Summer vacation: Week 11

Somehow the summer has come to an end already.  I feel like it just started, but it's already over!

I wanted to try to do as many fun things as possible with Leighton while I had him at home for this last week of vacation, so I filled the calendar with lots of activities.  I knew that we likely wouldn't get to them all due to one or all three of us being too tired/cranky, but we set out each morning with a packed itinerary and managed to do a good portion of what was planned.

Monday
This was a little bit of an errand day. Our first stop was for new shoes for Leighton's giant feet.  Although we were aiming for Stride Rite, I convinced the kids to come look in a store a few doors down called Imagination Toys and Shoes.  I had read that they carried Tsukuhoshi shoes (stylish but functional!), and I was interested to see if they would have a good pair for Leighton.  The kids ended up LOVING the store.  They played with marbles and trains and I dragged them out of there before they had a chance to explore the other toys on display!  We had quick success at Stride Rite - for both kids!  Leighton agreed to try on a pair of shoes I liked the best and ended up loving them so much that he wore them out of the store (score one for Mommy!).  Little Riley was a bit disappointed I wasn't buying her any sparkly princess shoes, but we made her happy with some new 'bows' for her hair.

Next was Snip-Its for a haircut, lunch in the car, picking up new books at the library and returning the others (the kids LOVE helping since we get to scan our books when we return them and when we check them out!), and a quick stop at the grocery store.

The kids enjoyed a quiet read on the couch and then Lindsey and the kids came to swim with us in the later afternoon.

Tuesday
We had a big day planned and managed to check off 4 of our 6 stops.  First, we went to our last HEB story time of the summer.  HEBuddy came out to visit the kids, and you can guess how impressed my two were with that!  We said goodbye to Meagan and told her we'd love to attend any activities we could during the school year.

Pottery Barn Kids was our next stop.  We hadn't been to the story time all summer and wanted to catch one, and the kids also had their summer reading program completed and needed to collect their free books.  Unfortunately, the story time was cancelled, but we got the books before heading to Central Market just down the street for some lunch.

After a nice lunch, tiredness completely overtook my children (and me, too, I have to admit) and tantrums and grouchiness came on as suddenly as the thunderstorm!  At this point, we quickly scrambled to the car and headed home to relax, play, and make some cookies.

Wednesday
Another day full of fun was on the agenda!  We started the morning at Kegg's for a self-guided tour and treat.  Unfortunately, the self guided tour was very lackluster, and all we got to do was look through a hallway of windows into the room where they make and package the chocolates and goodies.  Nothing was in production, but there were a couple of ladies bagging things up with ribbons.  There is a guided tour that would likely be highly more interesting, especially if something was actually being made at the time!  The highlight was the store, anyway.  We got some frozen custard to start (so yummy!) and then chose some chocolates to take to dinner later.  The kids chose a shaped chocolate for themselves (Leighton got a rocket and Riley got a little flower) and Maeve (little flower) and Nash (Winnie the Poo).

The kids ate lunch part I en route to the library for Tune Time.  It was Leighton's last of the summer!

The kids had lunch part II en route to pick up Daddy so he could come with us for a couple of hours of fun at the Children's Museum.  Both kids want to go there all the time, but it's a difficult place for me to take them on my own, so we were glad to have Daddy with us so we could divide and conquer all of the items on the kids' wish lists!  Riley and I spent the whole time in Tot Spot and she was immersed in her own world of pretend play - games of gassing up and parking her cars and friends visiting and making tea and reading bedtime stories.  It was very cute to watch.  She is getting to be such a big girl.

"Hi, little bear."

Reading the little bear a good night story

Lights out!

We took Daddy back to work and came home for a little down time before our dinner plans.  I had some cookie baking I had to complete and the kids sat silent and still in front of the TV!  Then we were off to dinner at Lindsey and Charlie's.  Lindsey had come across Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the bonds between brothers and sisters and we put the date on the calendar so we could get together.  We planned on enjoying some Indian food and letting the kids play.  It ended up being Thai food instead, but it was delicious and the kids played!

Thursday
We got up and hit the road for Brenham, TX so we could tour Blue Bell, maker of all the pints of ice cream we continuously buy and consume!  Leighton was excited to be going on a more exciting tour than the day before!  It was a really great tour.  We could see so much going on and got a generous serving of ice cream at the conclusion of the tour.

We then drove into the charming town of Brenham and had lunch.  We would love to go back another time to explore the town more.  And we could stop by for some more ice cream at Blue Bell, too!

Friday
This was the big Meet the Teacher Day for Leighton at his new school.  I gave all sorts of suggestions for a morning activity, but he wanted to stay home to go through photos with me on my computer so we could get some printed for his photo album.  So, that's what we did.  When we went to Walgreens to pick up the pictures, I got lunch for the kids from El Ranchero - Leighton's favorite rice and beans, which we surprisingly hadn't had all summer.  Then it was time to head to the school!  It was exciting to see Leighton's new classroom and to meet his teacher.  We also introduced ourselves to another Kindergarten teacher who is a friend of Lindsey's and the librarian who is a friend of the librarian at Leighton's old school.  We poked our heads into the art room and chatted with the art teacher outside.  He was also wearing a tie - I think he and Leighton might be kindred spirits!  They had some popsicles for the kids outside (Leighton loved them, Riley did not) and we played a little bit on the playground.

Then is was time to head home to wrap up another - and our last - busy week of the summer.