Memorial Day Weekend - Ready for Summer!

We had a great Memorial Day weekend, and I think we are officially ready for summer.

We started out by celebrating our eleventh wedding anniversary on Saturday. I'm stealing Cort's Facebook post, but I think it's an appropriate sentiment for both of us:

11 years

4 kids

2 dogs

2 houses

2 jobs

1 best friend!

We are not perfect, but we love each other more each day, and we work to make our crazy lives fun, enjoyable, and full of love and security for our family.

We began our anniversary celebration by taking the family to our favorite place in all of Houston: Costco. Many delicious samples were enjoyed by all, but particularly the kids who were not limited by phase one of the South Beach diet. We also bought the super-cheap Costco lunch and made it last two days. Is there anyone who doesn't love Costco?

Then we paid an electrician $50 to tell us that the light that has been broken in our pantry for over a month is actually just burnt out. This is proof to me that having four kids takes as big a toll on Cort as it does on me. We love it, but it takes up so much energy that your brain doesn't work like it used to. Cort is pretty handy, and in years past I have no doubt that he would have actually checked for the burned out light possibility before calling the electrician.

Saturday afternoon, three of our four children took monster naps. Joseph, who doesn't sleep during naptime anymore, ended up falling asleep on a beanbag while playing in the floor of his room and slept until after 4:00. Helen slept until around 4:45. And Will, who never sleeps late, napped until 5:15 when we woke him up! But most exciting is that Charlie, who did not fall asleep, got out of bed at 3:00, went downstairs by himself, and watched the Astros game for 50 minutes without disturbing us. So we got to nap until 3:50! Happy anniversary Mom and Dad!

Next, we got out the water table for the first time this summer, and it was a big hit. It also spurred a lot of outside spring cleaning. We are now ready for summer!

All four kiddos playing at the water table. Man, was this thing a good investment.

Sweet Will posing while he plays

With all this water, surely the plants need watering. In fact, I hope they survive our little waterers.

You can bring out new toys, but eventually it's always back to sports with Charlie

Doesn't matter which sport, as long as it involves a ball

With all the water around, it just made sense to do a major spring cleaning of our back porch and yard area

Will is an incredible cleaner

The ball bin got cleaned out too. We've got a LOT of sports equipment.

The cars got cleaned too. The bottom third of our cars are the cleanest in the city.

Will, still working hard at cleaning up. Does this kid really have our genes?

We ended the day with dinner for the kids outdoors, and yummy watermelon for dessert. Then Mom and Dad had our own anniversary dinner at the slightly more upscale Capitol Grille, where we blew the South Beach diet on a scrumptious flourless chocolate cake. (We had to, it was complimentary for our anniversary.)

Dinner on the picnic table (which, incidentally, was another great Costco purchase)

Will working on his watermelon

Helen certainly enjoyed hers!

Sunday morning immediately after breakfast Helen announced, "I need play in water." So back out came the water table, and we finished cleaning both inside and out.

Joseph and Will helped Dad scrub the deck

Joe and Charlie got the railing clean

Did Helen help? I can't remember. But she did provide bubble entertainment.

Sunday afternoon/evening we tried to invite the neighbors over for Memorial Day burgers and hot dogs. But no one could come. So instead we invited over two couples who are close friends. Between us we now have ten kids, so it was still a decent little party.

Monday morning, Memorial Day, we got out the water table AGAIN, and added the kiddie pool into the mix. "Our own water amusement amusement park!" Joe said. When we find something that occupies all 4 kids, we utilize the heck out of it.

Helen likes a pool as long as it is just her size. She's not too thrilled with big pools though. Swim lessons next week should be interesting.

Once again, it doesn't take long for Charlie to get back to basics

After lunch I introduced the little kids to starfall.com. They loved it. Maybe if we get them to do it occasionally, they can catch up to where the boys were at that age. (Actually, I guess the boys were a little bit older. Maybe Will and Helen have some time after all.)

"C. Computer."

Then Cort went to work, the kids napped, and I cleaned the house and got organized to go back to the work week and reality.

After naptime we had some popsicles, and Helen and I made a mother-daughter Target run. Incidentally, does it mean anything that she screamed for a book when we passed the book aisle, so I picked up a book about using the potty - I've been thinking for awhile about getting her one - and she thoughtfully looked at each page and then said, "No. Put it back."

Mmm. Popsicles.

We had a South-Beach-diet-approved dinner, pulled the cars back in the driveway, did a major cleanup both inside and outside the house so we're back to normal. Bath. Books. Bed. Whew.

Will helping Daddy drive "Mommy car" back into the carport