July 13, 2013

fifty cent

 
So while I'm on the topic of soft serve ice cream, did you know you can get a ginormous cone at Burger King for just fifty cents?! Like, what can you really get for that cheap these days?

July 10, 2013

ho hum

Today is one of those days in which it becomes 2pm and you have no idea how it happened. I've barely gotten out of my pajamas, still sipping coffee, while El Fuego yells into his xbox headset and Miss Petite demands Top Ramen and watches Christmas movies. The weather is chilly as the sun is hiding behind the clouds. I'm wearing a sweatshirt and fighting the urge to turn up the heat. (Relax Mr. Hawthorne! I haven't and I won't turn up the heat.)

Stay-cation on the cheap is the name of the game around my house this summer. Budget friendly movies, discounted zoo tickets, Camp Grandma, free bowling, trips to the lake, badminton in the backyard is pretty much how we've been rolling. It's relaxing and sometimes boring but that's okay too.

 
(secret swimming hole last week)


Speaking of Camp Grandma, The divine Miss O is there this week. Reports of horse riding, sitting in fancy dragsters and swimming in the neighbor's pool have made the two here at home drool with envy. I keep reminding them how they each get a turn at the Grandparents' house and each will experience their own fun. Then I get them 50 cent soft serve ice cream cones to make them shut up about the unfairness of it all. Soft serve makes everything better. Crossing my fingers this trick lasts forever!!

For the most part my offspring are very good at rolling with it. They understand they each have different adventures. At least, that's what I preach often. The trick to being happy is knowing everyone gets a turn and it's way more fun to enjoy the good things in each other lives than to sulk and be miserable in the corner. At least, that's what I remind them when they get pouty. One day it will sink in and all three will realize just how smart their mother is.

July 8, 2013

summer recap

Day two. Weather? Mostly rain. Some sun.

A friend organized a day of cheap activities including budget movie tickets, $1.50 Costco hotdogs and free bowling. Surprisingly, El Fuego tagged along swimmingly even though we weren't with any of his friends, but with Miss O's crew instead. And, even though he might not admit it, I think he had a pretty good time.


Day five. Weather? Rain.

El Fuego is playing xbox while listening to 80s hair bands and simultaneously singing "Living on a Prayer". The girls have successfully held down the couch watching animated favorites.

This has been our new routine as of late. Just as the last few months started with a bang, with every minute filled with some activity or sporting event that needed done or attended. Our summer started with a complete stop of everything. The brakes were applied and everything came to a halt. But, my kidlets are still in "go" mode and they declare boredom about every other second.


Day six. Weather? Pouring rain.

Miss O enjoyed some girl time at a friend's house while El Fuego (and his mini-me, neighbor boy) and Miss Petite rode bikes and played outside in between torrential rain fall. Seriously, happy summer kids!! The rain has been crazy but the humidity makes for an interesting combo.

My  mom was working in a town about an hour away, so I packed up the kids and met her for a quick dinner ala Subway and "gave" her El Fuego for a week. The girls and I drove home


Day eight. Weather? Rain.

Being brother free, the girls and I went to the zoo mid afternoon. We were trying to avoid the big rain falls and zoo traffic. Going to the zoo later in the day is a magical time. Most of the animals are up and active, getting ready for their dinner. The mothers with their ankle biting strollers and screaming toddlers (that never ride in said strollers) have gone home. And, the summer camps and organized tour groups are over. Thus, leaving the grounds in a haze of relief and quiet, with the slight smell of cotton candy sugar in the air.


Day nine. Weather? Sun.....finally.

Being a little over a week into summer vacation, I can honestly say, our pace finally felt like it slowed down. We've been sleeping in and mostly being lazy. Instead of going at things like 65 year old speed walkers, we droop our bodies over couches and linger way too long.


Day twelve. Weather? Sun and Hot.

Blink, Blink! Hello July. You snuck up on me!! And, what's this? Heat?!?! Mother Nature finally turned up the thermostat and every PNWesterner I know are sporting sunburns and complaining about how hot it is. Hot being relative since the temps hovered around the high 80s/low 90s. We are weak people!!

The kids and I ventured out to the new movie theater to beat the heat and a local TV show was doing some taping. El Fuego did some major photo bombing. Then we had our picture taken the host of the show and chatted up the camera man before we took our popcorn into the IMAX movie to watch After Earth. (A movie filmed in Costa Rica right before I got there earlier this year.)


Day fourteen. Weather? Sun and Hot.

We are on a weather streak and don't it feel good!!! We met up with some friends and hit a secret spot on a lake for fun in the sun. Mostly the kids were terrible and fought with each other. But once we hit the water and had lunch, everything was groovy. The parental units enjoyed sitting in the sun and chatting. Awe!! This is what summer is all about.


Day fifteen. Weather? Sunny and warm.

Happy Fourth of July!!! Fun, food, friends, and fireworks. All good F's.


Day sixteen. Weather? Overcast and warm.

Worried it might rain, but luckily it didn't as the fam and I worked in Mr. Hawthorne's parent's garage all day. I love decluttering and purging!! We made a few trips to Goodwill and one run to the dump. We dropped Miss O off at my parent's house for her Grandma week and I came home with a load of vintage goodies.


Day nineteen. Weather? Sunshine and warm.

Slept in until 10 am. Awwwweeee. That felt good. Took a shower around noon. Weeded while talking to a friend on the phone. played some badminton with the youngest child. Basic lazy summer goodness.