School is Over for another year

 We have all of July, all of August and most of September to do whatever we want.  I pretty much do that anyway, but the girls are so excited.

I called Friday and told them they could come over when they wanted to and we'd find out what we were doing.  It's a good thing we don't have much scheduled, because they take forever to get here.  First they're in no hurry to get up and then play around the house and clean their rooms - somewhat - before they come here.  It was almost lunch time when they finally got here - on their bikes.

They can't come by themselves yet because of that one street we're not comfortable for them to cross.  There's a crosswalk, but where on my street you can see and hear what's coming for two blocks either way, on Douglas the cars come around a corner and not always following the speed limit.  It's just too scary right now.  Ryan either walks with them, giving Woodrow some walking time, or drives beside them until she get across.  

The bikes stayed parked all afternoon because they had so many other things they wanted to do, but toward the end of the day, they were riding them pretty fast down the sidewalk and around the apartments and down the alley - where cars might back out of garages suddenly.  I really try to hold back from constantly telling them to slow down and don't do this and don't do that.  I see kids riding all over town about their age, even downtown (such as it is), but I'm going to be a Debbie Downer for another summer anyway.  

So the first thing they do  is run upstairs and see if their friend Carly can come down and play.  These are 3 of the best playmates.  They are 8, 9, and 10.  I think Carly's personality is such that she's a peacemaker between the two sisters and keeps things on an even keel.  

The first pictures were on Friday after they got out early.  It was pajama day (one of the many pajama days), and Graysen dressed for comfort.  I don't think Katherine participated.  I don't go all the way to the school any more but get close enough to see them cross the street at the crosswalk.  I think next year they will be walking alone.  Then after that Graysen will be in middle school and ride the bus, Carly's family will probably have a house somewhere, and poor Katherine will have to make her way home alone.  She will be so sad.  They have so much to cover on that short walk home - who had a birthday and how much candy or how many favors they got, what third grade did and what funny things Mr. Harper did that day.  

Kate and Carly had made a bird feeder from a plastic soft drink bottle a month or so ago but never finished it, so they got it out, and we found some seeds to fill it up.  They also found a pine cone perfect for stuffing peanut butter and seeds into.  Lucky little birds.  So busy.  Yesterday they asked for popsicle sticks and glue and yarn and proceeded to make a little deck for the birds.  I love their creativity, and they love making the world better.

This little sidewalk between two apartments is such a good place for them to play, if a little confining.  It's right under Carly's windows and outside my dining room window, so we can listen out for them and still allow them freedom - to destroy the landscaping.  

After that and lots of whispering and scheming and running and screaming, it was time for a snack.  Carly's dad Wes usually brings us something back when he goes to Trader Joe's.  This time it was these neat lemon cookies.  I tasted them, but they didn't last long!

They were getting hot and complaining after a while.  You won't hear me complaining.  I asked them if they wanted me to open the garage door and let them go into the cool and messy garage.  I got to get this tent out of the house too.

They took a fan and the Duo screen out there and fixed up a homey little place.  They can play their music as loud as they want without my telling Google to turn it down.  

When I checked on them later, they had closed the door and were telling spooky stories.  

I took very few pictures yesterday because they pretty much did the same things - picked up more trash, played tag, rode bikes and just ran - up and down the sidewalk.  Just running.  No purpose except sheer enthusiasm - and no math.  Graysen and Katherine were right prickly, and there was a lot of folded arms and fussing that I could hear.  I told them they needed to not worry so much about saving the planet and learn to be kind to each other.  They did another restaurant, which was good for about 30 minutes.

I think that's my crocheted dish rag in my Mimi Christmas mug Katherine gave me.

Their tea is water with various things added to it to make it taste good.  I guess.  I had them ordering in Spanish and asked for agua, but that was boring, so they put cinnamon in it.  Lots of cinnamon.

 I tried.  I really did, but I had to put most of it in the plant.  I'm afraid to know what cinnamon does to plants.  The Oreo was fine though.

I told them again that they had to start doing better on  leaving things out for me to clean up.  They ran around and did a quick pickup, but when I had sent them home and came back in, this is what I saw.

I've seen no one today, and it was a good day.  I read  (listened) to my book a lot - Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan.  It started off slow, and I almost abandoned it, but it got a lot better, and I'll probably finish it tonight.  I did my Duolingo lesson, and it's like I never saw any Spanish words before.  I told Emily that I missed one exercise 5 times -  just writing The Beer in Spanish.  I misspelled beer 3 times - and forgot the la twice.  Whew.  They were glad to get me off that one.  I also had as one answer:  Roberto eats the spoon.  It was a slow day.

Next week will be full, and we'll be glad to have some days at home after it's over.  Soccer Camp is every day from 9 a.am. to 12 a.m.  It's in North Bend, which is only about 10 minutes away, but I might go prepared tomorrow and watch them a little bit, then get a few things from grocery store, check out the plants at Ace Hardware, and then sit in the shade and read or walk around the track if it's not too hot.  Since basketball camp is from 3 p.m. til 6 p.m.,

we'll go to the cool library and relax in there for awhile and get some new books.  Then we'll go to a shady park around the corner and  eat lunch and play and read.   I'll probably go back home after I deliver them to basketball at 3, and Ryan or Emily might pick them up at 6.  We'll all be tired at the end of this week.  

Fourth grade did a cute and interesting wax museum last week, and I'll post some pictures tomorrow.