2018 :: week 27

June 24

Lauren is a girl after my own heart. Over the weekend we worked on getting the Lego situation under control again. We have to do this every 4-6 weeks. We take all the structures apart and then sort the pieces by color. The kids do most of this themselves. After they were done Lauren took it a step further and made color-coded labels for each bin.

June 25

Monday evening Anthony took the kids to the pool. It had rained the night before and the water was chilly. The most exciting part of their visit was the baby duckling in the water!

June 26

Tuesday Will and I spent the day at Cub Scout camp. It was so hot! I drank a ton of water and didn't have to use the bathroom once! Our ward is small, so we combine with another ward that meets in our building, which happens to be in a different stake. That stake recently realigned boundaries and a different ward in that stake had boys that were previously in the ward we combined with, so that ward combined with our group too. I give all that background to say that I really only knew the five boys from our ward (out of 15 total). Regardless, the boys had a lot of fun together and our piecemeal pack "dominated" the water fight. My good friend and college roommate Carrie is the Den Leader in her ward and was there as well.

June 27

Lauren, Elliott and I went to splash pad at Sapling Grove with Renee and her boys. Elliott and Blaise have a lot of fun together. Blaise struggles to handle his feelings for Lauren--he seems to like her--and often pushes her or pulls her hair. The kids had a blast cooling off the in the water and playing on the playground. We couldn't stay as long as I would have liked because I was spending the rest of the day crossing items off my to-do list before we left to go to Idaho.

June 28

We drove to Cheyenne, Wyoming (approximately 9 hours). The kids were great sports drawing and watching various kid shows. As Anthony and I listened to the 90s Love Song station on Pandora and the Revisionist History podcast we realized we are undeniably parents in our 30s. We packed food and ate a picnic lunch at a rest stop in Nebraska. Will and TJ played a little catch and Elliott, Lauren and I ran a few laps. We made it to Cheyenne just before dinnertime. After dinner at Arby's we took a refreshing swim and finished up the night watching The Lion King. Road trip 2018 is off to a great start!

June 29

We made it to Idaho in the middle of the afternoon. My dad gave the kids a tour of the barn and fields around the house. The kids climbed the giant pile of hay bales and chased the sheep. Then we drove down to Maple Canyon to set up camp. After dinner people shared some of Grandma Crane's poems, with a few jokes peppered in. That night we camped for the first time as a family of five! Will slept in Uncle Jake's tent, which made our tent much more comfortable. We will need to upgrade to a larger tent when and if we go camping again.

June 30

We all woke up pretty early Saturday morning. We joined some family members on a hike, visited, and played with cousins all day long. Will quickly became buddies with my cousin Alicia's son, Eli. Lauren spent most of her time with my cousin Anne Marie's daughter, Alivia. Elliott wandered around exploring and making people laugh. It was a great day, everything I hoped the reunion would be. We strengthened family bonds, leaned about our past and ate too much delicious food.

2018 :: week 26

June 17

Sunday we celebrated Father's Day by having Tony home with us all morning! We made cinnamon rolls and played a few game. We are grateful to have such a great dad for our family. The kids adore him and he them.

June 18

The kids chose to go up to the park for our FHE activity Monday evening. Will and Anthony played catch while Elliott, Lauren and I went to the playground. Lauren worked on her monkey bar skills until her blisters popped and it became too painful to cross.

June 19

We've been going to nearby schools for the free lunches that are served a few days each week. My kids favorite meals are anything involving chicken--nuggets, strips or popcorn, cheeseburgers and corn dogs. The kids like to "cheers" each other with their milk and juice cartons. We usually run into  a few friends when we go and I don't have to deal with lunch cleanup at home so it is a big win.

June 20

The kids continued their swimming lessons this week. I usually try to avoid the first session of lessons because the water is still a little cold, but with Cub Scout Day camp coming up as well as our trip to Idaho, the first session was the only one that would work. Will and Lauren worked hard and did a great job in their respective classes. They worked on swimming on their backs--airplane, chicken, soldier--treading water for three minutes, doing bobs in deep water, retrieving objects from the bottom of the pool without goggles and tuck dives.

June 21

It was an unusually cool week for June, and so we did many non-pool related activities this week. On Thursday evening we went to Civil War night at Mahaffie Farms and the kids "enlisted" in the Union Army. They learned some "battle marches," we listened to a brief lecture about Civil War weaponry, witnessed a cannon being fired, hauled water via a yoke and buckets for laundry, toured the house and got to pet several animals. It was a really fun night for our history-loving family. Other things we did this week were go to a $1 movie--Ninjago, visit the library multiple times, and playdates with friends.

June 22

Friday evening we wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather so we dined on pizza al fresco and took our scooters to the Riverfront Trails. We were able to go a lot farther than we have in the past because the weather was so nice and the older kids had their scooters. It rained several times earlier in the week and the currant was fast and river full of driftwood. Whenever we go by the Missouri River I am reminded of the scripture in D&C 121:33. It says, "How long can rolling waters remain unpure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well as might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri River in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of Latter-day Saints." Standing next to this great river it is painfully clear that God's power is so much greater than man's.

June 23

Saturday was full of various chores and obligations. In the afternoon we squeezed in a quick pool trip and saw several friends. Will and his friend Porter jumped off the diving boards together before we left to go home. That evening we went to a wedding reception.

2018 :: week 25

June 10

We spent a lot of time with my family on Sunday. We stopped by my parents house before church to play and visit. Jill and Laura left after Sacrament Meeting to fly back to Utah, but Melanie stayed until Monday. After dinner we tried to get a picture of the grandkids with Memaw and Pepaw, but at the end of a long day that is easier said than done. Elliott's "cheese" face cracks me up!

June 11

Melanie and Leah squeezed in one last pool trip before they headed to the airport Monday evening.

June 12

I copied my friend Emilee's idea to have the kids do Summer Reading Bingo. Part of our summer routine is the have them read for thirty minutes each day. The kids like to read in general, but have been lacking in enthusiasm. When I asked them if they would like to earn a small prize each week for completing a bingo they were on board and excited. Basically they pick a way to read and then go for it. Will chose "read in a fort" and built this fort out of couch cushions. He is reading Superfudge. Lauren was up in her room reading Pete the Cat to her stuffed animals.

June 13

Wednesday morning while the kids were in swimming lessons I was talking with another mom about how cool it felt. It was about 80 degrees and nice and breezy. I asked the kids if they would like to go blueberry picking and they said yes. We went home, the kids changed and we headed to The Berry Patch. We picked berries for a bit and then ate a picnic lunch. It was a fun excursion.

June 14

Lauren found our missing game of Sleeping Queens when we were tidying up this week and it has quickly become part of our daily routine. We played a few rounds after dinner Thursday. Elliott is expressing interest in playing and usually wants to be on Daddy's team. Now that Lauren is more confident with her addition skills she is playing a lot better.

June 15

After we finished our Meals on Wheels route we visited the recently revamped Sapling Grove Park. Elliott and I had visited it earlier in the week while Anthony took the older kids to Family Night at Scout Camp and was anxious to go back with the big kids. We drive past the park when we deliver our meal and have watched the progress of the park over the past several months. The city added a small water feature and the boys had fun running through the streams of spray. It was a very hot day and the water was very refreshing. I am hoping to get to another spray park next week.

June 16

Will's baseball team had their last game today and he went out with a bang. With two outs in the last inning he hit an RBI double, keeping the team alive. The team lost, but he was happy to end the season on a high note. He mainly played first base this year and he did a pretty good job, he got four put-outs today. It has been so fun seeing him improve and excel at the game he loves.

2018 :: week 24

June 3

Sunday afternoon Will played the piano and Lauren sang along. Will has taught himself to play the melody of a few Imagine Dragons songs. I love listening to them make music together.

June 4

Monday was a busy day. The older kids attended a VBS (vacation bible school) in the morning. I love sending my kids to vacation bible school in the summer. When they got home we worked on laundry and other post-trip chores. Then Will had his first official piano lesson in the afternoon. His teacher is Miss Julie, who also taught my youngest sister Laura the piano. He had a great first lesson and maintained the enthusiasm throughout the week. He practiced everyday without complaint. One of my concerns about him taking piano lessons is his motivation to practice. That night Will and Tony went to Will's baseball practice and Lauren, Elliott and I went to the gym. We rounded out the night with an FHE where we talked about focusing on the important things in life.

June 5

My garden is growing! I was surprised to see how much it grew while we were gone last week. We were only gone about four days and my tomato plants seemed to have grown about a few inches. I am looking forward to when the plants are producing. One of Will and Lauren's summer chores is to help me weed and having their help has made tending the garden so much easier. Elliott wants to help too, but he wants to pick everything so we have to distract him while we work. Maybe we can use his services next year?

June 6

My sister Melanie is in town, and she, along with all local family members came over for dinner Wednesday night. My parents ordered a few meals from Jose Peppers and divided the meals into smaller portions which we shared. The kids had fun playing in our basement and running around in our back yard. I love seeing my kids interact with their cousins.

June 7

I didn't get much done on Thursday. I found out that my friend's son had fallen in a pond and nearly drowned Wednesday evening. They were able to resuscitate him, but the brain damage was severe and he passed away early Sunday morning. I spent Thursday evening feeling sad for my friend and her family. Her older son was one of my nursery kids last year, and they moved to Utah at the end of April. Meanwhile, Tony drove up to Girl's Camp Thursday for the testimony meeting. Per tradition he brought up a cooler full of popsicles and cold ice cream novelties.

June 8

Friday evening Jill and Laura arrived for a "Girl's Weekend." We celebrated Jill and the upcoming birth of her little boy with a Harry Potter themed shower. Melanie suggested the Harry Potter theme because her due date is July 31st, which just so happens to be Harry's birthday. We donned costumes (Lauren and Leah really got into that), played a few games, and chatted about pregnancy, babies, and birth. 

June 9

Saturday was a family day. In the morning we went to the Deanna Rose Farmstead for a few hours. We fed goats, rode the toy tractors, played on the playgrounds and checked out some animals. It was  a great time, but very hot. After breaking for lunch and naps we met up at the pool for some swimming. The water felt wonderful!

2018 :: week 23

May 27

Sunday was my 35th birthday, and Sunday birthdays are a mixed bag. Tony was gone from 8:30-5:30pm and the nursery was extra hot and humid, so it was no different than any other Sunday in that regard. We ate dinner at my parents' house, and feasted on salmon, beans, corn and rice. My dad made his famous apple crisp for dessert and carefully put 35 candles on top. He was lucky he didn't get burned trying to light them all! Age is such a funny thing. I'm clearly not a young adult, but don't feel like I've quite hit middle age. Doesn't middle age depends on how old you live to be? Whatever it is I feel like I am at a sweet spot in life. I still feel young and have energy to do things with my kids, but am wise enough (or at least have enough life experience) to not sweat the small stuff. I found this post I wrote ten years ago right before I turned 25 and it made me smile remembering . Oddly enough we went to Chicago ten years ago too!

May 28

The neighborhood pool opened Sunday and the kids really wanted to go. They understand why we don't go to the pool on Sundays, but it didn't help that it was very hot and several friends texted to see if we were going. It was a good opportunity to reiterate what we do and don't do on Sundays. On Monday afternoon the kids were chomping at the bit to go swimming. After we went to the ward Memorial Day picnic we headed over for our first swim of the season. Due to a horrific accident at a local water park the state recently amended its safety regulations about water slides, etc. At our local pool they removed the high dive and replaced it with a low dive (now there are two low dives) and require you to be 48 inches tall to use the slide. The kids were very bummed when they found out about the changes, but with a few days to process the news they're doing okay.

May 29

In the morning we did all our chores in preparation for our trip to Chicago. In the afternoon we were back at our happy place! It has been fun going to the pool this year now that Lauren knows the other kids her age in our neighborhood and Elliott likes being in the water.

May 30

Wednesday morning we got up early and caught the train to Chicago! Tony had a conference to attend and the kids and I decided to tag along. We had talked about taking a trip via train for years and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. Due to a few delays en route we arrived just in time for rush-hour, which made getting to our hotel more stressful than anticipated. We walked by Millenium Park to check out the Bean (Cloud Gate) and then went to Giordano's for some delicious deep-dish pizza. It started to rain while we were eating so we took an uber back to our hotel, then Tony took Will and Lauren swimming at our hotel. I was disappointed we weren't able to walk along the Riverwalk like we planned, but the kids were excited to get to go swimming and take a dip in the hot tub.

May 31

Thursday was a busy day. While Tony was at his conference the kids and I went to the Field Museum.  It was very similar to the Museum of Natural History that we visited in Washington DC with the kids last fall and they kept wanting to see things we saw there. They are both in large marble buildings with exhibits featuring hundreds of taxidermy animals. The highlight of the trip was the thirty minutes we spent in the music room in the Crown Family Play Lab (geared for kids 6 and under). There were drums and other instruments from around the world and the kids rocked out! In the afternoon we checked out of our hotel and checked in to our Airbnb. That night we hit up the Navy Pier. On Thursday evenings the Chicago Children's Museum (located on the pier) is free. The kids had so much fun! Once we finished dinner we only had an hour and a half to play and we stayed for every last minute. After the museum closed we debated between riding a few rides or going on a water tour. After much debate we decided to ride the rides. Will and I rode the swings while Anthony rode the carousel. It was a perfect summer evening!

June 1

The temperature dropped about twenty degrees overnight between Thursday and Friday. We had planned on going to the Willis Tower, zoo and beach, but with the significantly cooler weather we changed plans. The Willis Tower was a no-go because the cloud cover meant zero visibility and we didn't have warm enough clothes to visit the zoo or beach. Instead, we spent the morning at the Museum of Science and Industry. It was awesome! If you have kids and are traveling to Chicago and can only go to one museum this is the museum I would recommend. Lots of inviting, interesting kid-friendly exhibits. Our favorites were the U-505 submarine, the science of storms, train station, farms and heading west. After the museum we found an Old Navy and stopped by to buy long sleeved shirts. When I was packing for the trip the weather was forecasted to be in the 80s and 90s. That evening we went to a Chicago White Sox game. Poor Elliott was exhausted and slept through most of it.

June 2

Saturday we were all exhausted. We packed a lot into our three days in addition to staying up past our bedtime each night. We slept in a bit, cleaned our airbnb and then played at Harrison Park for a few hours. The kids had fun climbing and swinging and running around. Lauren worked on her monkey bar skills and Elliott got filthy. We checked to see if the Willis Tower had any visibility and they didn't, so we took a water taxi on the Chicago River--which was extremely windy--to pass our final minutes in Chicago before heading to Union Station to board our train home. The ride home was faster than the ride out (hallelujah!). We had a great trip with lots of adventure--riding the train, relying solely on public transportation and uber to get around town, and staying in an airbnb in a less-frequented part of town.