Quick Takes #265; Mid-Summer Check-in

1. How is your summer going? Ours is going well and if things like lawnmowers and jaws would stop breaking I might even say great.  Update on last week's post the lawnmower has been replaced and we'll find out next week how the jaw is healing.
2. Swim lessons wrapped up earlier this week.  Both L1 and L2 made progress in learning freestyle (specially how to periodically breath without stopping), and Caitlin made progress with her 'doggie' paddle and gained enough confidence that she no longer asks for her swim vest at the pool.  
3. In other camp news Liam had a blast with soccer camp last week and is looking forward to playing with a local league this fall. Currently Lisbeth is enjoying Art Camp. She completed an ocean themed colored pencil sketch this week and next week apparently moves on to paints.
4. We actually had a break in the humidity the last couple of days allowing for some porch reading; finished this (wonderful ~ definitely reading the sequel) and starting this.  What are you reading these days?
5. Had fun watching all of the Prime Day posts go by; decided to hold off a bit longer before getting the kids their own Kindles so in the end I only got colored pencils and highlighters. Did look at the school supply list and then decide I just wasn't ready to get in school mode yet.  Except teaching Liam to tie his shoes ~ must get on that!!
6. Bonnie of A Knotted Life has brought back the Sheenazing Awards and is taking nominations!!
7. A mixed bag weekend coming up as there is a lot of yard work to catch-up on but in celebration of National Belgium Day tomorrow a beer and plenty of chocolate after the work is done.

iCloud apparently needs to work on its sharing skills ~ so no pictures :(

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Quick Takes #264: My Month So Far

1. Happy July!! How has yours been?? Mine has been to say the least  "IN~teresting!"
2. The month started with Running Boy running and falling while carrying my iPhone and said phone's screen cracking! Followed by a discussion about running with Mommy's phone and me wondering/worrying could we continue to use the phone without getting cut from the screen.
3. Next Dr Daddy's flight was so delayed coming home on the 2nd that he in fact couldn't come home but rather headed straight to work after a quick shower in a call room. #hospitallife
4. On the 3rd we had a 6 hr power failure during a thunderstorm and missed the town's fireworks that I was sure would be cancelled due to all the lightening and if fact wasn't. Silver lining for this one; kids had a lot of fun eating ice cream on the porch and then catching fireflies!
5. The morning of the 4th found us making pancakes and watching America Rock when I left the kitchen and Dr Daddy took that opportunity to fall and some how manage to cut his chin and break his jaw! The rest of the day was spent discovering the extent of the injury and making plans for remedying it.  And taking the kids to the pool once we established that Dr Daddy was going to be ok.
6. A meeting with a surgeon later in the week established that the fracture is in a tough place to reach surgically and that the jaw is not actually displaced so hoping a couple weeks of liquid diet is sufficient to heal the fracture. Prayers welcomed!! Anyone know the patron saint of broken bones??
7. So a week later we are all fine and getting really good at making smoothies and discovering which foods puree well.  Recipes welcome!!

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Open Book ~ July '18

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall is the first of four books about the Penderwicks sisters and a three week vacation at a caretakers cottage at the edge of an estate in Western Massachusetts.  The book is aimed for older elementary kids and I imagine they would really enjoy it. I will point my 10 year at the series once she is thru the current 'dragon books and only dragon books' phase.  The antics are exciting and well paced. My one criticism would be that I found it hard to keep track of the ages of the girls as their behavior was first older than I would expect and then swing to the other extreme.

Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross shares an explanation for the increase in ADD and anxiety seen in kids and an antidote by means of simplifying.  Overall I liked the book and felt the authors laid out their argument well, and while I don't agree with all the conclusions I am glad I read the book. The Waldorf approach to education is emphasized and while I do wish others were discussed I appreciate that this book went beyond just 'purge' all the toys and discussed scheduling issues and other aspects of childhood.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book.