A Different Summer Plan

In the past, we have been minute counters in the summer: 30 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of math, and 10 minutes of writing every day. The kids also had a daily chore. By the end of the summer I felt like a stop watch and I was making up random jobs. It was not fun.

This summer, we tried something different. Both kids are trying to earn enough money for some big ticket items: a Switch for Evan and a Go for Issa. We made a list of things they could do. Some were weekly payouts: reading for 140 minutes a week, being active for at least 60 minutes a day, etc. Some where single time projects: reading a book off a carefully chosen list, completing computer coding modules, or designing and completing STEAM projects.

It was a rocky start. We realized we had to pay cold hard cash on completion. The magic number on a piece of paper wasn't concrete enough for Evan. We had to make smaller goals because big projects were over-whelming. We negotiated some books that didn't make the list but could have. We finally found a groove and the kids are happy to be working steadily towards their goals.

Here was the game-changer for me, though: they are cleaning the house! I divided the weekly cleaning tasks, and they each have one a day. At the end of the week, if they have done their half of the cleaning they get $5. It's amazing. The first couple of weeks about killed me. My idea of clean and their ideas of clean did not line up. You forget what it is like to learn to clean: there is such a thing as too much cleaning product. But...they have gotten really good at it! I have time to keep up with the laundry and the dishes and my sanity because the routine cleaning is getting done by them. They are also a lot neater because they understand the pain of getting toothpaste spots off the mirror.

The best part: we are keeping the schedule in the fall! It's the cheapest cleaning service ever, and we all think we are getting the better end of the deal. I'll call that a win!

Tourists in Our Own Town

We had a weekend of adventuring right in our own backyard this weekend.

Friday, Issa went with some friends to swim in the Eno River for the first time. They hiked a little over a mile in to a great swimming hole complete with a rope swing and waterfall. Issa had an absolute blast--even if she did cut her foot on a rock. She learned the value of wearing the water shoes she packed in, and she cannot wait to go back!

Sunday, Brad, Mom, and I went on a walking tour through our historican society. The kids were supposed to go, but Issa legitimately needed to rest her foot before a full week of dancing and Evan wanted to stay with her. We took a walk down the River Walk with Chief John Blackfather. He told us the stories of his own experiences and those of the Occoneechee tribe. We have heard him speak before, but I could sit and listen to him for days. We started at the replica village, but we walked to where the village truly stood and where archeologists are currently digging to learn more. Then for the first time since Mom moved here just the three of us went out to lunch. It was lovely.

The kids head to Nana Camp next week, and Brad and I are hoping to do a few more touristy things around here. I'm so grateful that we live in a town that has so much to offer!

Full Swing of Summer

We have settled into a July routine.

Issa spends her days at the studio. The past two weeks, she has been a counselor of little people camps. This week and next, she is in Production Camp. They are producing The Little Mermaid, and Issa is beyond thrilled to be playing Ursula.

Evan is designing video games in Tynker and coming along with me to various volunteer events at the school. We have been packing food for the backpack buddies program and helping completely redo the media center with our new media specialist, who is a saint. We love her!

Brad is working his tail off with multiple clients. He's also keeping the rest of us on the rails while I'm running around.

I'm teaching two summer classes, which is fun but exhausting. I'm also working on some state level work and trying to get ready for the fall. It's a bit of a blur.

Mostly, we are enjoying the relative quiet of July. It's busy, but there is still time for family walks and game days. I'll take it.

New Bling

So, Issa did a thing on Saturday:

She finally got her second piercing. She has been talking about it since January, but we had to wait until the dance season was over since she will have to take it out to compete. Then we had to wait until after the beach because I didn't want her in the ocean in fresh earrings. She is so tickled, and I think she looks pretty dang cool.

At Long Last!

While we were in the Outer Banks, we had professional family photos taken. It was our Mother's Day gift to Mom, and a student recommended the perfect photographer! He was relaxed and informal. He came to our house and our beach, which made everyone much more relaxed because we were "home." Even those of us who were not thrilled about the idea of a photo shoot admitted they had a good time at the end! And the photos. Well...I could have put all 179 he gaves us up, but here are my favorites.

If this isn't Brad and I, I don't know what is:

 And the first few group shots:

 This one of Mom and Nick makes me teary everytime I see it:

 He had way too much fun with Uncle Jeff, nicknamed GQ:

 And these pictures of my kiddos:

 They are just so them!

 This may be one of my very, very favorite shots. Totally candid walking down the beach:

 Look how relaxed Brad is!

 This didn't exactly go as planned, but it cracks me up:

 Excuse me, when did they get this big?

 One of my very favorites:

 I'm not sure how Shannon feels about this one, but I love it! Mostly because I hear her singing the Sound of Music when I see it!

 That's my dancer:

 And Mr. Cool:

 And these. Well...please pass the tissues:

 All I can see is her future wedding day in these. Daddy will be a mess. She is certainly his girl.

 Issa is just excited she is taller than Aunt Shannon:

I will be forever grateful for this photos, and I cannot wait to start swapping some photos into frames!

I Might have Cried

Let me say first and foremost, I am incredibly grateful for a cleaning team at work that is absolutely the kindest, most conscientious, hard-working team I have ever met. This summer, they are deep cleaning every office, and while I was on vacation they did mine. I moved in six years ago, and I promise I have never deep cleaned. I came back to this:

At first glance, it is a gorgeous bookshelf organized by height, which is something I would totally do. Unfortunately, when I left it was organized by course and topic--a system refined and expanded over the past six years. They aren't even on the same shelf. I cried. I think I will start the sort tomorrow, but it is still just a little daunting.

Dancing on the Beach

When Aunt Shannon was here for rehearsal, she and Issa decided they needed to do a beach dance photoshoot. The second night of our trip, Shannon did her hair, and Shannon, Becca, and Issa ran in and out to the beach to take these beauties:

 I love this pose from her solo:

 Her grace:

 Her strength:

 How very grown up she is:

 The close to sunset, the more they take my breath away:

I am so incredibly grateful for these pictures. They seem to capture Issa just on the brink of being all grown-up, and I couldn't be more excited to see where these next chapters take us.

Family Memories

Last week, we spent a blissful week with some extended family in the Outer Banks.  There were 12 of us in one house right on the ocean, and it couldn't not have been more perfect. We cooked at the house the whole week, which meant we were not running to reservations. This was made possible by the fact that we completely reorganized the kitchen when we arrived:

Instead of trying to capture every day, I want to capture the big memories here. Like beach walks:

 Our family was incredibly gracious with the kids. Brad and I were able to sneak out alone a few times, and even when we were at the house we got plenty of time with the rest of the grown-ups while our kids happily played with someone else. The kiddos also had the whole bottom floor as their lair, so they were content to just hang out at the house, too.

Every night, we took crabby walks:

I loved watching these little guys scurry on the beach. However, Aunt Shannon and Aunt Carol felt very differently and only joined us once!

 I have no idea how many hours were spent in the pool:

 Evan even tried our a ponytail one day to better allow for swimming:

The only time we had to leave the house at a certain time was for a dolphin tour:

 

 We saw so many dolphins! 

We took in the sunsets:

 We even got to watch the fireworks from our beach!

And we spent plenty of time near the ocean, just taking it all in:

 I think some of the best conversations happened in the surf:

We also spent plenty of time in the ocean:

We all took turns grocery shopping, and Issa and I were afeared of the crowds:

 But that shopping allowed us to spent plenty of time cooking and eating together:

 When we weren't at the water or in the kitchen, we were doing puzzles:

We actually finished four!

 One of the absolute highlights, though, was seeing Nana take her first trip into the ocean. She had never gone deeper than her ankles, and by the end of the week she was body surfing into shore:

It truly was a blissful week full of memory making and conversation. Everyone felt free to do as they pleased, but we always met up for dinner together. There was plenty of time and space for conversation and playing, and we all weren't quite ready for the week to end. It will be one of those weeks that we talk about for years to come.