Color Run

I hustled home from work this afternoon, changed clothes, picked up the kids, then hurried to the Y for this month's family fun night: a Color Run.  It was super low key.  Go on the half mile course at your own pace, do as many laps as you wanted, and after 30 minutes it was over.  The kids were totally into it, for about 25 minutes, and then they got really tired and pretty grouchy.  But, they ran/walked a mile!  Natalie did that entire distance, Ben needed a lift a few times, but did 3/4 of that himself.

There were 4 stations of color, and the volunteers were a little hesitant to dowse the kids, which was pretty fine with them.  Ben wasn't into that part, really, and Nat thought what she got was, like, the coolest.  So, win win.

pre-race group stretch

Ben checking his form

hula hoops and hopscotch

Go, Ben!!

look at the running form!

and the jumping form!

(seriously, look how high she's jumping!)

Ben was even brave enough to lead the way for awhile!

When we got home, we had a surprise visitor!  Papa stopped by to pick up the kayaks for their upcoming lake trip.  I may have built up the surprise a little too much.  Natalie guessed the surprise was a monkey.  When she jumped out of the car, she stopped and said, "It's Papa."  (Not to be confused with: "It's Papa!!").  But then he got a big hug, and she asked me if she could invite him to dinner.  

Pool Party

We've had two kids feeling a bit under the weather this week with a little bit of a virus.  Last night everyone was doing a lot better, and they both requested we go swimming.  Since Eric was working late, we picked up a pizza, packed our swim bag, and headed to the pool for swimming and dinner.  It was perfect.  The weather was finally a little less humid; dinner was laid back-we all ate at our own pace, and my one water bug and my content-to-mostly-watch kid both got just the right amount of splashing for their individual likings.

pizza by the pool

Ben stacked rocks for a long time before he even wanted in his swim suit

Nat helped out during a swim break

check out this beach body (and tan line!)

finally in his swim suit, but still ok watching crazy Natalie

That Wizard Hat Place

Part of being a mom of speaking toddlers is learning to decode their unique little languages.  I tried really hard not to talk "baby talk" to our kids and we don't have a lot of made up words that are substitutes for real words, so mostly they're pretty easy to understand, but occasionally they'll come up with something like, "Hey, mom, today can we go to that wizard hat place?"

We debated about going on Sunday, but it was seriously so hot.  I really hate summer, but try to put on a brave face for the kids.  Unless all I have to do is lay by the pool, then really it's too hot to function as far as I'm concerned.  But we had a whole day where no one had anything else to do, so we ate homemade waffles and formulated a plan.  Or two.  The first was to take Eric to that Wizard Hat Place, because he's never been and the kids really like it.  And second was to go to the water park and then ride bikes.  We left it to the kids.  Mistake.  After thirty four times of changing their minds, we made it up for them and went to the water park.  Obvious brilliant parenting...we could get wet and stay cool, too!  A few sandwiches, chips and drinks later, and we had ourselves a picnic and an afternoon splashing around.

But, that meant I owed the kids a trip to Glenwood Gardens (aka That Wizard Hat Place), so today after Nat's doctor's appointment, that's just what we did:

noticing lots of things going on in the Fairy Garden

Mr. Safety testing the "jumpy bridge" 

even though Nat already safely made it across

lots more flowers than last time we were here

today we did several scavenger hunts through the park

the kids loved running to the mailboxes and picking out a new card

headed out to search for faces, or colors, or bugs

Ben found the lady bugs!

taking a break inside a little house, Nat dressed in some sort of cowboy vest

The park also offers short, educational "programs" for the kids.  Today was about the life cycle of a frog.  The lady had lots of different puppets and pictures to show, and after talking for just a few minutes, took the kids out to the pond to spot tadpoles, froglets, and full grown bull frogs.  After the park, we headed for lunch, and a quick errand, then home where two worn out kids napped while I got some serious cleaning done!

Firemen's Festival Parade 2014

This weekend was the local Firemen's Festival.  I wish I had taken my camera when we went to the actual festival Friday night.  It was bounce house heaven.  Natalie jumped and jumped and jumped.  Ben found one house just the right size for him, and played in that one alone, sometimes with another kid or two, but would have been content in there all night.  Natalie, on the other hand, couldn't stop running from one house the other.  There were, maybe, eight houses in all.

We had an extra special evening planned.  After dinner and bouncing, we built a fire in our fire pit and made s'mores, stayed up a little late, and spied the beautiful full moon.

And then on Saturday, we went back to "town" for more festival fun to watch the Parade.

waiting for the start

Ben was more impressed by the lights on the police car blocking traffic from the other direction

All the Sunman trucks and rescue vehicles, plus trucks from neighboring departments, lead the way.

(by the way, that's Uncle Ronnie driving and Aunt Jess and Jack riding in that front truck)

Nat, Ben & Papa picking up candy tossed out 

all of us.

Little Swimmer

Natalie has been taking swimming lessons at the Y.  Last session one day a week, and this time 4 days a week for two weeks.  It's been a lot of running.  Hard on her and hard on Ben and I all the rushing back and forth.  But she has learned a lot very quickly in the last week and a half.  Tomorrow is the last day of the two weeks, thankfully.  We'll take a couple of weeks break and then decide what to do after that.  

The class is 3 kids and the instructor, so each one gets lots of attention

Ben is a trooper, hanging with me and playing trucks, reading books and watching sister learn to swim

Sweet Summertime

We had a completely "summer" kind of day.  Kicked it off with mowing the grass, ate lunch on the deck, played in the rain during a pop-up thunderstorm, rescued a baby bird that fell out of its nest, went swimming (well, Natalie did anyway), and watched the sunset outside after dinner.

And during all that, I realized that it's been seriously forever since I've pulled out my good camera to capture these sweet faces...

melon!

love the pizza face

pretty lady

(how great is Ben's face in the background?)

Ben has always had this thing with wiping food in his hair, 

but this one takes the cake.

love these two

I love when Nat takes the time to listen to Ben.  His speech is getting better and his vocabulary is huge for his age, and listening to them talk with each other is so incredible.

um...

once she discovered she could do this, she went all the way around the deck.  and back.

The kids love Ty so much, and Natalie tells him every couple of days how glad she is that he lives with us and that he doesn't have to live in a cage anymore.  Heartstrings.  Tug.

serious Ben

and comedian Ben

Catching the last of the sun and some fresh air before bedtime was the perfect end to our day.