Full House

Friends of ours are out of town this week so we have two extra kids! It's been a lot of fun! They brought with them caterpillars and since they have been here we saw one turn into a cacoon (is that how you say it?). Stink Bug is making a book (and taking pictures) about them and what they are doing each day. This morning the kids and friends did their chores and were sitting at the school table by 9am! I was so happy! I split the kids up into groups...one group of three (5,6,7) did math work while the second group (7,8,10) played with our magnets (they built a car and then made it move & other fun stuff) and the third group was June Bug by himself doing math. Oh yeah the fourth group :) was Wheel Bug by himself painting, coloring and playing with foam stickers (he stayed like that for more than an hour!!!). After the younger group finished they switched with the middle group and played with the magnets and the other kids did their math. Ladybug left her group to be by herself cause she is at a different level then the boys (Stink Bug and friend). After a little while of being in the same room with June and Wheel Bug, ladybug had to go find a quieter spot to work. After Stink Bug and friend were done with their math they put together a giant floor puzzle of the human anatomy. When the little ones finished with the magnets they did a geometric coloring page then cut it out and glued it onto construction paper. When the older two groups were done with everything they made a dome out of pipe cleaners, straws, tape and yarn. It took them (really only June Bug worked the other three played or watched and he was just fine with doing it himself) til noon and then had lunch. At 12:40 the kids jumped on the tramp. At 1:00 we went to the pet store to get new fish. We were the only ones there so we had everyones attention (WOW 8 kids----no 2 are not ours----wow you have 6 kids I love that). We saw all the animals in the store and we even got to sit in the reptile room and learn about a Chinese Dragon they had. We took home seven fish and one crab. Later around 5:15 I was cleaning up after supper and we were preparing to go to soccer one of the kids yelled that one of the fish had bitten off the tail of Ladybugs fish. Dad quickly ran over and seperated the fish into containers to take them back to the store to exchange them. I finished up inside while my hubby put kids and fish into the car. When I came outside Wheel Bug and Dad were on the porch on their knees. Wheel Bug looked up at me and said, "Daddy dropped the fish in the dirt!" He did (but quickly picked it back up) while he was pouring some water out of the container the fish was in Lacy, Ladybug's fish, fell out! By the time we got into the car and headed for soccer we were 20 min late. When we got there we found out that L.B. practice was cancelled due to the threat of rain, so back off to the pet store. After the pet store we went back to the field for Lightning Bug's practice. After her practice we drove to church where June Bug had scouts and Ladybug had a mother-daughter social. We had a nice time and enjoyed yummy treats. We came back home for a book, Beware of the Bears, and family prayer. By 9:00 everyone was in bed. What a day! Tomorrow Dad is taking our older three boys and friend camping on the Eastern Shore! The girls (and Wheel Bug) and I are going to make sundaes, pop popcorn, watch a movie and camp out in the family room. Fun! Fun!

Linz