2017 :: week 25

SUMMER :: WEEK 5

the week with lots of friends

June 18

Happy Father's Day to Tony! Due to the Olathe Stake Conference our meeting time was switched from 9am to 1pm. This worked out nicely because we were able to have a relaxing morning. We slept in, made German pancakes and played multiple rounds of Clue Jr., and Sleeping Queens.

June 19

We cashed in our Blue Crew tickets to see the Royals take on the Red Sox Monday evening. We met the Cooks about an hour before the game started and spent some time at the Little K while the kids took on some batting practice, pitched, climbed on the playground and rode the carousel. The actual game was great too! Will and Jack went wild when Eric Hosmer hit a home run (he's on Anthony's fantasy team so it wasn't all bad for him either). It was a fun game made better with fun company and yummy snacks. We visited about the Cooks upcoming move back to California. We are going to miss them! Our families match up really well--there is a built-in friend for each member of both families.

June 20

We made our weekly library visit Tuesday afternoon. Will beat me in a game of checkers and was pretty excited. I must defend myself a little bit, I was very distracted by trying to keep tabs on Elliott.

June 21

Several ladies from the ward got together for the morning "splash with me" pool session at Flat Rock Creek Park. It is intended for younger kids and in years past my kids have really enjoyed it, but I fear we may be outgrowing some of these activities. My kids were the oldest kids there, though there were several girls Lauren's age. Will was bummed no one his age was there and that he couldn't swim in the deep end. Even though there were friends for Lauren to play with, she too felt limited by the shallow end. At least Elliott enjoyed the spray features. Playgroups and park meet-ups have been my lifeline ever since I became a stay-at-home mom. It is weird to think that they won't always be a big part of my life.

June 22

When the kids ask if they can "do science" I know what they are really asking is, "can we mix various ingredients and see if there is a reaction?" Vinegar and baking soda are the building blocks of most of the experimentation, then they add whatever they can find in my spice drawer. This day they added sprinkles, cocoa powder, baking powder and cumin. The mixture had an interesting smell. When Anthony arrived home from work he asked if I had "done some baking?" The kids also used a "Kitchen Science" kit to make a volcano, shoot a rocket and conduct electricity through a tomato.

June 23

For the first time in months we got together with the Diggins clan. We made a list of things we wanted to do this summer and "playdate at Gwen's house" was high on Lauren's list. The kids played together very well and Carrie and I chatted about the current happenings in our lives.

June 24

Two of our neighbors (the Andrews and Sutherlins) smoke meat occasionally and they coordinated a block party BBQ Saturday evening to share the wealth with the rest of us. We brought cookies, chips and fruit and feasted on the delicious meat they prepared. Water balloons, good music and good company made for a fantastic evening. It was not very humid and the weather was uncharacteristically cool for a Kansas summer night.