School is out for the summer in a week and I’m starting to get my normal pre-summer jitters.

After Ben got booted from the gym the weather miraculously warmed up. Which saved my sanity, but also made me feel like I couldn’t futz around the house and blame it on the weather. Instead of bringing the kids to the gym every morning for socialization, arts and crafts, story time and all the other fun stuff they provided, I was now responsible for their morning fun.

A morning at the Peggy Notebaert Museum.

We’ve been visiting parks around the city and museums each morning, followed by afternoon romps at Jack’s school playground, then sometimes we even hit a third playground while Jack practices baseball or soccer.

Twins discovered a mud puddle on a cold day. I had to strip them to their diapers to put them in the car after this incident!

It’s starting to get full on. And in another week Jack gets added to the roster.

Not all bad, here was a nice surprise. A guy shows up and starts singing kids songs in the park.

Now that I’m in “Julie McCoy” mode, I’m starting to think just how much more difficult it will be with one more.

Ben pointing me to his missing clothes.

Today I was immersed in so many tears, fights and messes I didn’t think I could take anymore. Just a few highlights for you… While sunscreening the twins, Ben covered our entire stroller with sand – jackets, lunch box, everything. Another bright spot of our park visit was when I was pulling a screaming Aaron off of some stranger, another father that he had attached himself too (I had to chase him down and literally pull him off the guy as he was trying to leave the park), I turned around I saw Ben running around shoeless, sockless, and yes, pantless. I’m pretty sure Ben managed to squeeze over 30 tantrums into the day. The twins locked themselves in the bathroom together while I was cooking dinner and when I found them they had covered the entire bathroom in toothpaste.

All in a day. And it’s a typical day. But with just three kids. Soon to be four.

Lord help me.