What a week!

It's been a busy busy week, but a great one too!  I do realize it's only Wednesday but I guess it all started last week.

On Monday and Tuesday of last week I brought Brianna to the first grade lunch to experience "eating in the cafeteria" and just as she had the last week, she did great!  Wednesday was a "down day", as was Thursday to a degree.  Friday we spent the day in IEPs!  Saturday and Sunday flew by like a blur...  And Monday was the last day of school as well as PreK graduation for Brianna.

Monday afternoon started what feels like could have been a a week already :).  When we got home from school we suited up in swimsuits and blew up the 3-ring pool!  The kids had a blast in the water all afternoon!!  I have foam pads out under and around the kids' pool, and set up a big shade umbrella near a 'baby bath' where Wesley played in a few inches of water as well.  Then a Spider Man sprinkler that was a birthday present to one of the kids earlier this year was at the edge of the foam and a bubble maker a little distance away so it didn't make the foam mats slippery.

After pool time and a quick rinse off, we all made individual pizzas and baked them up.  That with smoothies on the side was a great first day of summer break dinner!

Yesterday we spent the day moving around things at the house.  Lynae has had the 'guest' room to herself for a little while.  She was waking early and in the middle of the night, but has gotten off of that trend lately.  For now, she's now moved in to the girls' bedroom in a toddler bed!  Lynae is 20 months old and although it's a little on the early side, she has done great once she realized that we meant business about staying in her bed :).

I purchased plastic zippered mattress protectors for each of the kids' mattresses since there's been quite a few  accidents lately so yesterday was the day to change all 8 sets of sheets and add the mattress protectors to the beds.  I moved the boys around a little too.  Wesley has been in a toddler bed, but keeps getting into contorted positions in it.  James, on the other hand, has been in the adapted bed that was Emma's, and has been pulling the vertical blinds down and already broke one on both ends.  When we put the side rail all the way up to protect the blinds, well, James hurt himself instead.  So, the boys are switched!

For now, James is in the toddler bed and Wesley is in the adapted bed... which may or may not last.  We'll try it for a few nights anyway, and we had waited until school was out to do it at all since we know it will likely affect the amount of sleep that everyone is getting.  Of course I'm sitting in their rooms at night until they go to sleep... or rather switching back and forth between the two rooms to make sure everyone stays in bed if Mike isn't home :).

Today I packed bags for my trip this weekend!  The little girls and I are flying up to Philadelphia to visit with my sister :).  I was going to take a solo trip, but instead decided we'd make it a girls' weekend for the two little ones that have had their world turned upside down and spun around this year :).  They are also the easiest to travel and, let's face it, Lynae flies free! LOL.  Michael's going to try to take Kristopher for a little get-away next month to spend some time with him.  The other kids will each get a chance here and there for a "day date" but none of them really enjoy a night away or traveling at the moment, so we'll make different arrangements to do some solo time with them.

Anyway, this morning was spent packing for Brianna, Lynae, and my getaway weekend, and a friend from church that also is James and Micah's Sunday school teacher is going to be helping out here a few mornings a week in the summer time, so she (Katie) was here this morning to keep the kids entertained.  Friday we will fly out and we'll be coming back home on Monday.  It worked out great since Mike has Monday off so only one day of childcare was necessary for us to have 2 1/2 days up with Elizabeth.  Michael and the other 6 will have a busy weekend, I'm sure, but he does great with the kids and will find something fun to do here at home while we're gone.

Tomorrow's "unscheduled" before we fly out, but I think a trip to Sam's Club may be a necessity since we're almost out of Pediasure.  Then, a relaxing weekend with 4 flights with 2 little girls and sleeping on a couch with the kids on an air mattress.  Sounds like an adventure :). ((Yes, we really WILL have fun!!!))