Summer Days

Now that we are home from vacation, we haven't had a lot of activities.  Softball and baseball are over, and soccer has not yet begun.  We are just enjoying the days of not having anything we need to run to.  In a few short weeks school will be back in session, and the busyness will begin again.
My Dad came for a visit right after we got back from vacation to bring Viva back to us.  While he was here, we went to the zoo.  My Dad always says that it was his last trip to the zoo every time we go.  Though he says this, I think he secretly enjoys it.  This is the same zoo that he went to with his grandparents every summer so I think he likes doing the same thing with his grandkids.  We saw the new baby orangutan that was so cute, and we saw the one year old gorilla.  It was a hot one, and I had really hoped to get out of there earlier than we did, but the kids had a good time.  We stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home for ice cream to cool off.
We also took my Dad to Q39 for dinner one night.  He had never been, and I don't think he was disappointed in the food.  The owner/chef came over to talk to us after we were done, and we told him how excited we were for him to open a second location by us.  It's not opening until next year, but we are happy about it.

The next day we took my Dad to the Arboretum for a walk to the train park, and then he took Baylor to the train store to buy some pieces for his train.  Baylor has been busy playing with his train since then.

On Thursday evening we welcomed a new niece into the family.  Emmie Grace was born!  She is absolutely precious, and I really can't wait to get down there to meet her.  Congratulations Jared and Caroline!  I don't know how many times that day Briley asked for updates on Caroline's progress.  She loves babies.

Friday night we got a babysitter, and met up with our friends Heather and Brian to head to Westport for dinner.  I had a restaurant that I had been wanting to try called Port Fonda, but we just had not gotten there yet.  Heather and Brian are always up for going into the city to try something new.  The food was good, and it was so great to catch up with them.  When we got home, all the kids were in bed except for one.  Finley was sitting on the couch with the babysitter watching Home.  That girl is always the last one standing.
I took Briley and Baylor to see the BFG this week which was so cute!  They both really loved it. There were a few things that were done differently than the book, but overall it was very similar.  Briley told me she thought the BFG looked a lot like Papa Early;)  I think it must have been the nose.
When we got home from the movie we caught this turtle going across our yard at a quick pace.
Since it has been so hot this week, we have spent some time going to the J.  It's nice for them all to run off some energy, and for me to have a little break.  I was going into the zone to pick up Baylor and Briley the other day, and I caught Baylor doing the climbing wall.  He is such a monkey and loves climbing trees, but for some reason this wall has always scared him.  So glad he finally did it.
This week we also went through our drawers and found old sheets, blankets, and towels to donate to Wayside Waifs which is a pet adoption center in Kansas City.  Baylor had a pizza party to celebrate their season, and he finally got a trophy.  He has always been a little jealous of Briley and her trophies so he was happy to get his.
Briley has been watching a cupcake war marathon on netflix.  It has inspired her to be a baker one day.  She decided to start practicing today by making banana chocolate muffins to take to St. Louis.  She made them by herself using one of my recipes, and they are pretty good.  The mess was not so much fun afterwards.
The biggest news of this week was we have a new niece! Annie Sedlak was born on Tuesday evening and she is adorable.  I still don't know her middle name as she took everyone a bit by surprise coming so early.  She is really the number four!  I really can't wait meet both babies.
Finally, Finley has such a funny personality, and being in the middle, I sometimes forget to post the things she says and does.  Her vocabulary is always expanding, and some things that she says are too funny to not write down.  When deciding on shoes it is either flipper floppers or her pink yee haws.  If something doesn't go the way she would like she will say "shoot a toot."  She just makes me laugh.
Atticus has just started nodding his head yes or no when we ask him a question.  He is also in the business of emptying out our bathroom drawers.  He loves getting a hold of the toothpaste and toothbrushes.  He also likes to empty the kitchen cabinets, and any container that is not closed.  Driving me bananas.