Summer Vacation

School starts tomorrow, so today is officially the last day of summer vacation. Out of the 8 weeks of break, we (the kids and I) have been out of town for 5 1/2 weeks of them. Saturday night we returned from Phoenix where we were visiting Greg's siblings. It was so fun to see everyone in their own element and of course, to spend time with them. I thought the weather would melt me, but was pleasantly surprised at the fact that the heat didn't bother me. I guess Stockton weather at 3 pm is about the same as Phoenix, or at least feels the same. Here, in my world, I don't go out of the house at that time of day and it's the same in AZ.

After we unpacked the car we loaded the kids back in and went back-to-school shopping. Let me say this: I now understand why my mom would take us one at a time, the week before school started. Scottie and Tyler are not a problem to have together in a store. The problem comes in a smaller package...namely, Joelle. She thinks that she is entitled to everything the boys get even though she's not starting Kindergarten until next year. YIKES! Suffice it to say, she weaseled some paint into the shopping cart. Well, that's not entirely accurate, she bugged so much that I finally agreed to get her whatever she was waving in front of my face, since it was about the 30th thing she had asked me to buy!!

Before our AZ trip, the kiddos and I went down to visit my parents in Moreno Valley. The kids loved being there and playing with their cousins, Roman and Mateo. Grandma Grove convinced Joelle that she should call her "Norma" so now that's what Joelle calls her. Shameful. Grandpa had a lot of fun with his grandkids as he acts just like them!