1st week of summer...

Well, we've survived the first official week of summer and we're all still intact. I thought it would be good to add more structure into the day this summer as opposed to the last -- it was more difficult last summer because Jacob was so little. We have school time in the morning, snack times, and the girls are responsible for more chores, too. I bought math and reading workbooks for the next grade level for each of the them. I thought they could do a few pages in the morning Mon-Fri and then read aloud for 15-20 minutes. Then I decided to have art and cooking lessons afterward. The public school system is terrific here, but they don't emphasize art history, and as much as my kids love art, they just don't get enough art time in school.

So I researched for days and came up with about 20 art lessons -- studies of different well-known artists and some of their more famous paintings, different styles of painting and different techniques, sculpture activities and even some fun paper machie and tie-dye activities. The kids have really enjoyed it so far and I'm amazed at how much they already intuitively know about what an artist is trying to convey through his work. They seem to really get it -- that art is an expression of feelings and emotions and that you can actually "feel" a painting or express your own emotions in what you paint.

For the most part summer's been great, but it's so hard to stay on track with all the other fun things that being out of school brings... friends calling for the girls to spend the night or come over to play, pool time, etc. And we've had a couple of nights of spend the night company here at our house, too. And we definitely have our moments when we are all at our wit's end... there is always the issue of "attitude" with the girls, the fighting, the spills, the impossible to believe messes they make, and the "Mom, we don't want Jacob playing with us!" I will say that now, at the end of the week, I'm tired! And I can only laugh at all the complaints and stresses I'm hearing from my friends about their own summer woes. We'll all make it through -- I have faith... and for those of you on that seemingly wonder-drug for mommies called Lexapro -- you're cheating!!! And, by the way, how can the rest of us get some???

I have no room to complain because right now and for the next 30 hours, I'm CHILD-FREE!!! Jonathan just left to see his parents in Decatur, and he took the kids with him. I think he realized that after my being with Jacob every day for 3 weeks without a break, that I really needed one. So this morning my friends are all calling, a little jealous of my new-found, short-lived freedom! I have to say, I'm very happy to be in my pajamas at 11:00am and not caring AT ALL about the laundry or the fighting kids or the errands or the dishes or even about cleaning out the kids' closets. I'm going to do ONLY what I want to do and nothing that I need to do... so that means that I'm just going to sit right here on my booty and blog...

Isn't it ridiculous how little it takes to make a mom of three happy??? Just a little peace and quiet and all is well with the world...

(OK, I know the picture is a stretch... it's not exactly the best and most accurate representation of me sitting here in my pajamas blogging... but a girl can dream, right?)