winding down

Summer is winding down and I have mixed feelings about it.  Summer Break went super fast, which I am a little sad about, but it will be good to get back to the school routine next week.  We have had such a great summer, with lots of fun memories to look back on, but lately the boys have been bickering ALL. THE. TIME. and momma needs a break!  The one major downside to school starting will be the effect it has on Jackson's naps.  My marathon napper.  (Still can't believe he has earned that title.)

We've had some more fun activities these last couple weeks.  Playdates at the park with school friends, Caleb and Logan went to a friend's house for an afternoon, we've been to the cottage a couple times, last week we went to the community fair a couple times, and, of course, there was the solar eclipse!

The eclipse was SO COOL!  Had travel been more feasible it would have been neat to be in the path of totality, however we were at 80-some percent here and that was still incredible to see.  Certainly part of the enjoyment was seeing it myself, but I also got such a kick out of the kids enjoying it.  Earlier before the eclipse the sky was fairly clear with some clouds, but right before it was going to begin the sky became quite overcast.  We were quite disappointed, and I was doing my best to keep a good attitude (sometimes it's hard to be the adult in the group!).  We hung around outside hoping things would clear up and after a bit when I checked I could see just a sliver of the moon covering the sun.  The boys got their glasses on, and when they saw it, too, they were SO excited.  "I can see it! I can see it! I can see it!!"  Pure joy and wonder and God's Creation.  We really enjoyed witnessing it over the next while, and thankfully it was right at naptime, so Jackson just slept through the whole thing.  :)  It was so strange how the lighting changed outside.  Since it wasn't a full eclipse here it didn't get very dark, but there was a weird twilight-y type of cast to things.  And, it really cooled off noticeably.  We were also having fun keeping tabs with various members of my family and what the eclipse was like for them.

Of course we went to the fair last week.  The boys only talk about it ALL YEAR.  :)  I took them Tuesday afternoon and we just stayed there until Mike was able to meet up with us after work.  I was exhausted by the time we came home!  Caleb, Logan, and Levi each got to do a bunch of different rides, and play a game or two.  Caleb won four goldfish!!  (Almost a week later, and we're down to two.)  In the evening when Mike was there, Logan and Levi rode the ferris wheel with him.  Caleb rode The Zipper with Mike and after loving it last year, he absolutely hated it this year.  He came off in tears.  I'm not sure what the difference was, but I'm fine with him not wanting to ride it!  :)  We went to the fair again later in the week as we hadn't had time to walk through the animal barns with Mike on Tuesday.  Jackson loved the cows (he is obsessed with cows right now!).  Caleb and Logan each got to sit on a horse!  Levi could have, but changed his mind.  :)  (They were tall horses!)

On Saturday at the cottage Jackson was absolutely loving the water.  The week before he had been getting pretty brave, and it was no different this week.  I don't remember any of the other boys playing in the water at that age the way he was!  It's fun, but also requires man-to-man defense for safety purposes.  :)  Logan attempted waterskiing a couple weeks ago (and did great, got up for a couple seconds one time), but wouldn't try this past Saturday.  At this point he's saying he will try this coming weekend (the last time for the summer!).

Jackson keeps on coming up with new things to say.  He had some super cranky days last week, I'm reeeeeeallly hoping it was just the little cold he had and not an introduction to the Terrible Two's.  He loves cows and babies, various stuffed animals, wearing his bright blue rain boots, and being outside.  He likes to be silly when I go to get him out of his crib (laying down again, acting like he wants to stay).  He's like a little tornado going through the house, leaving a path of destruction.  There is no "keeping things in order" with him around.  He likes to look at books and insists on being picked up when I'm trying to work in the kitchen.  He still hates diaper/clothing changes just like he always has.  He looooooooves Daddy - we've done a few video calls now, which Jackson thoroughly enjoys, but he is NOT happy when the phone call is done.  Jackson generally goes to bed very well again - I don't get snuggles, but at least he's not mad and he'll say "nigh-nigh".

I'm looking forward to having some extra time with Levi on the days he's home from school.  I feel like he needs a little extra attention that's just really hard to fit in right now.  Hopefully we'll be able to get into a good routine where everyone is getting enough sleep, and I think that will help, too.  :)