Not Crazy Yet

I have not lost my mind yet despite the heat and miniature tornadoes spending their days at home wreaking havoc on every room they enter. They give my OCD side a run for it's money. I have learned that not having clean socks is not the end of the world and who needs to walk across the floor without dodging a few obstacles. Good exercise. With the heat comes the need for cool down. We set up our Super slip and slide this week and all the kids loved it (me too!). It came with a mini surf board that the girls just had to try. A few wipe outs later they decided to skip that part and just soak. Of course little man had to join in. He has to try everything his big sisters do. With the horribly high temps we don't get outside much. Thank goodness the kids enjoy the Wii and we have all tried Pilate's a few times. We tend to laugh at each other more than we actually exercise but it is better than nothing. Little man finds it hilarious to sit on my head when I am on the floor. I guess that is his exercise.
What better way to beat the heat than spending a day on the lake. The water was warm but wonderful. We played on the slide and floated around. We also went tubing. My youngest diva loves tubing despite the fact she does not weigh enough to hold down the tube! I gave it a shot myself and managed not to be thrown off. The wind was a great by product. We are so grateful to have a great host that enjoys the kids and welcomes us into his home. One day we hope to have lake house to just go and unwind. Though I think we enjoy the water for different reasons (someone in the house would rather fish than float). Some sun and water and we were all worn out when we got home. Think there is some early morning fishing on the slate for tomorrow. That might fall on the HOT side of summer. Hope we can beat the heat.
Most of us have been lucky to be healthy this summer and enjoy the break from the school bugs. Little man has not been so lucky and is sporting his we lost count ear infection of the year. Unlucky for him the 'go-to' antibiotics don't work and we have to go straight for the heavy duty stuff that upsets his tummy and leads to the lovely yeast infection (yes, boys can get them too, no you don't want to know where). So we are keeping the ears dry and FINALLY have a referral to the ENT in a couple weeks. Tubes? Not sure, but this poor kids has an ear infection every six weeks. Miracle he can hear at all. This picture says it all...
All in all the Hawkins house have enjoyed summer even though we are not sure where it went. School starts back in one week. Here comes 5am wake ups (for mom), packing lunches, making sure homework is complete, and sign up for sports (to expel all that built up energy). I have not come to terms with having a fourth grader and a third grader. The girls are excited and nervous to meet their new teachers and excited to see their friends. This year will fly by as has every year since my first born loosed her "Here I am World" cry. I marvel at the things they say and the depth of feelings (do you know how many feelings girls have in a day?) they show me. I am so lucky to have these tweens, as the oldest diva calls herself, in my life, I am not sure who will make me go gray first- them or my destructor. That little rascal is ALL boy. I am waiting on the first broken bone or set of stitches. He pulled the three tiered fountain on him the other day as I was rolling up the above 26 foot slip and slide. After I dunked him in the hot tub to wash away the dirt he acquired he began to laugh and went right back to that thing. Then he climbed on the lawn chair to dance. *sigh*. I might lose my mind after all.