Crazy Bizzy

If I've ever alluded to my life being busy, chaotic, or stressful I need to rescind those comments now.  I had no idea what I was talking about.  I swear this summer just started.  I remember thinking it was taking so long for the weather to warm up so we could use the outdoor pool at the gym and now we are already donning sweatshirts and closed toe shoes.  This summer has been so much fun yet so busy.  My last post was in July, I think, and so much has happened since then that I have not written about.  It makes me kind of mad that I'm not blogging on a more regular basis because I really enjoy looking back at previous posts.  I'm not sure I had not a spare moment to indulge in a little blogging.  So this post is dedicated to catching up on what happened this summer!

I took a lot of vacation during the month of July.  Now that I don't have to save it up for maternity leaves I am actually enjoying using it!  The kids and I took a little trip up north to visit Yvonne, Dave and the kids for a few days.  The office Yvonne works for has a cottage on a beautiful lake that is available to the staff for a ridiculously cheap price.... something like $7 a week.  I've been there 3 times in the past 10 years and always have a great time.  This year our visit just happened to coincide with the hottest days of the summer!  Thank goodness for the beautiful lake because me and heat with no air conditioning is not a good combo!  It was HOT!  The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins and I enjoyed having a little get away!  Did I mention it was hot?

We were home for a weekend and then left for a week long camping trip with some friends.  Yvonne and Dave let us borrow their camper again this year (despite leaving baked beans in the microwave last year... oops).  The kids had a blast! What's not to love about daily swims,  golf cart rides, ice cream,  and great friends!  We had great camping neighbors too.  Rob's cousin and his family were across from us and then a boy that Max played t-ball with was across from us as well.  Everybody knew each other somehow and there were lots of kids!  We were in a more desirable location at Sandy Pines which really  made a difference this year.

A swing built for the big kid in the family

Bedtime snack.

Max putting his summer swimming lessons to good use!  He did awesome in the pool!

Leah, too, loved "swimming."  She mostly wore floaties and was all over the pool!

Tom's mud free mud bath.

The Brink Blood-  She can nap anywhere.

The cutest little fish I ever did see!

We even celebrated Brandon's birthday at the campground!

Too funny not to post again.  Look at Sarah... "Is he really my father?"

And in the middle of all this vacationing and summer fun we decided to put our house up for sale.  Sometime in early summer we had it listed.  There's nothing more frustrating than having to try to keep your house in a reasonable state of cleanliness while entertaining 3 children or packing and unpacking for trips!  We had one showing the first week and then nothing until week 6.  And then we had one after another.   Fortunately, our house was on the market for only 7 weeks before we had an offer!  It could have been a lot worse but I think, in total, we had 4 showings.  And a couple were on the same day.  But the house is sold now and we have just shy of 3 weeks before we have to move.

This is where the chaos and craziness arrive.  I've moved lots of times and think of myself as somewhat of an expert.  But never have I moved with 3 children!  Let the packing begin!  I'm thankful that the house sold before school started so we could start Max enrolled in the school where we would be living.  But that just means I have to take and pick him up every day.  That's not so bad; just more of an inconvenience.

So between working full time, helping a 5 year old acclimate to life as a kindergartener, playing school bus driver and now packing and moving, my life is pure chaos.  But it's all good.  Really!