Summer Kick Off

Three weekends ago I made an impromptu trip home with Atticus to attend Grandma Willadene's funeral.  For those that don't know, she is the person that pretty much raised my sister, brother, and I along with countless other children.  I was at her house everyday of the school year until I was 11 years old.  She was there for our birthdays, graduations, weddings, and baby showers.  She was the one that took my sister and I to the hospital to meet our brother for the first time.  She was there for all of the big moments in life, but also all the day to day moments.
Her house is where I made my first friends, enjoyed our daily Bozo show time, tag, racing to the shed to get the best bike or scooter, cops and robbers, tip toe tiger, wiffle ball games, stealing noodles while they dry, dodging the fly's swatter, applesauce, peanut butter and chocolate bars, being first to the dryer to turn off the buzzer when it was done, gaining our independence as we walked to and from school each day, and not acting up along the way or she would be waiting at the door to give us a lecture, Christmas baskets, salsa, did I mention the applesauce?, strawberry rhubarb pie, baby snuggles, and of course a little doody time that the babies always loved.  She was a wonderful woman, and she will be greatly missed by many.

Our weekly activities are starting to wind down now that summer is officially here, and it is nice to slow down a little.  A few weeks ago we wrapped up our soccer year for both Briley and Baylor.  Kansas City has a contest each year where kids write an essay nominating the Kindest Kansas Citian. Briley and three others in her class, nominated their soccer coach this year.  He came to the awards ceremony to receive his certificate, and took these pictures of the girls with him.  They were so excited.

Briley had a busy last week of school with field day, a field trip, and market day.  I don't know why they throw everything in the last week, but it was fun for her.  I also had her teacher sign Oh the Places You Will Go for her, and I thought what she wrote was kind of cute.  I was not so sure of her as Briley's teacher at the beginning of the school year, but I thought differently by the end.  I think her views on us changed too, and she gave me a wonderful compliment at Briley's end of the year party.  Briley says second grade has been her favorite year so far, and that makes me happy to finally see her enjoying school.  

Cheering on Briley at field day.

Briley worked hard on her market day crafts.  She said she sold out in three minutes.

End of the year gifts for the teachers.  I had a soda, HGTV magazine, a vase with peonies, and salted carmel truffles.  I forgot to take a picture of Briley's teachers gift, but it was a beach towel with a Real Simple magazine, and an Orange Leaf giftcard.  

End of the school year treat.

The other night I was taking a run through the neighborhood and saw a hot air balloon coming down so I decided to follow it and see where it landed.  I thought it was going to land right outside our neighborhood, but then it went back up in the air so I followed it towards the little park in our neighborhood thinking it was going to land there.  Andy ran the kids up to the park, the balloon lowered, and then went up again.  I continued with my run, and as I went along, people were all standing outside taking pictures of the balloon, and cars were slowly following me.  I kind of felt like I was Forrest Gump, as the crowd seemed to get bigger and bigger behind me.  Eventually the balloon did land on the street behind our house.  It was really crazy to watch it come down in the middle of the neighborhood. 

Last week we went home for Memorial weekend.  We spent the weekend sitting by the pool when it wasn't raining, the kids went fishing, and we made a trip to Hannibal to explore the Mark Twain cave.  The cave was fun to go through with all the kids.   I think we could have used one more adult to our four kid ratio.  Baylor was scared to death, but I pushed him on through.  He kept asking when we are going to go home, he was scared, it was too dark, he couldn't breath.  I'm thankful we didn't run into any bats because that would have for sure done him in.  Briley however loved it.  

This week we kicked off Baylor's baseball season.  We had a game for both Briley and Baylor on Saturday, and then we had a summer kick off party that night at our house.  Originally there were a lot of people who said they couldn't come, but in the end everyone on our cul-de-sac was there which was great.  It was cold, but we got the fire pit going, and the kids got sleeping bags to cuddle up with while they watched Big Hero 6.  I think it was probably one of the best parties we have had.  Can't wait for our next movie night!

We had these ducks just waddling across our yard on Saturday.