First, head down to visit Mary’s family for two nights – something that the kids have been counting down the days to just as eagerly as school starting:

Then, take a different route to get there in order to stop and have lunch with Elizabeth and her kids on the way. Realize that chocolate chip pancakes are a big hit with Hannah but not so much for Abby and Becca. But running around the restaurant with their new friend Kaitlyn? Lots of fun for the kids – not so much for the mommies. 

(please ignore the messy faces – I did mention the chocolate chip pancakes, right? LOL)

Arrive at Mary’s and send the kids outside to jump off the rest of that energy on the trampoline…

Decide the next day that when taking five kids ranging in age from 18 months to 8 years shopping all day, it makes sense to start out as early as possible, so they aren’t tired and cranky halfway through the 6-hour ordeal.

Leapsters to play with while riding in the van are also a good idea.  As is promising to take everyone out for ice cream afterward if they behave well enough. 

And further rewarding everyone by letting them all change into swimsuits and run the sprinkler from underneath the trampoline for a fun way to cool off after arriving home.

And lastly, watch your 3-year-old fall asleep on the floor after a very long, full – but fun – day.

Ok, so maybe I didn’t exactly ‘watch’ her fall asleep – since I had fallen asleep on the couch myself…

Like I said – a fun, but long, day. And weekend.