June!

June was a month of crazy-fun. June began with an intense piano competition.  But after that, we took a breather from practicing and had ourselves a whole-lot-O fun.  June brought swim meets, baseball camp, scout camp, middle-school camp, picnics, day trips to the zoo and water parks, fun at the neighborhood pool, projects and chaos galore at home, and a road trip out west. I became a full-time chauffeur in June. And my kids got really good at changing clothes (costumes, as Eliza says) and eating meals in the car. Here's a look at my morning driving schedule for the month of June.  Yes. I did this.  All. Month. Long.

breakfast
7:30 a.m. Isaac and Brig to swim practice
8:15 a.m. Eliza to swim practice
9:00 a.m. Brig and Isaac to baseball camp
9:00 a.m. Lydia to speech therapy
9:30 a.m. Clayton to swim practice
10:15 a.m. Clayton to middle school camp
12:00 a.m. pick Isaac and Brig up from baseball
12:30 a.m. pick Clayton up
lunch

Here are a few pictures taken through the teeny-tiny window at the National Piano Guild competition.  These boys did great.  Both received the highest marks.

Here's the lineup of competition pieces and scales for each of the boys.  The check marks are to keep track of which song they spent the most time on each day. (clearly Clayton took his preparation more seriously than Brigham)

When their scores were handed out at the end (on these certificates) Brigham said, "Is this all I get?"  To which I replied, "Nope. You also get a . . . brownie!"  His face lit up like I'd just promised him a million dollars. Like I said before, it's all about the refreshments.

And I am true to my word! I took all the kids out for dessert.

Isaac and Brig did a baseball camp together in June.  They enjoyed cooler weather this year than in years past.

Clayton went to "Middle School Camp" - a program that the middle school started this year for all the incoming 6th graders.  It was run by the band, theater, P.E. science, art, and technology teachers.  The kids got their own laptops to use during the camp, tons of food every day, and t-shirts.  All for free.  It was awesome.  Clayton was in a group with a few of his buddies from 5th grade, but he also made some new friends and he is even more excited about starting middle school than ever!

On the last day the kids put on a little program.  Clayton played a main part in two different skits.

He also won the technology award for his "robotic hand".

Here he is demonstrating how it works.

Brig and Isaac also went to Scout Camp in June.  They had a really great time.

Brig won the BB award for best shooter in his group.

June was also a month of Axis and Allies.  This game went on for 9 days straight.

Eliza started composing music in June.  This girl knows her way to my heart!

Look at all these cute notes!  She wrote several books like this.  Then gave me practicing assignments.

Here she is performing her own music while Isaac accompanies.

Every inch of our house was in chaos in June.  Five kids feels like a lot!  See? I can't even take a picture of the girls playing on the stairs without being ambushed.

But despite the noise and the mess, we sure love having these boys around.  The girls especially love having more participants in their games of "family", "school", "church", and "picnics".

They also got some new dress-up princess slippers which, of course, turn them into. . . not princess, but. . . superheroes!

Harry Potter is still alive and well.  Clayton and Isaac spent June folding Harry Potter origami, memorizing spells and incantations, and thinking up more ideas for their wizarding joke shop.

Eliza drew pictures non-stop in June. Her artwork is taped on decorates every wall.  In every room.  We love it.

She also colored herself green with a magic marker in June. . . which didn't totally wash off.  She looked like the Wicked Witch of the West for a few days.

Speaking of green. . . I invented my own green elixir spinach smoothie in June which we lived on and which I think is delicious.  My kids aren't quite so sure.

On a more unhealthy note, I also introduced the kids to s'mores in our backyard.  I almost scolded Eliza for wearing her dress-ups and making such a mess (with her chocolatey musical theatrics). Instead I grabbed my camera.  And so glad I did!

No matter how boring and ordinary we are, this girl has a knack for turning our whole lives into a full-scale, elaborately costumed, Broadway production.

We spent a very fun day with friends at Splashway water park. 

We all came back with more freckles and a little pinker than before we left.

We also went with friends to see the "Extreme Bugs" exhibit at the zoo.

And these gigantic animatronic bugs were indeed extreme!  Here's Liddybug standing next to her signature bug.

Ew. . .

These girls were so cute holding hands.

Native Brig.

A picture of the older kids.  We're never too old for the zoo!

And now, goodbye to June!  You were gone in a flash!