End of Summer Fun - Rock Climbing, Theme Parks, & Back to School

Eleanor jump started August with Girl Scout day camp! Eleanor has become the queen of comebacks lately.

Eleanor and Juliet came in to see Katie one morning and Katie showed them the smarties she got from the church.

Katie: These are my lucky charms!

Eleanor: They could be in your stomach then they'd be luckier.

A trip to Sprouts with the kids where I let them each pick out a bag of chips. Patrick picked out a bbq chip and there was a sign by it stating that it was popular. I informed Patrick of this and he exclaimed: popular is my middle name!

Eleanor: Last time I checked it was nerd.

Good thing we all think she's really funny. She reconnected with her buddy Elise at camp! Elise goes to another school but every time they're around each other they have a blast. She got to join Eleanor's troop for camp this year.

The entire group. Incoming 5th graders!

There was a medieval theme for camp and they had a nice photo op station and I was a chaperone so I made sure we made good use of this.

Eleanor got to bring some killer awesome socks to camp. Florescent! 

Climbing wall at the pool. It was very challenging.

Eleanor really likes tether ball and it's surprisingly difficult to find them around here. The camp one is fun!

My camp buddy!

Full shot including our fancy socks.

Eleanor is such a great kid. She climbs everything.

I only got to chaperone one of the three days of camp. The other days I was teaching board game classes. But I got to prep her and tie up her shirt we cut up for camp. It was such a hot week!

Repelling on day two!

Meanwhile, with one of my co-teachers at board game camp. The boys did a fantastic job!

Me and Patrick sharing a moment over a nerdz rope candy.

I took Eleanor to her first official climbing club class and she was a champ. They do a lot of neat activities in the class like teaching them climbing techniques and even practicing traversing (going sideways across the different paths across the wall).

But it's reasonably relaxed and seems like a perfect fit for Eleanor.

We celebrated with a cookie skillet at the attached cafe afterwards. She has been talking about that cookie skillet to everyone and her brothers are suitably jealous.

We needed to do some back to school shopping and made a much needed stop for smoothies while we were out and about. We can't help how fancy we are.

Eleanor chose back to school shopping over a trip to Worlds of Fun with grandparents and siblings because Girl Scout camp had been incredibly hot and she was not prepared for another hot and exhausting day the day after camp. It turns out it was a very good choice on her part because some horrible human handed my other children kazoos as they walked into Worlds of Fun and they were used with great enthusiasm. The boys kept saying, "guess what song I'm doing!" and it seems the Star Wars theme was a popular choice. There would have been a murder if Eleanor was there. 

Patrick has decided he likes roller coasters! He now does all of them and generally tries to hold his hands up for the entire ride. He talked Grandpa into going on Mamba, the worst roller coaster of them all. We're very impressed by Grandpa.

I prefer Juliet level rides.

Cuties on the carousel!

I think this is a spinny ride. The kids had a blast.

And Juliet got crazy blonde over the summer and likes pictures by flowers.

She has such good poses.

Eleanor got to have a play date with Elise! They talked me into a snowman craft which turned into making bowls of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles ... they were very proud to have pulled one over on me.

And then we met Callie's trainer Grant at Woof's and he let us know about all the neat stuff he was doing with Callie while chaos reigned down around us as the four kids ran around wildly the entire time. Sigh.

Patrick and I were going to go on an evening walk with Callie and Juliet ran after us screaming as we were about to leave so we tossed her in the wagon and included her. It was her favorite walk ever because Patrick ran most of the way and gave her a very exciting ride in the wagon. He was soaked in sweat by the time we got home.

She had just taken a bath and didn't even have shoes so Patrick helped carry her around when they played on a spinny toy at the playground. Juliet was delighted.

And then Patrick read to her and they had a sleepover. This kid is a gem.

Meanwhile, Nathan had a nice evening out with a couple friends. It's been nice to be able to more things like this, even though we have the kids signed up for quite a few activities.

We went shopping for some home improvement items after church and Patrick found what we really needed.

Oh Patrick. Oh Juliet.

Bradley had his locker and yearbook photo day. He sort of wanted to go by himself because he was a little nervous but all three younger siblings were really excited and curious about middle school so we ended up taking the entire crew. He was a very good sport about the cheer squad being there and I think it made him enjoy things even a little more.

We discovered that both Patrick and Juliet can fit in the lockers.

Very proud of his Bruce Lee and hummingbird pictures he used to decorate his locker.

Exiting on the red carpet!

We had lunch and then went to explore some local sights with my friend Gwen and her son Noah, who were in town visiting. The Federal Reserve was our first spot!

It's the Money Museum and it's actually really kid friendly and very interesting.

They had origami out of real money!

And you could take home bags of shredded money. Best parting gift ever!

Then we walked a short way to the World War I museum. We have lived her for ten years and I've always heard that it was a good museum but we had never gone before this. Thank goodness for friends visiting and making me visit the local sights!

We paid to go up the tower, which had an amazing view of the city.

And the museum itself was fascinating. I only got to look around a little because of the kids but I thought it was so interesting and the exhibits were good for both history buffs and novices.

One third of all the merchant ships in the entire world were sunk by u-boats during the war. Insane.

We had a little time to play afterwards but everyone was hungry so we did the natural thing and went out for gelato. This place was so delicious!

And then we went to a nearby playground and Patrick immediately made very Patrick choices. 

We survived and decided to get in a family rock climbing outing before school started. And Juliet got to climb for the first time ever! She did really well although she refused to trust the auto-repel she was clipped into and carefully climbed down every wall she climbed up.

Mabel and Kyle Monahan were there too!

Boy climbing group.

Juliet was very nervous at first but Eleanor loved showing her what to do.

Juliet made it to the top of the lowest wall! Well, she actually had one last hold to reach out and touch but she adamantly refused despite a cheering fan section of siblings. And then she walked back down the wall. But still - she's four and a half. This is pretty impressive.

And Patrick zoomed up this fifty footer at the end even though all the kids were pretty tuckered out by this point.

Perler beads and an audio book for the afternoon. Callie could tell he might be lonely so she stayed nearby, just in case.

Juliet got in a play date to a Kidscape at the Johnson County Museum with her friend Caroline.

Juliet has been very happy with her social life over the summer. There were great complaints when the kids went back to school until I scheduled a bunch of play dates for her. It's unfortunate that I am so boring.

And I accompanied Eleanor to another one of her climbing club sessions. She looks so good climbing!

And my parents took the whole crew to Oceans of Fun for their final Friday of summer break.

This correctly sums up the boys around Grandpa.

So many cuddles! So many dippin dots!

We've been going crazy on a new favorite game, Mists Over Carcassonne. Good thing we have a helper kitty to assist us with tricky strategy!

We beat level four! This was a very big accomplishment and we were very proud.

And then we played Juliet's new Exploding Kittens games with Grandma and Grandpa. I love these games that make family time so much fun.

It was a relatively cool morning the day before school started so I had all the kids go on a morning romp in the park with me. And Callie. Where we live is rather beautiful. 

Playground shenanigans.

And meet the teacher! Eleanor met Mrs. Pollom, her 5th grade teacher. So crazy that she is in 5th grade! The teacher seems very nice, although nothing will ever equal the love fest that she had last year with Mrs. Stark.

Patrick took off his shirt in the classroom in order to put on his new 3rd grade shirt and then tried to give his new teacher, Mrs. Contrucci, bunny ears in their photo. Sigh. At least she immediately knew what she was getting into?

Callie is such a devoted dog and Eleanor is never lonely when she's doing the dishes. What's hilarious is that Eleanor actually likes this and doesn't mind stepping over the dog while doing her job.

Final trip to Dairy Queen of the summer with my swim girls crew!

My dad forgot to wear slip on shoes while coming over to our house and Callie was delighted that he had to sit on the stairs in order to tie his shoes and put them on. She is always very attentive, lucky Grandpa!

She is also very helpful whenever Layla wants to go in the backyard and she follows her everywhere she goes and copies her grass eating habit, which is weird.

Juliet helped me make chocolate chip cookies! 

And arranged the cookies so fancy on the tray!

Official first day of school! Bradley had to be ready to go at 7:15 in the morning.

He got a ride with my friend Jubiss and his friend Liberty, who is also a 6th grader.

She was great at taking lots of good pictures!

The other kids didn't have to leave until 8:15 or so.

Callie had to join in on pictures because you could see her peering out through the window behind the kids.

Me with the crew in front of the school!

And fun story, Juliet was supposed to go to the preschool at the elementary school - but I sent her one day and changed my mind. The schedule was going to be terrible for us. So she's back at her old church preschool, it starts right after Labor Day weekend!

I got word that Bradley's new glasses had arrived at Costco so we went there after the first day of school to pick them up, do a little shopping, and get fancy Costco dinner. The girls both thought they were fabulous in glasses and it was too bad they had perfect vision.

It was quite a hyped up crew in Costco and I miss when I could stick them all on the cart. But we still had a nice dinner. Nathan was gone on a work trip so it was just me and the kiddos for the next few days.

It was just me and THIS.

Fortunately they weren't the only clingy ones I was left with. 

Taking Patrick to the playground is always something like this. I don't know why I continue to be surprised. He kept jumping down from there until I put the kibosh on it. There's such a thing as begging for a broken bone.

I drove Eleanor to a Girl Scout overnight camp and we beat everyone else there so we had a little photo session in front of the cabin. Eleanor loves these events, although I can't believe how late they stay up.

Someone assembled this teepee by one of the playgrounds near our house. 

Patrick had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's house so it was just me and Nathan and the oldest and youngest. No offense to people with only two children ... but does this even count as parenting? It was so quiet and easy!

Meanwhile, Patrick got in a legendary round of ping pong with Grandpa. 745 hits in a row!

Trying to give his Grandma bunny ears at bedtime ... of course.

The neighbor girls came over for a few hours on Saturday AKA the greatest few hours of Juliet's life. Callie was also very pleased.

I asked the girls if they wanted a couple pics in the egg chair before leaving and chaos ensued. Adorable chaos!

Jump day at church. Bradley is officially a middle schooler!

And Layla is officially pathetic.

We have started making personal pizzas at Grandma and Grandpa's on Sunday afternoons. It's pretty fun!

Nathan got to do a church golf tournament during a heat advisory when it was around 102 degrees plus a lot of humidity. Apparently a lot of people were dropping out of the tournament but Nathan's crew stuck it out.

More proof that Callie is the nicest dog.

Callie was unsure about the crown being bestowed upon her but yet again, was a very good sport about things.

Bradley brought home the baritone tuba and showed us how to play it, much to the delight of his siblings and medium amount of concern by Callie.

We went to Bradley's back to school night and I discovered that if he was going to invite someone famous to dinner it would be me because I'm GLAM from Game Like a Mother. How adorable is this kid?

I also found a list in a notebook from when Bradley was in 3rd grade that is similarly adorable. This was back in peak Luigi Mansion 3 obsession and when he was ranking relatives based on how much they would play video games with him. I showed Uncle Daniel and he liked how he was listed above God on the list. 

I took Juliet to what is likely going to be her only Museum of Prairie Fire STEM class of the year, because they take place while she'll be in preschool. She did get to learn about bugs and made an adorable pink leaf cutter ant!

Eleanor's back to school night. I really liked her sign and am excited to see her be very intelligent and calm when her brothers bother her at home.

Juliet's first ballet class!

She's going with her friend Carmen.

And Nathan and I have been doing some cleaning and cleared out the storage room in the basement, which meant I had a lot of items to get rid of. The double stroller was loved a bit before it got donated.

And oh Callie. I came down the other night and Bradley was hugging and smooching on a very patient dog. She is just the sweetest. This is why we have a dog.

Grandma Colleen made a trip to visit us!

The older kids are lucky to even get to say hi to Grandma Colleen because Juliet is pretty sure she is all for her.

Everyone did get in some quality time before she had to head home, especially Patrick who is all in on crafts with her.

More dishes with Callie help ... maybe this is why Eleanor insisted she was okay with sticking with dishes the last time we traded around chores. It's pretty cute to have a chores buddy.

This dog still sleeps in her crate upon occasion which just makes her more desperate for Bradley cuddles when she can get them. She adores sleeping in his bed with him. He doesn't even mind greatly reduced leg room when she's there.

Patrick is awesome at reading to Juliet and is such a good reader! He reads at a good pace and with expression, it's quite impressive and really sweet. 

Juliet had her best buddy from preschool over for a play date. Aria was here for almost four hours and I think they could have played all day.

A trip to the playground in the park together. They're not in the same class this next year but they'll get to play together at recess. 

We went to my friend Julie's for coffee the other morning and I insisted Juliet take a picture with the giant pokemon to show off to her brothers. Also, please note her fancy Bluey Halloween shirt. We made a special trip to Old Navy to see if they had it and they did, she also picked out one other new shirt (Paw Patrol). This youngest child never gets new clothing, she is way too happy about this and quite frankly I could get rid of all of her other shirts because she now alternates between wearing these two on repeat.

Juliet did make a new friend that is going to be in her new preschool class! She met her at the Lionsgate pool while she was swimming with my parents. The girl's name is Olivia and at first she was unsure about Juliet's plans to have her squirt her grandpa with the squirt gun but eventually she allowed herself to be talked into it. She ran up and grabbed Juliet by the hand so they could play together at the meet the teacher event, Juliet is very pleased by the whole situation.

And here she is with her teachers! I'm so so happy we switched back to Lord of Life. We've known Linsey Fitzpatrick for years, she took Juliet's newborn pictures, and the other teacher seems very nice and like she'll be a great fit for Juliet. It's going to be a good year.

Eleanor got to go to the strings try-it instrument event and much to my surprise, was okay with violin but decided it was the viola she adored!

Here she is with her instrument of choice. I pronounced it wrong several times until she corrected me. It starts with a vee sound like bee. Apparently I am uncultured.

And we even had her try out the cello, which she liked but viola was still the best. She likes it so much she now wants to drop piano lessons and doesn't even want to try to play the flute next year which was the original plan. We're trying to maintain the enthusiasm about the viola without immediately ditching everything else, wish us luck.

Speaking of uncultured, Patrick was with us and it took me a minute to realize how absolutely filthy he was. Dirt on face and if you zoom in on the white shirt it is covered with dirt as well. Apparently gaga ball is played with great enthusiasm every day and I just don't understand why this child of all children has so many white shirts.

There has been a cold going around at the beginning of the school year and Juliet caught it but also had a bit of a fever, so we had a cozy morning watching shows together. Callie really likes shows. She'll sit on the couch and watch a bit but then it seems she gets very tired.

We got back the results from Callie's DNA test we did for fun! She has 11 different breeds and it was very interesting to see what mix of dog she had in her. I never would have guessed she was part boxer. Herding dogs are very smart so this explains why she picks up on new things so quickly. I bring her along for car line to pick up Bradley and she knows which kids will pet her and gets visibly excited when she sees them walking towards our car.

And finally - did you know that Juliet was an amazing singer? It's nice to know that singing into a fan is a pastime that will never get old.

As well as her choice of song - Oreo! What's in the middle? The White Stuff!