The Summer is Coming to a Close

Still can't believe summer is almost over.  Only about 2 weeks left.  Sometimes it's sad to think all the freedom is done and over with, but then we have such a tight schedule when school starts.  I just want a happy medium.  :)

Courtney 12

Courtney is really obsessed with making cakes and decorating them.  So we have appeased her in getting anything that she would need.  She is getting really good at it.   But the clean-up is really, well hmmmmm. Enough sad. :)  She is starting dance camp this next week and will be gone until Friday.  Should be fun!  Courtney also has a good friend Zanna that is moving to Georgia.  She is really upset about that.  Also all three girls have another friend Brooke that is moving to Indiana and there has been a lot of tears from it.  We told Courtney she could visit Zanna, but she's doesn't want to fly alone.  But Brooke will be back to visit family a lot.  So they are glad about that. 

 Maliyah 10

Kendra 10

Kendra is having such a lazy/healthy summer, well until today.  But its been since the beginning of June that she's been in the hospital, so we'll take that.  Maliyah just got sick this last week as well.  I'm so glad they had both gone this long without sickness.  Makes me so happy!! I hope there bodies will be rested enough for the testing that is coming up.  Maliyah's kidney is really holding strong.  She even is being more responsible for her medicine's.  She made signs, she has one on her door and the other on her head board to remind her to take it everyday.  She's even doing great with drinking her water.  She has to have 50-60ozs a day, everyday.  She understands that is what her kidney needs to function at its best.  And she wants to stay healthy.  One of the things that will help them stay healthy is exercise, so they want to start taking gymnastics.  Their friend Lacey has been showing them how to do back hand springs.  So Maliyah especially is excited to start that.  And the girls upper body strength is incredible.

 Austin's go-cart accident

Austin 7

So the boys are taking karate still, to my surprise.  And moving up slowly.  Austin has his red and blue strip, and Justin has his blue strip.  They are going 4 days a week.  And I can see a difference in how responsible they are, well some days anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkrzPLvuDe8

Justin 7 playing with his legos

Jake is playing basketball most afternoons. 

I run  1 1/2 to 2 miles a day.  And I feel really great.  I'm also obsessed with making smoothies, Summer is the best time to make them too.  All the fresh produce.  YUMMY!!

Enjoy the rest of your Summer, if you have any left. ;)

Love,
The Herrin's

What a GREAT SUMMER so far...

The Summer started off really hard with the girls getting sick and being in the hospital.  But so far so good (knock on wood) everyone is healthy and happy.  This Summer has been by far the best we have had.  I never hear the kids say they are bored.  They have all been great about cleaning up after themselves and doing their chores.  Maybe it's the fact that if they do extra chores I pay them.  I think I broke the code to motivate my kids into doing the chores.

Courtney, Kendra and Maliyah are going to Drama Camp this summer.  They love it!  And more importantly they get to go all day LONG!!  :)

I think I posted awhile ago about the boys going to Karate.  I thought the boys were to immature at the time and never really went forward and signed them up for it.  But this summer they were really pushing to start Karate again, so I took them back. They are ready for this BIG step and their sensai is really strict and  great with the boys.  They WANT to work hard going 4 days a week. Austin already received a blue stripe on his belt.  And the next day Justin got his.

Hope your Summer is going well!
Love,
The Herrin's