Lazy Day Activities

For those of you who have been walking the MOAT road for a while, you know that our family steers clear of a full schedule. It’s not as much my doing as my husband’s. He has no interest our kids being in the car, running from activity to activity. So many a day, you can find us home. (I’m pretty much everyone’s “emergency number” since I’m usually around.)

Even though, maybe because, we have 5 kids, scheduled activities are light. Our summer is sparce. Sister-Save-A-Lot has been doing an afternoon drama camp, Speed Police has been baby-sitting, Slow Walker will do a soccer camp in 2 weeks (and go to Kanakuk in July), and Teen Take-Out will be hitting the summer school books in a few weeks (plus his job) … That’s about it.

“When are we going to the beach?!!” TTO moans almost every day. “Anywhere… We have to go somewhere!! We’re the ONLY people I know who aren’t spending their summer in another country!” He may take over from Slow Walker as the Drama King.

One great thing about an open schedule is that we can keep our eyes out for a travel deal. He and his dad might head to Canada for a week with Jon’s family… we’ll see. Another great thing is watching the kids come up with fun (beyond the intermittent screaming and periodic personal space invasion). Here’s what they did yesterday:

Fun Shoe Craft

Speed Police had the itch to paint something. Shoes came up in our conversation and off we went to Famous Footwear to pick up a pair of white canvas shoes. (While we were there, we just had to grab a pair for our neighbor friend who so sweetly endures the good, the bad & the ugly around here:)

This cute box housed some nice $19.99 white canvas shoes … perfect for what she wanted to do.

We’ve never done fabric painting, so had to stop by Michael’s and add to our paint stash. It was worth it. We’ll have a blast with these things. They work great.

The girls plan doodled on paper to get the feel of the pens and an idea of what they wanted to put on their shoes, then didn’t look up for an hour. Fun conversation, creative designs … even a little dinner.

(yummy quesadillas with some DELICIOUS summer fruit – on paper plates!)

Aren’t the cute!!!
The Versatile Paper Cup

While the older girls were painting, I heard the owner of scampering little feet opening and closing our pantry door. Urged on by his brother and sister, kid was grabbing cups. The clan was building and knocking down paper cup towers.

They moved from the floor to get more height and a better fly zone on our den table.

They had to be patient with each other and work together, especially in

putting up with the littlest hands that tended to jump the gun on knocking it all down.

One of the larger towers.

The best part!

What’s left. Most of them flew over our heads and landed on the floor.

I’m not sure our frugal dad would be super happy with the appearance of wastefulness associated with using paper cups for something other than drinking. We’re applying the 5 second rule and will drink out of them anyway.

Looking forward to see what today has in store.

Thanks for walking the road with me.
-Kay

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