2013 :: week 26

This week can pretty much be summed up in two words (pool and paint) or activities (swimming and home improvement).

Will gave his first talk in Primary on Sunday. He's had other assignments this year, but this was the first time we had to write the material. I'm a little embarrassed by the amount of stress I felt preparing for the 2.5 minute talk. The presentation went well. We got to church early and practiced a few time. He really liked using the microphone and did great when it was time for him to speak.

Will started swimming lessons this week, so the pool was a daily thing for us. The kids worked up quite an appetite and devoured the muffins and fruit I packed for us to eat on Monday. The rest of the week I packed more. Between the prep work and clean up, not to mention actually keeping track of the kids at the pool, pool trips are never really "relaxing." But they almost always go to bed well on nights we go, and we all have a good time, so we keep going.

Tuesday morning was pretty rainy. After an abbreviated swimming lesson (due to lightening in the area), Will came home and ran around on the deck for a bit. As you can see the paint is peeling on our patio and it needs to be refinished. We worked on that over the weekend.
 

 

While Anthony was in DC I painted the kitchen walls. It wasn't a very difficult job, but one I've been putting off for ages. It took me several tries before I found the right color, but I feel really happy with the one I ended up using. I also feel pretty pleased with myself for doing a project totally by myself, even if it was just painting.

Thursday afternoon I took the kids to the children's museum. I went with pretty low expectations which were slightly exceeded, so the trip was a success. Lauren really got into building while we were there. She spent a lot of time playing with Duplos, making towers, knocking them down, then expecting me to pick them up.

This is the remains of one of the dead bushes in our backyard. The drought last summer claimed a few of our plants and since we were in "home improvement/yardwork" mode, I decided it was time to get rid of it. While Tony prepped our deck for refinishing, I used a hedge-trimmer and shovel to get rid of the offending bushes.

Due to the aforementioned deck refinishing, we took a family trip to Home Depot and the kids wanted to explore the "barns" (sheds) displayed out front. The kids had fun dancing in the barn and Lauren mooed, hoping to see a cow. Our trip to the Home Depot, or "Ho Depot" as Will calls it, was also notable because we ran into our Congressman in the plant section.

climber

Lauren is a little climber. She may be short, but she doesn't let that stop her from trying to get what she wants. I often walk into a room and find her in some sort of precarious position. Sometimes she is trying to reach something that was placed out of her reach, and sometimes she just seems to be climbing for fun. Will has never been much of a daredevil, so this is all new for me.

2013 :: week 25

After eating more than we should for dinner on Father's Day, we decided to take a walk. Lauren took off and ran as fast as her little bowed legs could carry her and Will marched slow and steady with his drum. Between a freezing church building and the air conditioner in our car and home, we didn't realize how hot and humid it was outside. Both kids ended the walk by demanding to be carried the final eighth of a mile to our house.

Despite knowing about it for weeks, I put off constructing some look-and-find bags for our Relief Society service night (I'm on the planning committee) until the last minute. I had planned on a long night of "crafting" after the kids went to bed Monday because Tony had left that morning for DC. Turns out the training he had flown out for was cancelled, so he turned around and came back that night. While I was excited to have him back early, picking him up seriously cut into my sewing time! While I cut and sewed I watched a few episodes of the American Experience about FDR.

 
Tuesday evening Anthony and Will spent some time doing "mouse cards." Mouse cards are really Brain Quest cards for 3-4 year olds that Will loves to go through. The "monkey cards" are the Brain Quests for 2-3 year olds that have been passed on to Lauren. She can answer a few of the questions, but for the most part she just enjoys having cards of her own to look at while we quiz Will.

Wednesday morning we went to the library for their song and dance time. The kids loved it. Loved it. They had these ribbons for the kids to wave around during some of the song and Lauren hoarded them. There were a lot of great people-watching moments during the hour we were there, but my favorite was watching the hippie librarian dance around to a kiddie cover of "Yellow Submarine."

Thursday morning we went to Porter Park to meet friends from Hickory Hill's playgroup. We were very late and it was pretty humid, but it was a bright and sunny day and the kids had a great time. I enjoyed visiting with Rachel and spending time at a new park.

Friday we got to spend the evening celebrating Laura's 20th birthday. One of the perks of living so close to my parents is that we get to spend time with my sisters when they are in town. Laura is home from BYU for the summer, so instead of celebrating her bday with a bunch of friends she got to spend it with Will practically opening all her presents for her. Laura is gorgeous and smart, but so down to earth and fun. I'm glad

Of all the things we did today, cleaning the toilets was far and away the thing Will looked forward to the most. For some reason Will really likes to "clean the potties!" I hope he always is so enthusiastic about chores. Also, photographic proof for future roommates/wife that we taught him how to clean.

2013 :: week 24

Lauren's new shoes of choice are these pink water shoes my mom picked up for her on the clearance rack last year. They are great for the pool, but she wants to where them everywhere. After vetoing them for church, we let her wear them around Sunday evening. She was quite pleased.

Will has been begging to go to the children's museum ever since we got back from Utah. Monday was the first day that worked out for us to go and we were there as soon as they opened that morning. As usual, we spent a disproportionate amount of time in the ball room. I was relieved the museum wasn't nearly as crowded as it had been the past few visits, making it much easier to keep track of Lauren.

Tuesday we went to Olathe and had an indoor picnic with the Diggins. Will loves the Diggins because Carrie's keeps her pantry well stocked with a variety of good food and their den well stocked with art supplies. Lauren likes their toys and "bay-BEE" Gwen. I enjoy chatting with Carrie and knowing my kids are having a good time. A visit with the Diggins is always a win for the whole family, especially when Anthony is out of town and we're all getting a little tired of each other.

At the pool Wednesday afternoon Lauren was driving me a little nuts wandering too and fro. As I followed her from place to place I daydreamed about future days of coming to the pool, lounging and reading a book while my kids cheerfully play together. Then I saw noticed her cute little footprints and decided I should probably stop wishing my life away and just enjoy the present.

Will is a lover of "art projects." I'm having a hard time keeping up with his need to create. Luckily he isn't too picky. Here he is stamping a zoo with some new animal stamps.

Friday afternoon we went to a "goodbye" picnic for several girls from our old ward. Despite Will running out in front of a car and getting cursed, we had a fun time. Several of the kids had fun spinning each other around on the old school merry-go-round. Watching the kids play reminded me of how much fun it is to be young in the summer.

Saturday brought some crazy weather. After a hot, sunny morning we were treated to a sky full of clouds before severe thunderstorms. The clouds reminded me of snowdrifts, spread out across the sky. I don't know why, but I find clouds so fascinating.

fathers

   

2013 :: week 23

Sunday evening while we were in our backyard Will started rolling around in the grass. He then informed us it was his favorite thing to do.

Monday afternoon we went to the pool. It took Lauren a long while to warm up to the water. She took a couple of spills in the bath over the past few months (because she insists on standing) and so she's been taking things slow with the pool this year.

Tuesday was rainy, but we still ventured out to library storytime and lunch. While we were out and about Will kept wanting to jump in puddles. When we got home I let him and Lauren run around in our driveway for a bit. Unfortunately for the kids our driveway is pretty flat so there weren't many puddles. We still had fun though.

Wednesday afternoon it felt like it had been rainy forever. We went outside to run around in the yard like we had Tuesday and I noticed music coming from the pool. Upon further investigation I discovered the pool was open, so we decided to go. Apparently they only close if lightning is detected in the area. So what if it was 66 degrees with the occasional drizzle? I figured we had nothing to lose and we ended up having a great time. We were three of about six pool patrons. It was nice having the place to ourselves, Lauren had time and room to explore and get comfortable. And Will had a ball pretending he was a mean hippo.

 

It was so fun watching the kids dance their little hearts out Thursday night. 

Friday we picked Tony up from the airport after his latest trip to DC. Lots of travel means there is a lot of work for him to do, but we all look forward to having him home again.

Saturday morning we went to Costco to pick up a few things. They were giving out watermelon samples and Lauren chowed down. Will was grossed out when she started eating the rind.

(almost) perfect summer evening

Every once in awhile the stars align and for a few minutes, the world feels almost perfect.

Earlier this week my friend, Stephanie told me that a local shopping center will be hosting a Thursday night concert series this summer. Since both our husbands had work commitments keeping them away from us, we decided to meet up, get dinner, and enjoy an evening out of the house together.

We ended up having an almost perfect summer evening. The weather was gorgeous. The kids had a blast. We ate delicious food. We won prizes. We danced. By all accounts the night exceeded expectations.

 coloring booth

 dancing with the group

 making new friends

taking a brief rest with old friends

 fixating on the band

 dancing with mom to Sweet Caroline

rocking back and forth (her signature move)

After what seems like weeks of rain it was great to get out of the house, let loose and soak up some vitamin d. I'm feeling a lot more optimistic about summer.

lauren's hair don't

Toddler hair can be tricky. Especially for those of us that don't have a talent with hair in the first place. I don't get around to blogging about many things I mean to, but one things I seem to a pretty good job at documenting is the poor job I do with Will's hair (see here, here and here). It is now Lauren's turn to bask in my mane-negligence.

Lauren's latest hair doppelganger is Luanne Platter of King of the Hill fame.

It is exciting that she is finally getting some length, and even looks pretty cute in a ponytail. The problem is she fights me every time I approach her with a comb, and pulls out most berets and hair ties.

I guess growing hair always has an awkward stage.

in bloom

I love the plants the previous owners planted around our home. These pictures don't do them justice, nor do our attempts to keep them alive. One perk of all the rain we've been getting this spring is that they are all SO gorgeous.

When we returned from Utah there were even more blossoms on the rose bush. Unfortunately, the heavy rains we've been getting the last couple days have been a little too hard and a lot of the petals have fallen off.

Last year this bush didn't produce any blossoms. Due to the rain, many of the blossoms are currently weighed down, but it still looks and smells beautiful.

This plant would probably have more blossoms, but Will keeps picking the "beautiful flowers" and giving them too me.  He thinks if he gives them to me "as a special present" I won't be mad.

Will actually likes to pick buds off all flowering plants. It's a real problem. Especially when he does it in public places (like the arboretum, Deanna Rose, or a cemetery!).

This mock orange is in our back yard. It is especially gorgeous in person.It has a nice fragrance and really livens up the place.