Summer is in full swing in the Huyser household. We are enjoying the freedom of less structure--although I was silly to think that the kids would enjoy sleeping later. Even with no bus to catch, they are all up long before 7:00 each morning. The big kids are supposed to play quietly in their rooms until 7, but Daniel hasn't gotten the message and is usually ready for the day between 5:30 and 6:00.
For the past three years, we have been renting out our duplex property. It is about a 25 minute drive from our current home and Matt was traveling there often for yard work and other property management issues. When the tenants informed us that they weren't renewing their lease, we decided it was the right time to list the property. Matt worked hard to spruce the place up and we were thrilled to receive three offers (two of which were over listing price) by the end of the first full day it was on the market. All went well and we closed on June 6. God really blessed us and protected us through the whole process. We love our new home and certainly appreciate the space for our growing family. Our tenants were wonderful and took great care of the property. And the timing of the sale and the state of the housing market worked out wonderfully.
We have had some issues with our mini-van this summer. It's working for the time being, but we decided that we needed to upgrade Matt's truck to one that could fit the whole family. Getting to go for a ride in "Daddy's black truck" was always a special treat for the kids, especially if they got to ride in the jumper seats in the back. Having a bigger vehicle that I can actually drive (never quite got the hang of the manual transmission...) is another blessing for which we are thankful.
So far this summer we have enjoyed some outdoor concerts at a nearby park, trips to the pool, and a visit to the Georgia Aquarium. All six of us attended Vacation Bible School at church. Matt was a guide for Claire's class and I worked in the snack room. The kids had a blast and are still singing the songs.
The summer schedule, or lack thereof, is a little overwhelming at times, so I decided to come up with a system to provide a little structure and hopefully some educational opportunities. Each day of the week has a different category. Mondays are for reading. Tuesdays for math. Wednesdays for writing. Thursdays for serving others. Fridays for science. Saturdays for piano lessons (James and Claire). And Sundays are for reviewing Bible memory verses. I'm not devoting great amount of time to this, but using it as a guide for choosing activities for the day. Hopefully they are learning and making some fun memories in the process. Favorites that they've enjoyed so far include science experiments, learning about simple machines, an ABC scavenger hunt around the house, and playing a math bingo style game called "Zingo." Claire is really enjoying the piano lesson time and taking her practicing seriously. I'm not sure if James is going to stick with it. He is smart enough to learn but doesn't always want to, so we may take a break and try again next year with him.
Daniel continues to be a sweet, happy little guy. He's very physical and rough as he climbs all over whoever or whatever is in reach. He's not walking independently but crawls quickly, pulls up, and cruises all around. He opens drawers and cabinets and is into everything. He can climb up stairs and thinks this is quite fun. He has a blast in the playroom crawling all over, in and out of the playhouse, through the play tunnel, climbing up the slide, and throwing balls around. I've even noticed him trying to throw balls into the basketball goal. He's nowhere close to getting it in, but it's adorable to watch him try. While normally very agreeable, he can quickly get upset when something is taken away or he doesn't get what he wants. He has learned a few "tricks" like waving, kissing, and clapping, but seems to forget one when he learns a new one. For several weeks, he's had six teeth, four on top and two on bottom. Last week he had a bottom molar come through. Not sure where those in-between teeth are! Daniel still cries out several time a night but stays alone in his bed until the 5:00 hour when I feed him. He does well with some solid foods like bread and crackers and meats but doesn't like any pieces of fruit or vegetable. He only eats those in purred form, so it must be a texture issue more than a flavor issue. Daniel is wearing size 12 and size 18 month clothes and size 4 diapers. He takes a short nap in the morning and a longer afternoon nap.
Ethan is approaching his third birthday. He is full of energy and life and laughter. He can be very stubborn. He often insists on doing things on his own. Yesterday he refused to turn his underwear around, saying that he liked to wear it backwards. He laughs easily and gets very excited over simple things. He loves to play with James and Claire and will out-climb them both at any playground. He has a few little buddies of his own now, and it's cute to hear him converse with his friends and get excited to see them. He loved his music class with Ms. Gail and was sad to see it end. He has an adorable little two-year-old lisp and sometimes gets words mixed up in hilarious ways. We got Matt and camping hammock for Father's day, but Ethan kept calling it an attic. Today he said that he wanted to play with "Mr. Tomato Head." He enjoys board games and reading and playing pretend. Most days he doesn't nap, but when he does he's so grumpy that it's hard to get him out of it for the rest of the day. He eats very well, usually finishing all of his food. He's wearing size 3T clothes and sleeps from about 7:30-6:30 each night.
James' year at preschool finished up well. He never really would tell me much about what he did there but was always proud to show off artwork and always went to school willingly. He enjoys making other people laugh and I think this gave him a little bit of popularity in his class. I've heard from a few moms about how their child was always coming home with stories about James. One mom was impressed that James showed her son how to peel a banana and use scissors. This same little boy also got himself dressed for the first time and came out his room saying that he had done it--"Just like James!" James is a sponge for knowledge and loves to learn. He listens closely and asks good questions. He reads very well for his age and loves to be read to. He really enjoys nonfiction books and his animal magazines. James doesn't need much sleep and is up at the crack of dawn every morning, often waking Ethan. He eats well though needs persuasion to finish his vegetables. He wears size 4 clothes.
After getting off of the bus on the last day of Kindergarten, Claire broke down and cried and cried the rest of the afternoon. She loved school and her teacher so much and was devastated that it was over. We were so proud of how well she did all year. Matt built Claire a beautiful desk for her room. Claire spends hours and hours at her desk. She doesn't just write and color, but she loves to create things. She pours over the American Girl catalogue and recreates the accessories for her doll. She has made her a lunch tray (complete with an apple, milk carton, and bag of carrots), a pet fish in a bowl, a balance beam and trapeze bar, a cast, toys, and so much more. All of these things are 3D and remarkably well done. Give her paper, markers, scissors and tape and she can stay busy for hours! She loves her afternoon quiet time and creating and playing pretend. Claire continues to eat very well, almost always clearing her plate and wanting more. She wears size 6 and 6x clothes and sleeps like a rock every night.
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