Camp Nee Nee & Boppa

We have been babysitting the grandkids this summer. We've had the 10 month old all year and then the 5 year old when he came down for the summer. On the 11th, we began watching the 2, 3 and 11 year old also! Their mom got a job and I told her we would babysit until I started back to school in Aug. That would give them some time to stockpile some money.

So two days a week we have all 5 of them here. However, as it has turned out, a few days have been odd man out. We spent one week at the beach, so only had the 3 little ones (in a studio apartment, that was quite enough). The 11 year old made the All-Star baseball team (yay!) so he's missed a couple days because he had to be at practice early so his other grandma took him. The 5 year old has spent a couple days with his other grandma, too.

And now the big adventure is coming! We are taking the 2 and 3 year old to the family reunion this coming week (it's 1200 miles away). My daughter will have to take a couple days off because my mom (who watches the baby a couple days a week) will be gone, as well as me. But it's not that big of a deal because she just moved into a new house and needs the time at home anyway. (In fact, she's moving in today!) The 11 year old will probably stay with his other grandma too. So the only ones who weren't "farmed out", we're taking with us. And what a difference it makes in preparing.

But we've had a good time (minus a few frantic moments) watching them this summer. Boppa even watched the 3 by himself when I was gone for 3 days. No problems. I try to put them on a schedule -- play time; snack; movie or outside (depends on weather) or go somewhere; lunch; quiet time; snack; outside or movie; snack and get ready to go home. It works pretty well. Now if I can only get the 3 year old potty trained!

Here are some photos of our fun this summer.