Rain, Rain

Two weeks ago school was canceled for a Rain Day! The kids thought it was pretty cool. I didn't mind...especially since we didn't get any water in our basement. We were very worried that we were going to though. It seems like the basement always floods. This time we just had to deal with the bus stop flooding.

Our neighbors at the bottom of the street had a big crew of Scouts over to help them sandbag just in case they got water. I couldn't believe how high the water was on the street. And we didn't even get hit that hard. At least I didn't think so...I'm sure these homeowners were telling another story.

The boys kept talking about the flood and how crazy it was, so of course (per Clark's request) we had to read the story of Noah and the BIG flood for family scripture time. I think they got a little clearer of a picture of the meaning of a flood.

A Cold Day in January

I can't believe yesterday we were playing outside without coats, and today, this...

Kent woke up crabby for his nap, so he didn't want to go outside right away. Then dad and Clark started with the snowballs and he decided it looked like too much fun!

Clark loved playing in the snow. I had to force him to stop and smile for me for a picture.

Sledding down our really teeny tiny hill on the side of the house!

Clark's awesome at snowball fights...dad is down for the count! You should have heard Clark laughing!! So hilarious!

Hey...where did everybody go?

The end of the world. Or at least the end of playing in the snow...

What fun!

A Cold Day in July

...is a lot like a warm day in January!

We've been loving this 50 degree weather we're having! I know it will all end too soon, but we're trying to take advantage of it while we can.

Yesterday (after a brief battle with the Big Blue van) we were able to go to the zoo with Auntie Stephanie, Zachery and Clara. We had a great time and the animals were quite active.

Clockwise from top: Camels dressed for winter, Okapi (also known as the Wing Ding Dilly by Auntie Stephanie), Pelicans from the gulf, and Macaws gossiping I'm sure!

Remains from Zoo Lights!

Token photo to show that Kent was there too!!

We've also spent lots of time riding scooters and big wheels.

Snow coming in just a few days...

June Highlights in July!

There are so many things that I have neglected to blog about this summer, so I'm going to highlight a few things from June in a crazy long post. Consider yourself warned!

Our Hammock Swing
I am seriously in love with our hammock swing. It is complete bliss to sit out there with a good read and gently sway back and forth. That, of course, has only happened for about 5 minutes, but wouldn't it just be lovely? Until then...

Falling Asleep on the Sofa while Watching a Movie

Sprinklers and Sandboxes

We spent a lot more time outside earlier in the summer. We loved hanging out on the deck, running through the sprinkler, playing in the sandbox, blowing bubbles, reading books, having fun.

Book Picnics
We love sitting out in the backyard reading our books. We occasionally have trouble deciding who gets to pick the books, so we just read one for everybody. The more the merrier. This summer we've also started reading chapter books to Clark. Most recently we've finished The BFG by Roald Dahl. Not sure if that was the best choice with all the child eating, bone crunching and horrible grammar.

Movie Nights
I love hanging out with Clark and watching a new movie. We've checked out several from the library this year and enjoyed having movie nights sprawled out on the sofa.

Mini Golf
This was probably one of the best days of the summer. Jason and I took the kids mini golfing and we had a blast. Clark scored an average of 63 strokes per hole. He was given an extra 15 strokes for falling asleep in the clover at one point. Kent preferred to retrieve the balls instead of playing a traditional game.

 

The Rains Came Down

But hopefully the floods won't come up again. We cleaned the basement several times early this summer from floods. Jason and Clark (with the help of his trusty sand shovel) finally dug out the window well and replaced it. Now...the rain will stay outside!

More Rain

"If all of the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops, oh what a rain it would be. I would go outside with my mouth open wide, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah..." I love that song.

Castle Grayskull

I can't believe I didn't post a picture of this earlier! Kelli made this cake for Jason. It was Funfetti cake with brownie towers. Yum. The crayon candles have a certain charm, don't you think? 

Great America
It really isn't summer without a trip to Great America. If that were my rule, I haven't had a summer in approximately 7 years. Hmmm. Clark and Jason have been twice this year...luckies! But I was able to go once and that was simply thrilling. What a rush to ride roller coasters!

Full Family Reunion Pic
We had such a great time at Jason's extended family reunion. The weather was beautiful. The food was great. The company - top notch!

Delivering Treat Bags

We made treats and delivered them to our local relatives. A long, but rewarding day in the car!

Scavenger Hunt with the Cousins
Cameron and Ainslee stayed overnight and we decided to do a scavenger hunt as we walked down to the lake near our house. They started out really excited with their Field Guides and buckets in hand. Then as the 3 miles wore on, their enthusiasm wore out. A promise of lunch and living room picnic cheered them up considerably.

Ah...the summer in a nutshell. Well, at least some of the summer in a nutshell. There's still all of August yet to be enjoyed! I'm considering July a wash...

Chicago Winter...