Catching Up

I've been busy packing for our next camping trip. The kids and I set off tomorrow around 10ish.  Tonight will see the last of the packing and the baking in advance (muffins, cookies etc) done.  I am so excited to go and the kids have been getting antsier by the day.  Luckily camping for a larger family requires a fair amount of packing and prep so there have been things to do to keep them occupied.

In the midst of all of this we have been changing up the kids bedrooms a bit.  Lissa has  a bunk bed now and sleeps on the top bunk. She adores it. KC is going to have a loft bed, that we scored off Craigslist and which my wife will hopefully put together while I have the kids off camping.  If you think they are ansty for camping--well anythiing that changes their room is even more of a hype factor.  KC's bed will hopefully give us room underneath for some of his stuff but K is also going to go through stuff of his while we are gone.  We never get rid of true momentos but KC is a hoarder and can't get rid of a piece of paper. Any paper. So we have to help him out or else he would have filled the house three times over by now.  And the weird thing is, the more cluttered his space gets, the less he likes being in it. But yet, removing the clutter himself is something he can't do.  I worry that he will be the star of a hoarding show when he grows up!

KC and Lissa have been deeply committed to the library's summer reading challenge this year.  They have both maxed out on the prizes they can earn and are pushiing onward to have the honor of their name in a book. So proud of them.  Reading has always been something that came easy for KC but that Lissa had to work a bit harder to get.  She is not a fluent reader yet but has improved so much. Her confidence in herself has also blossomed with regard to reading and that is a joy.  Last night, 30 minutes after lights out, I caught her on her bunk with a flashlight and a book.  I confiscated both but truthfully, I was happy!

My wife's been making hosta and shade gardens in the front side yards of our home for a few years now. They are really starting to mature and look beautiful.  When I take the clothes off the line at night, I can hear the crickets, sometimes if I am lucky, I can see a bat or a nighthawk.  Life is always full but it is most wonderfully, joyfully full to me in summer!