Our summer

Our summer has been different to say the least.

Since the day we arrived home from Florida, Joseph has been gone everyday all day. As you can imagine there were 3 very very sad kids and one very very sad Mom.

I am not cut out to be a single parent. and I'm not afraid to admit that.

We filled our days with swimming lessons (4 weeks worth) and hitting the pool almost everyday.

At some point, every single day, one of the kids was crying over their Dad being gone. It was heartbreaking. Which would lead to me crying (and I'm not a crier). My house has never been more messy and disorganized. At the end of each day I barely had it in me to crawl to my bed.

Thankfully we got our Dad back after 7 very long weeks.

The kids keep asking if he's coming home tonight, or if he's back to normal, etc.

So on Saturday Joseph packed up his backpack and took Abbey and Jack downtown to check out some cool stuff. and they ate icecream 2x within 4hrs. *mom doesn't do that*

I stayed home with Joshua and got to grocery shop in peace.

*sidenote-having one kid is the easiest thing on earth. And I find it absolutely HILARIOUS that I thought it was the hardest thing ever once upon a time. That is laughable now*

Abbey and Jack came home and were so so happy. Jack had the hardest time being away from Joseph for the past few weeks. I was at a loss for what to do for him. But now that Joseph has returned home my sweet Jack has returned. He is 4, so he can be a stinker but mostly he is happy. So I'm happy.

We have 2 weeks left before Abbey and Jack are back to school 5 days a week so for now we are swimming (I'm proud to report that both kids are awesome swimmers now), playing with friends and enjoying the beautiful weather.
Playing on the Metro

Air and Space Museum

Natural History Museum to see the Dinosaurs

6

A few weeks ago Abbey turned 6!

Originally she just wanted to go to the American Girl Store for lunch but she quickly decided that a rainbow unicorn party sounded way more fun.

As usual she just wanted her cousins and 2 friends.

She is very particular about who she wants at her parties.

When I asked about a particular girl she replied "she doesn't know how to behave, so I'm not sure she'll obey the rules of our house!"

We painted ceramic unicorn figurines, did freezer paper screen printing of unicorns (the boys did Yoda and they are cuuuuute). We ate pizza, rainbow fruit and had rainbow cake.

It was a great day.

Abbey is such a wonderful girl and is growing up before our eyes.

She has become the greatest helper around our house. She asks to clean bathrooms, including toilets (she even has her own gloves to wear), she steals her brothers clothes baskets and puts their clothes away, she reads to her brothers, she will happily put the boys to bed and they love it, etc.

She loves to write letters and notes to her friends and family.

She is bossy...but you have to be in a house full of boys.

We love our Abbey Grace so much.

I also must publicly thank my darling friend Stephanie who dropped off Margot and decided to stay and then offered to take pictures during the party. She is a great photographer and I am sososo thankful that she took pictures. Thank you so much Stephanie, you are THE best.