Finn--homework milestone

Finn's homework ah-ha:

"I think I will do my spelling this weekend, so that I don't have to worry about it later in the week."

Wylie the Performer

Music from the Jungle Book Trailer

Behind the Scenes with Ms. Villa's Class

Stuck in a Book

Finn and I were lounging on the couch Friday night, lazing before movie night. Finn on the iPad, me reading my book. Finn was pestering me to try his game, so kind of him to want to share it with me, but I told him, "Na, I'm good with my book."

Finn replied, "I understand. Sometimes when I'm really into my book, I don't want to stop either."

Cubs Win the World Series

The bad, a bit of good

Some of the boys in the household fared better than others yesterday...

In pre-kindergarten mode, Wylie seems to be experimenting with new boundaries.  Yesterday he drenched the poor cats, especially Felix, with Fantastic bathroom cleaning spray.  Very toxic for animals that groom by licking themselves clean.  So the gatos endured a bath...not their best day.

Meanwhile the human boys have been fighting like cats (and dogs) lately.  Yesterday the house feel into a temporary state of peace as they worked on a tower together.

Amazing, a peace treaty was brokered for the sake of this construction project.

Accomplished through the teamwork of two, demolished an hour later by the younger of the two.

The blissfulness of summer

I am feeling the blissfulness of summer.  It is July 1 and I have captured the joy, the ease, the laid back approach to our days.  Now, can I hold on to it?  It does not come naturally.  Wylie and I share an outlook to our days, asking, "Did I waste it?"  I don't want to waste a single moment of this summer freedom.  My formula for success seems to be:
Keep a light to do list, but don't fixate on it.  No large projects or long-term task-related goals.
Combined with:
Schedule in the fun--play dates, pool dates, Wednesdays with Grandma.
And:
Remind myself to go with the flow, do fun things on purpose, changing it up to keep the boys from driving each other or me crazy.  That's my real focus for July.  Wylie and I printed out a list of Fun Summer Activities and we are getting busy checking things off.  Yesterday was a picnic in Mills Park and exploring the sculpture walks.

Today (or this afternoon really, after a morning of yoga, groceries, and chiropractor, thanks go babysitter time) was that true blissfulness.  I hung out with the boys in the backyard, intermittently reading my book and playing with the boys.  We examined and picked berries in our ridiculously overgrown garden. (Check.)  We laid on the grass and named the shapes of the clouds.  (Check.)  Not on the list, but class summer, we rode our bikes first the Animal Care League to visit the kitties then to Hole in the Wall for pre-dinner ice cream. (Check and ahhhhh.)

I am feeling the blissfulness of summer.

Baseball Champions

A huge milestone for Finn:  his baseball team won the championship!  On Friday, June 24, 2016 his team, the Spikes--short for kids' hair salon Lilies and Spikes, their sponsor--played and won the championship game!  So fun to watch.  It was a huge and joyful moment, the boys running off the field hooting and hollering and piling on top of each other.  Our typically neutral Finn was right there in the mix, beaming.  Love seeing him proud of himself and a part of a big success.  

The Spikes were not destined to win from the start.  They lost their first three games back in April before they found some rhythm and started winning.  Entering the play-offs we figured they'd win a game or two, but they just kept on winning.  Amazing.  So much thanks to Coach Proskey for guiding the way!