

Okay, that's enough whining for me.  I need to get to work and get on with it!  (Life, that is.) I did have a wonderful time with my baby girl and, as proof, I only have 3 pictures for today.  When we were together I was playing and having such a great time, I totally forgot to pick up the camera.  Oops.  I'll do better tomorrow.

But, here they are.  Two of Kayla and one of her artwork.  Have a lovely day all!

Bathing beauty.  Look how long those legs are!!!!  But, we are having an issue with the swimsuit it is actually too long for her.  That is usually not the case, but I'm going to attempt to 'sew' up the straps tonight a little so her butt doesn't come out and her chest isn't showing.

Such a pretty smile.  I had to beg and force her to open her eyes, as she was 'tanning and resting.'  Oh baby girl!

Kayla's God's Eye.  She made this at Summer Camp.  At camp Miss April calls them rainbow squares to be politically correct, but after camp I explained the real name to Kayla and that I have been making these since I was her age.  I love God's Eyes.  She did this all by herself and did a fabulous job.  Most of the younger kids have a hard time with the weaving pattern, but she whipped it out.  I think she had a pretty good time at camp today and made some friends.  I am so proud of her (and of her cousin.)  They are both so grown up and 'brave' to go to a new camp and not be with me all the time.  I would not have been able to handle it at their age.  I barely handle it now!

Oh, and to go with my blog title for tonight, I must tell you.  I have been singing, humming, and listening in my head to the oddest compilation of songs today.  'Monday, Monday' ; 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'; 'Barbie World' (my kids gave me that one); 'Firework'; and 'Somewhere over the rainbow'.  I know, I'm odd.

Traveling

Today I spent most of the day traveling.  All total I was on the road for about 6.5 hours.  But, it was totally worth it.  My nephew is, hopefully, asleep in the next room.  (I know he's in the next room, I'm just hoping he's asleep.) 

So, the point of this blog is to show photos of my day to day life, but I would like to just add a quick anectdote today. 

As most of you know, I am not a morning person.  I hate mornings. I don't function well in the morning.  I don't like to talk in the morning and pity the person who wakes me up.  I hate mornings.  I am a night person and as such like to stay up late (often too late) and am barely able to survive until around 10 am.  (And tomorrow I have to be up, showered, dressed, get a child up and dressed and fed and at work by 7 am.  Kill me now.)  But, I do it for work and at least pretend to be happy and silly and jovial when I arrive at work, often around 7 am, especially during the summer months.  Yuck.  But, back to my story.

This week, as I mentioned earlier, my nephew is with me.  He'll be at my day camp during the day having fun with the other kids (and hopefully me a little bit) and in the evenings we'll have lots of time to do stuff together.  So, it was rather appropriate that the hymn Morning has Broken was played today in church.  You see, every morning at sleep-over camp when I was a little girl, that was the song played to wake us up.  Every day over the loudspeakers, a-nnoy-ing.  And as I sat in church this morning listening to the hymn it made me stop and think.  This is Nick's first long time sleep-over away from his parent's.  I remember what that was like.

I was a bit older, but for me camp was on your own.  Andy (my older brother) was there, but wanted ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with me while we were at camp.  That was his time away to forget he had younger siblings.  My cousins both worked at the camp and I saw them pretty regularly, but they had their own things to do, so it was just me.  I was not a child (or am an adult) who makes friends easily.  In addition I had an absolute hatred of being away from my parents (especially my Mother).  I was miserable.  And I should mention that my first year of camp on the Sunday we were brought to camp, it was my 2nd day of wearing glasses.  Ever.  I hated them.  They hurt and were awful.  Life was not fun. 

So, I'm going to try to keep all these things in mind this week as I help my nephew get through this first full week away from home.  I know, in the end, it is a great thing. We'll bond, which is awesome; he'll make new friends and have fun at camp during the day; and he'll learn a little more independence and grow.  I know personally, that if it wasn't for my Mother pushing me to go to camp; go to school; spend the night at grandpa's; leave her side for 2 seconds!!!!; I wouldn't be the independent woman I am today.  It's tough, but in the end worthwhile.  So, I'll pray I am a good Aunt and can help my baby learn a few things and get us both through this week and have a great time. 

Alright, enought rambling.  I'm not even sure all of that makes sense.  Sorry, I'm tired, it's late and I still have stuff to do and I need to be up at 5:30 am.  I am insane.  So, here's some photos from my day.  (Please forgive the quality.  All were taken with my Blackberry so they're not great.  Except for the subjects, that is.)

Nicholas in the car as we were preparing to get back on the road.  He was a great traveler and we enjoyed a nice dinner at Bob Evan's in Columbus.  Also, he is so cool in those shades!!

A building (and the highway) in Columbus.  I like to go North via Columbus as there are more places to stop between Athens and home; and over the last year and a half I have become very familiar with this great city and I love it there.  I really want to find a job and move there.  Really, really, really bad!

My hydrangea.  I 'stole' this off my own hydrangea plant, that just happens to be at my parent's house.  And they weren't home.  But, it is my plant, it was a gift several years ago for my birthday.  Unfortunately, I thought I had a bottle of water in my car and I didn't.  I also thought I had the keys to my parent's house in my purse and I didn't.  (I needed to get something and could not as they are on vacation and I had forgotten my keys.)  So, my flower withered.  I am attempting to revive it, but it doesn't look good.  At least I got this picture while it was beautiful.