Bailey Family

 I wish the summer would slow down. School will be here in just a few weeks and I'm not ready yet! It feels like all we do lately is chores and work. At least for the adults around here. Work is good, and I like to get things done and have a "house of order", but I feel worn out all the time and the work is still never done. The kids are getting better at knowing how to clean up, but we still have a long way to go. (I believe it might take the full 18 years I have them to teach some of them!) The kids enjoy our "kitchen-den" while Rob and I painted the den/foyer (they thought it was the coolest thing to have all the den furniture in the kitchen for the day). The older kids got mailbox painting/fix up. The younger ones just had to stay out of the way while we worked last weekend. During the week, the kids worked with me organizing closets and bedrooms and toy boxes...etc etc etc! I can't make all 5 kids work all day long or I would...

I have grown to love the fact that my parents' house is near the beach. I still wish they lived closer, but having a "free" beach trip every summer is really really nice.  And he's off...Seth's favorite activity is to catch things - fish, clams, crabs, whatever he can get in his little net. He's been doing this for years and he's gotten pretty good the last couple...just wait and see! Carolyn goes into the ocean some, but mostly she likes to build things in the wet beach sand. She made friends - as usual - and they made a really interesting looking puddle - the sand looks like rocks bordering it. Alee is our little wild one - she's in and out and in and out...and all over the place. (Fortunately, she has a healthy respect for the ocean and if it feels too strong, she's out again.)  Mom and me just follow everyone around taking pictures!  Natalie has grown to love the little boogie board. This year, my b...