Weekend with our peeps

Was your weekend amazing? Ours was amazing. Friday was ridiculously warm and lovely - we strolled the zoo with friends and picnic'd by the lion enclosure, before making our way over to the adjoining playground. Nap insurance, if you will. Plus I just didn't want to go indoors, it was that nice out.

Another typical shot of Riley leaning into the wind as she dashes from one activity to another. It is metaphorical. Notice the dress - Mom made it for her and Riley LOVES it. It took me the longest time to figure out what she wanted to wear today because she kept requesting her "princess dress" and I had no idea which dress she meant.

Then we drove home where I put the comatose babes down for naps and packed up the car. We were getting out of Dodge!

Bu-bye beautiful city!

 Don and Jake were in town so we met up with them and Chris and cousin Jimmy in Rochester. We had such a fun weekend - Joe was all smiles everywhere we went, and Riley was beside herself, trying to keep everyone engaged in playing with her the whole time. Don grilled steak and then we had s'mores and campfire fun. No one toppled into the fire or launched flaming mallows into anyone's face. Really it was an uncharacteristically relaxed, happy, and injury-free evening.

 

 

Oh,  but Riley was not impressed with s'mores - "It's messy, Mom, I don't yike it!" Joe couldn't get enough.

I still don't know exactly what was going on here. Feats of strength, perhaps.

Joe was conscientiously mimicking the "big boys" the whole time, especially Grandpa. You can tell he really looks up to them - I'm glad he's got some good role models.

Then it was baths and sleepover time. Before when we stayed in Rochester we put Riley in bed with me and Joe on the baby mattress, but this time they both wanted to sleep on the baby bed. They were so excited!

An hour after bed time:

By morning Joe was sleeping on the floor and they were really ready to take a nap later. Joe was especially ornery - he kept picking fights at the mall playplace that morning and he actually had one kid on the run right out of the gate! It was weird to be the mother of the bully - he usually is pretty friendly. We didn't stay long. Don took us to the babies happy place for lunch (McDonald's. obviously.)

Later that night we said our goodbyes and headed back to St. Paul, Riley and Joe serenading us for most of the drive. Sunday we went to church and heard some really great testimonies and I won my class over by bringing rice crispy treat balls for them to turn into "bugs" using raisins and pretzels and chocolate chips and m&ms. I love teaching the three-year-olds - they seriously are so much fun. REALLY keep me on my toes though - I always prepare about twenty activities for my hour-long lesson to keep things moving and keep them busy.  I thought I would miss out on the spiritual lessons I used to listen to in the adult classes, but turns out the spirit can be just as strong when you are testifying that Jesus created the birds and the bugs so our world would be a better place for us, because he loves us, as it is when you are getting more advanced lessons in the adult classes. My students are so sweet and their eyes light up when we are having a spiritual discussion.

Dave is not my co-teacher anymore. He was poached by the Elder's Quorum and is now the second counselor in the presidency. But my new co-teacher is awesome too - she has been a member for about a year and has lots of good insights and the kids love her.


Welllllll what's that I hear? My pillow? Calling my name? G'night!