Busy Summer

Wow, June and July have really flown by! Here are a few of the things we have done this Summer to keep busy...

We made liquid chalk and painted with it on the patio (and "someone" also decided it would be fun to paint his foot.) Liquid chalk is very easy to make. Just mix equal parts of water and cornstarch, then add some food coloring.

Before the weather got too hot to be outside, we spent a couple days at a local campground - swimming, enjoying the outdoors, and roasting hot dogs & marshmallows over a campfire.



We went to the County Fair on a "Family Night" where the kids enjoyed going on rides. Their favorite ride from last year was not there, but they found a NEW favorite - the Paratrooper! We were not sure how either of the kids would tolerate this ride, as you just never know how kids with sensory issues will handle certain things. This ride goes up pretty high in the air, and my husband and I were a bit nervous, but both kids thought it looked fun. At first, they did have scared faces as they were launched high above the crowds. But, by the second time around, they were laughing and smiling. They loved it!

One week, the kids took swimming lessons. This was the first year we had ever done lessons with Road Runner. She has never been a big fan of swimming, and only likes to sit in very shallow water. The young lady who worked with her was very patient (yet firm enough) and was able to get her into the deeper water. By the end of the week, she could walk through the water without much assistance (which has been a problem for her), and could bend down to pick up some plastic rings on the bottom of the pool. She still will not put her head under, but we've made some great progress! She has basically completed level 1. Yay!

Coyote is doing really well, too, and LOVES the water! Such differences in the two of them. This was his 4th year of swimming lessons and he has completed level 4. He is so excited that he can now dive into the deep end and swim himself to safety.

Our vacation this year was to Indianapolis, IN. While there, we spent some time at a waterpark hotel, at the Indianapolis Children's Museum, and at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Personally, I would not recommend the hotel we stayed at - at least not in its current state. (If you want to know more, feel free to contact me.) However, they had a special package price we took advantage of, and we did enjoy some good family time there. That is what is most important. Our favorite part of the trip was the children's museum. There are 4 stories of displays and hands-on activities that made our day interesting and fun.

Other times this Summer, we also visited with family, had playdates with friends, had a garage sale, and worked on some home improvement projects that I will share about in a later post. Its been busy and adventurous, and its not over yet! We still have a few more projects to complete before we can begin our school year. But, I did go shopping yesterday for school supplies and am in the process of trying to get our school room in shape for the new year.

More to come later...