August Randomness

 Here are a few snapshots to round out what we did during August aside from getting ready for school.

 As a birthday gift to their friend, Jillian, the big girls took her for a playdate at Pump It Up, and then out to lunch afterwards (with my assistance, of course). 

 They all had a blast and were completely worn out! (as is evidenced in Claire's unwillingness to pose for any more pictures)  As I said after Melanie's last birthday, I like the idea of special outings as gifts as opposed to extra "stuff" to have laying around the house.  A new age appropriate item or two if all fine and good, but creating memories just seems like a fun alternative in my mommy opinion.  What are your thoughts?

 I thought using the carpet for a picture showing where they went was a cute alternative to attempting to get one of the signs in at a funny angle.  The girls thought posing for the picture was lots of fun to boot!

 On Melanie's last day home before starting kindergarten we stayed in our PJs most of the morning and the girls made a blanket tent to lounge and look at books in.  Looks cozy, doesn't it?

 After the blanket for their tent kept falling down, mommy stepped in with her decades of tent making experience (and a few rubberbands) to help make a bigger tent that the girls could fit into more comfortably.

 For lack of a sandbox in our front yard (where we do most of our outdoor playing since I'm admittedly lazy and don't like getting stuck pushing the younger girls on the swing for tens of minutes at a time) our girls really enjoy playing in the mulch around the tree in our front yard.  One of these days (or months, or years) when I finally get around to planting some flowers under that tree, the girls are going to be very sad to loose their favorite spot for searching for treasure (which is usually an acorn, leaf, or piece of chalk they find interesting and bury in the mulch)

 On this particular day they were planting trees (i.e. smaller branches that had fallen out of one of our trees)

 New uncle initiation!  Someone has to keep the kiddos amused during Stockemer Salsa Making Day, and Uncle Matt was the guy of choice for Claire this year.

Amelia the determined monkey, trying to get something out of the freezer for herself.  She has the right idea, but her execution will ensure she isn't successful.  I gotta give her points for trying, though.