August, it's almost over

So I finally got my butt ingear here and decided it's time to update! lots of update. We had a busy July and now august is totally in full swing and every weekend is taken up with something. We went "camping" (I use the word losely since it was a cottage, with a stove, and fridge and BBQ and beds, tables, bathtubs and showers, and even a TV with VCR. So the word Camping is a very lose discription. My family is 19 people now on my side, all 19 of us went camping, The place we went to was perfect. The weather was good because itw asn't ovely hot or cold at any point that weekend. The beach was 1mile away, great for walking ot driving to and the kids had a great time. The pool was perfect if you didn't want to deal with salt and sand and my kids were pleased as punch. There ws freedom for them as my dh said they can only go 1mile this way and 2miles that way, so although we did keep a close eye they didn't have to be under our thumbs.
Each family of my mom and dad's 5 kids had a cabin of their own. my boys got a a pull out couch each and my little toddler had his playpen. He slept really well for a little boy out of his normal routine, almsot better than home.
This weekend it's "company BBQ" for my dh's company and we all went, I ended up taking 2 of the boys home with me after I developed a headache and upset stomach but it was still a good 2hours before I left and Dh came home with AJ all happy and excited about his time with daddy, while MJ napped for 2hours, and so did I and TJ got to relax his upset belly. For some reason my boys and apple juice do not mix. They eat applesauce, apple pie, and apples but the juice has them "running" to the bathroom. I felt bad that TJ missed the rest of the BBQ but next time he'll know to ask "is this apple juice, or does this have Apple juice in it?" when he takes something to drink. learning experience!
Now if they could just learn to cooperate with each other a little bit more. I know they are brothers and it's ingrained in them as "boys" but what happened to my sweet cuddly boys? Now it's computer games to argue over turns, legos to turn into guns, turning stuffed animals into "targets", and talking of blowing up whatever is close. they were on the sofa this week and I hear "Get off the sofa it's going to BLOW" and the scramble of little boy feet running to the other side of the room. I guess the navy might want them? between the water and the guns?
August is also the month of "getting ready for school" so there is that balance i'm trying to work on to keep the boys happy that it's summer and Happy that they will be going to school this year. I'll have 2/3 in school I'm still in mental age shock over that one. Where did my babies go? why is it I'm planning a day of shoe shopping for 2 boys for indoor and outdoor sneakers, and winter boots, and notebooks and papers and boxes of kleenex for the noses, where did I get 2 school kids? I've only so far managed to pick up 16/24 duotangs, I'm still trying to figure out why a 7yrold needs 20duotangs? seems excessive? I will keep them home and send maybe 8 since I really don't think any 7yrold will use 20 duotangs in 1 year.
So August will be the balancing month, trying to stretch those school free days of summer and trying to propell them into growing up and enjoying the age they are. I think I'll enjoy the fall with 1 little boy for 5hours a day but I know I'll miss 3 boys home competing for tv time, videogame time and sofa space before "it's going to BLOW abandon sofa!!!" :)