Summer Challenges & Family Updates

My main challenge during the summer months is always laundry.  Between 2 boys changing clothes at least twice a day, pool towels and swimsuits, baseball uniforms, and just the usual everyday laundry that seems to pile up overnight, I can't keep up let along get ahead.  Another challenge for me this summer is to get John Michael potty-trained.  He's doing great,  it's just more of a challenge when we are on the go so much.  He's much to busy to stop what he's doing and tell me he needs to "go" so I have to constantly ask him and make him go and "try".  Just last night Samuel and I were talking about his goals for this summer.  Some of the things he mentioned was to continue his reading, master his multiplication tables, maintain his Bible memory work at church, swim everyday, and continue to improve his baseball skills.  He will have tournaments 4 weekends straight with his travel ball team beginning this weekend.  He will do Sports Camp and Art Camp and possibly attend a pitcher/catcher camp at Shelton State. 

He will be going back to school before we know it!

So far as John Michael's summer plans, he is definitely looking forward to his birthday party this month.  He is talking about it already and knows exactly what he wants for his birthday.... a firetruck with a hose that actually sprays water.  The commercial is on TV ALL the time and he just HAS to have it.  He will be taking swim lessons in July and will continue his weekly visit on the Tumblebus each Wednesday and his computer class on Fridays.  We will continue our Story Time Hour at the library which he thoroughly enjoys and he loves his Wednesday night Bible class at church.  Of course he enjoys the baseball activites as well since there are several other little brothers on the team.  He will play soccer in the Fall which will be a sight to see!  I can't believe he is turning three on June 20th.  Where is the time going?

One of the biggest changes lately for our family is that Joseph has started a new job with a new company which is about 45 minutes from our house.  He is the Controller for the Georgia Pacific plant in Belk, just outside his hometown of Fayette, population of about 500 (just guessing).  He is enjoying his new position with a great company and so many opportunities.  I am so proud of him!  However, with him being out of town now, I sometimes feel like a single mom with having to do all of the transporting of kids to and from activities and chase a busy soon to be 3 year old around at baseball practices all by myself with no relief or help.  Joseph has always helped out with chores, household duties and with the boys so much and now I am realizing just HOW much he did help.  I have taken on doing the lawn-mowing & gardening as well which I enjoy and usually am able to do during nap times or late evening after baseball and Samuel is a great help.  We also planted a small vegetable garden this Spring and recently picked 2 jalepeno peppers from that garden.  The plan was to make homemade salsa with the tomatoes and peppers that we planted but the tomatoes are not ready yet and neither are the bell peppers.  So, what to do with two jalepeno peppers?  

We completed several projects around the yard early in the Spring.

I love our front porch!  It is an extension of our home and we use it a lot throughout the year.  The boys and I love to read out there, I love to have my coffee out there, John Michael loves to play with his playdough out there and we enjoy congregating with the neighbors on long summer nights.  Just this past weekend we made homemade ice cream and enjoyed it with neighbors on our front porch.

Looking forward to many long summer nights ahead!