Summer Time Fun

A few days after the Fourth of July, we took Briley for a weekend trip to Tampa to celebrate Emmie's first birthday and baptism.  My brother and dad came down to watch the rest of the kids while we were gone, and I think they were wore out and ready to leave by the time we got back home.  Before we left, my Dad gave me a belated birthday present.  It was an old clock that was my Great Great Great grandmothers that he had fixed for me.  Such a neat gift to get, and I love it.
Briley was so excited to go to Florida with us.  She spent her time playing with Ellie, Bella, Carolina, and of course Emmie.  Jared and Caroline's house is beautiful, and everything you would think a Florida home would be.  It makes me want to come home and start doing more to our house after seeing all the newness of their home.  I love fixing up our house, and making it into what we want, but it would be nice to walk into a new home that has nothing that needs to be done to it.
The baptism was beautiful, probably one of the best I have ever been to.  The deacon did an excellent job, and the Church was very pretty.  The birthday followed, and was complete with all of Emmie's favorites.  I think she loved it!

While we were away...

The clock that my Dad gave me.

When we got home, Andy headed off to San Fransisco while I took the kids to Briley's end of the year pizza party for softball.  I'll be honest, I think his day was better than ours;)

The next day I took the kids to the Johnson County Museum that recently reopened in a new location.  They had a really cool dramatic play area with so many fun details.  There was a frontier cabin, farmer's market, hospital, theatre, post office, diner, and old school house.  Briley loved it, but the others wanted out.  they complained it was too loud.  We walked around the museum and explored an all electric house that was transferred to the museum.  It was originally built by Kansas City power and light, and it was the home to buy in 1954.  You could own yours for $10, 500, and it had all kinds of futuristic gadgets like a garage door opener, heat pump, remote controlled curtain, and a hidden tv.  The kids walked in the bathroom and said it looked just like Lissy's;)
We also read about Whizzo the Clown, which was my Dad's favorite back when he was a child.  He loved Whizzo, and didn't realize until he was an adult that his grandparent's neighbor was Whizzo the clown.  They never told him, and he still can't believe all the times he was around his favorite clown and never knew it.

Over the weekend Briley had her tournament. They won the first game, and was beat by one point in the second game.  So close to getting that trophy!  The girls played so well.  It seems to all fall into place at the end of the season.

While she had her tournament, I went to St. Louis for my Uncle Dick Van Gels' funeral.  He was 89, and had found out a week before he had cancer.  I'm glad he didn't suffer.  He lived a great life and was loved by many.  It was good to see family, and celebrate him.
Last week Baylor had a week at Kampout.  He was really trying hard to get an award of some sort all week, and kept telling his counselor of all the good he was doing in case he didn't notice.  His counselor asked to talk to us after closing ceremonies, and I was so worried about what he had done, but he just was worried Baylor would be upset because he didn't get an award.  He said he did a great job all week, but needed to work on keeping his good deeds low key.  It made Andy and I laugh so hard.  So we talked about doing good things and not expecting a reward for them.

I also took Briley and Baylor to Ironwoods Park for Annie on Thursday night.  It was so hot, but the show was excellent.  Baylor fell asleep half way through the show, but Briley enjoyed it all.  We will definitely go back for next year's production.

Friday night Andy and I went to the Starlight for another hot evening.  We went to see Steve Martin and Martin Short.  This was such a fun show to see.  I have loved their movies all of my life, and I was so happy to get to see them together.  Such a great night  even if it was hot.

Saturday morning we were off to take Briley to Kamp.  She was up and ready to go before I had my first cup of coffee.  She was so excited to get there. She and Ellie were not in the same cabin, but Briley did have three girls from Leawood in hers.  I'm excited to hear all of her stories in a few day.  I know she is having so much fun.

A few randoms:
Finley has learned to swim without her puddle jumper!  She is swimming around like a little fish, and loving it.  She has a few more weeks to practice before summer is over.
Atticus loved his Little Blue Truck and now he has added Goodnight Moon to the mix.  We have to read both each time he goes to bed.