The Last Week Before Camps Begin

 We were too boring for words.

:)

That always makes me happy.

The teens and I finished Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

It was emotionally exhausting to read about his life.  What must it have been like to live it!?!?!?

The kids and I kept reading Basher Science: Chemistry: Getting a Big Reaction, A Child's Garden of Verses, and D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths.

Everyone but Nature Angel (she's done) did math every day.

We cleaned, read library books, played games, and started a new tradition (I hope!) of having the kids do "cash envelope stuffing" with me.  We walked to the bank (.25 mile walk), withdrew cash, walked home, and then gathered around the table together to go over the weekly budget and put actual cash in each category.

I was inspired by Mama's Bank Account--how the family gathered around to make sure they could pay all of the necessary bills with what they had in front of them, or come up with adjustments.

I'm hoping to teach some financial literacy through real life.

We've been reading Powerless at bedtime.

Baymax says it isn't a good bedtime book (it's kind of scary).  And I have to agree with him, though for a different reason: the rest of the kids get so excited that they yell, scream, jump, and make predictions at the tops of their lungs!  Sometimes, I can barely read for their enthusiasm.

It's a good problem to have.

Ladybug and Beowulf asked me if they could iron napkins! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Lola (and eventually several others) helped me peel hardboiled eggs for egg salad sandwiches.

For the older girls, youth night was a baking contest.  Their assigned ingredient was mini marshmallows, and they used them to make S'more's Bars. 
The boys were interested observers. 
(The bars won first place!)

Water play began with my assigning the kids to wash the van.  
Once they got good and wet, they went back out every afternoon for "Hose Tag."
(A game they made up)

And tea parties!
Every single day, they had tea parties with mulberries they picked themselves.
I cannot describe the delight I felt as my 11- and 12-year-old boys came running into the house telling me they needed one thing or another for their tea party.

Even Charizard had his own leaf plate, flower cup, and leaf napkin at the parties.

At the last minute, I, instead of Sir Walter Scott, am going to Girls' Camp as Ladybugs chaperone!  We won't have Sugar Bear or The Munchkin because they are off at a family reunion, so there's no real reason for me to be the one to stay home.

The boys (and Lola) are excited to have a few days with Dad in charge.  ("We can watch movies!" they said.)  I'm happy to be able to spend time with my big girls.

But I have to admit . . . I'm such a homebody that the idea of being the one who leaves is making me a tiny bit sick to my stomach.

And 3 full days and nights of living communally with so many people . . .

I can't think about it!

Wish me luck!