Summer is for Camps

Not to be confused with camping.

Because I'd rather die than sleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere with wild animals and bugs roaming free.  But God Bless those of you who love it!

Boogie boarding like a boss.

We've got some summer camps planned for the kids this month.  Phil runs a camp at their elementary school for three weeks, and Declan is old enough to attend so most of them are there.  They go to daily Mass, make crafts, play sports, hang out with friends, and have time to work on their summer homework from the school.  

Taking our little zoo to the big zoo.

Andrew and Eamon will go to the same basketball camp (in addition to their summer basketball league) and have soccer practices starting up as well.  Maggie and Xander have swimming lessons two afternoons a week, and Maggie's soccer should begin soon.  Xander retired from soccer last year, but I think I will keep him in swim lessons, he is over any fear of the water but still very far from swimming with ease.  

Besties who discern together learn together.

JP is doing a soccer camp, a Pro-Life Bootcamp, and Quo Vadis Days.  That last one is a week of overnight camp at a retreat center for young men ages 14-18 to help them discern a vocation.  I'm pretty certain that JP's vocation is marriage, but we feel all young men and women should spend some time thinking and praying about what God's will is for them.  It's very exciting and also sad that he is already old enough to leave us for a week.  We are a family that doesn't allow sleepovers (because hello, we've seen too many child protection videos as part of our jobs) and so I feel like a part of me is missing.  Today he went into work with me before heading off to the retreat, and we checked out some used uniforms for high school - he is a size 29 x 32.  He's so big and I'm in denial.  I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs.

Beach bum!

Brendan is starting at a new babysitter's house this week.  My friend who used to watch Declan and Brendan is "retiring" from home daycare to focus on getting her Master's degree.  So now Brendan has a Portuguese nanny whom we call Vavo (grandma in Portuguese) and she speaks no English. Brendan should be bilingual and addicted to kale soup by the time he goes to preschool!

Wild and free!

Declan potty trained in a couple of weeks...Phil says he was our worst yet, but I think he just wasn't interested in getting a reward.  When we just finally out underwear on him (he didn't want to make Batman sad and get him wet) and praised him all the live long day for being such a BIG BOY he got it.  Number 2 was harder, and he had two disgusting accidents, but now they all go in the potty to feed the fishies (?) even if those fishies only get food every 2nd or 3rd day.  I'll be adding prunes to his diet.

Earning a living.

Other than that, we are all healthy and happy and who could ask for more?  We've been going to the beach a lot, as you can see from my Instagram feed, and the summer weather has been gorgeous up until this week - sunny, not too hot or humid.  Phil and I have been running or working out at the gym regularly and feeling great about that.  

Very poodly fancy, dontchathink?

Lucy Goldendoodle Martin got groomed and she hates it.  They had to cut her very short because her humans didn't brush her enough and she had some knots that they had to cut out.  they left her tail long, which looks cute, but she is biting at it constantly when the wind blows the hair and she feels it on her back, like a fly.  Walks are reeeeeeal annoying, as she turns to bite her tail every two steps.  We won't cut her this short again, and we will brush her hair nightly.  You live, you learn, you give your dog knots.  In sad news, we had Declan tested for allergies after he's been showing signs of asthma and eczema, and he came back allergic to dustmites and cats (and slightly to dogs).  We are looking to rehome our cat, Evie, because when Lucy moved in, Evie moved herself upstairs (where the kids bedrooms are) and won't come back down.  She's fine with the situation, but we can't have her near Declan's bedroom so I think a dog-free home would be best for her.  Let me know if you are interested in a sweet 4 year old kitty!  I hope you all are having a relaxing and fun summer and that your kids aren't eating you out of house and home like mine are!