Can A Countdown Be Random?

Why, yes. On Monday they can...




I know, I know, some friends won't want to hear this (SORRY CINDY!) but, it is just 16 days until the kids start school. I mentioned early on in the season that Andrew (my middle child, age 12, for newbie readers) would be in the summer session of his new school for 6 weeks. (This is a special program at the school to continue working on things like social connections through out the year. Great for a special needs kid that needs continuity!) Friday was the last day of that and it really is a Catch 22. The program was really great for him, but combined with Jacob's (my oldest child, age 13, for newbie readers) football schedule, we never really had more than 2 hours here or there broken up through the day to do anything. Which has been incredibly boring for Lauren (my youngest, age 8, for newbie readers). So we really haven't done as much as we have in past summers. And I thought it was going to work out that I could make it to the studio at least a few times a week, but oh was I wrong about that! Only time I have gotten to really spend there are stolen hours in wee morning times on the weekend. (Like yesterday at 6am, yyyaaawwwwnnn.)

But I digress...
With this Monday coming up fast, part of me felt a sudden panic at oh-my-stars-how-am-I-going-to-keep-these-kids-entertained-for-the-next-few-weeks, the other part of me knew that with a little support from friends and family we could get through and we would finally be able to DO stuff. We do something called CFTs (Child Family Team Meetings) with Andrew's Care Coordinator. Here are the things our team brainstormed to do over the next 16 days... in no particular order... because it is Random Monday.

• The Strong National Museum of Play (video game exhibit) check
• Swim at Ontario Beach Park
• Play Frisbee Golf at Ellison Park and Picnic check
• Bowling
• Take a trip to a BIG zoo... The Buffalo Zoo
• Go camping, or to Aunt Mary's cottage check
• Cornmaze or Wickham Farms
• Planetarium or Science Center
• Check out the new Abraham Lincoln Park check
• Mini golf
• Find Corbitt's Glen check
• Corning Museum of Glass
• Meet new school teachers check
• Stoneybrook Park

Quite the list, isn't it? As soon as Andrew got home from school on Friday, we checked out the new Abraham Lincoln Park here just a mile or two from our house. It has trails down to the Irondequoit Bay. Lots of fun, sadly, I didn't pull my camera out. (Them trails were hills and I was in flip flops, camera safety must be maintained at all times. I couldn't risk it! ) I just learned this morning that we'll be taking an inpromptu trip to my Aunt's cottage for a few days this week too. And with rain in the forecast we are checkign out The Strong Museum today.
I wonder how many other things we'll be able to cram into the next two weeks? Stay tuned.
And, until school starts again, I'll keep using photos like these to daydream about studio time.