Six hours at the park

Note:  that is NOT my back...

Mine doesn't look that bad, but it feels that bad, actually - it's the back of my knees which are currently unbent and sticking out to the side of the computer armoire so that they won't be pained!  Why is it that I cannot remember that the first time I spend an extended day at the park that SPF 50 is not too much.  The kids all had it on and only Porter looks reddish.  I broke down and put some on after the first hour and a half... alas, that was too late! 

Sunburn aside, it was fun - we had friends coming and going from the park the entire day - the water features were all on and there was a cooler full of good food (and junk food) to keep the kids happy.  Speaking of junk food - I picked up some interesting flavors of pringles - Cheeseburger, Mac 'n Cheese, and Pizza...  I was only willing to take a portion of a chip per flavor - and though one of Trevor's friends claimed to be able to taste the pickle in the cheeseburger I just tasted the cheese and mustard.  Mac 'n Cheese was just a cheddar chip and Pizza... well, I had one a few years ago and it didn't bear revisiting... I happily munched my fat free original flavored pringles and read my book (thus the back of the knee problem!)

All in all the kids happily entertained themselves for hours with just the water features, a few butterfly nets, and food - we're going to do this more often... for about half that time and double the sunscreen!

Summertime...

and the livin' is...

Easy:  yes, there are no more morning carpools involving the passing of booster seats - no more babysitting of extra 6-yr olds after kindergarten - no more PTA meetings - no more nagging my children to complete their homework before they start to read - no more dance classes and baseball games to run to - 

Not so easy after all:  now begins the days of scout camps, friends until I want to choke someone, and late nights...

Lazy:  okay, today being the first day I stayed in bed 'til 8:00... I don't think that will last.  

Messy:  even though they aren't packing lunches in the morning they've already made a mess of the house just because they know they have all day to play and so we must get out everything we own and decide which is first up!

Expensive:  between lunches and the prizes we give for reading, in addition to the occasional cheap movie we will run to see, and not even figuring in the gas prices - this summer is going to be a budgeter's nightmare.

Disorganized:  hopefully this will change, I need more ideas for things to do with the kids... should I give each week a theme?  Plan more park days?  I'm up for ideas here folks - what do you do with your kids to keep them entertained during the long hot days?