Kanigan Family: Summer, Summer, Summer Time!

June is almost gone!! Can you believe it? A third of the kid's summer is already over and we're just getting started! School finished for the kids on a Wed. and I gave them the rest of that week and weekend to play without too much responsibility; but when Monday came around I threw together a substantial amount of charts and we have been organized ever since...well, about as organized as a group of four children and a Mommy can get in one house...all...day...long. :)

Really though, we've been having a lot of fun. I was worried that I would getting stir crazy and anxious with fighting and messes, but the kids are doing pretty well. We have swimming on the schedule every week, and a trip to the library with some good friends. The boys have daily jobs and piano, and we just finished a crazy (although the kids had a blast) week of scout camp. I use one full day a week to deep clean the house and it stays nice for about three hours. I try to avoid laundry as much as possible. Our freezer is well stocked with popsicles. I haven't had to fold socks in a while (thank you flip flops) and we've been trying out some new things for our lunches. Pretzels have been a hit and I love making scones because they remind me of my Mom. I'm trying to give everyone a break from pb&j because that is their main nutritional source when school starts again.

As far as kid updates go...Logan is still in his head gear and I am very excited to report that his under bite is slowly but surely going away! Logan is still our idea man. He spends hours creating clubs and recruiting unsuspecting brothers to join them and be forced to follow whatever rules he contrives. He is always on his bike and has a few buddies in the neighbor hood that he likes to hang out with. I feel him getting older with every second. Half of his life with me is gone already and although I am proud of him, I get sad about how quickly it is going.

Lincoln is doing great. He is toothless and happy and constantly begging for video games. I use bribery and make him spend time outside in exchange for Wii time. No shame. Linc is also my board game guru. He's been learning Spanish through Rosetta Stone. He'll practice for hours and his little spongey brain just soaks it up. I think he might know more than me now. Linc likes to be inside and he loves his fruit still. He also loves Ellie and is an expert at making her laugh.

Owen is as fun loving (aka wild) as ever. Anne of Green Gables was once described as being able to "talk the hind leg off a mule" and Owen fits this description to the tea. The questions that come out of him are like a constant drip of water. He just wants to know things. He is our fly and bug smasher and has graduated to catching the flies in a cup with a plate (honestly, it's pretty impressive!). He tries hard to be a tough guy, but his big heart still allows him to give me squishy hugs and I love them.

Elena is a squawker. :) Really she is, but she's also sweet enough that it makes up for it! Her words are coming more and more and I am really starting to get her personality. She is a very funny girl. She likes to laugh and I really think she likes to make other people laugh too. She has a myriad of funny faces (my favorite being the BIG EYES face) and she will doing ten summersaults in a row just cause she can. She loves her books, especially Cat in the Hat ("Hat in Cat") and she eats constantly.

I guess that's about all for now. I still have a ton of pictures to post so I will get on with that and post more another time! Happy Summer everybody!