What Summer Looks Like Now

Today was kind of a funny day. Fun, even. That's the way this week has been, in retrospect. I know I was pretty tired for most of it and woke up with...low expectations, but you know, it's summer and you just got to make the most of it. There's been swimming - pool and lake - ice cream, a 4year old birthday party, sugary cereal, toons... well, here we go.

Riley loves her new roller skates, even though she has to hold someone's hand to use them. Joe got a new big-boy bike and is very proud of it.

 Last minute one day this week, we decided to go to an outing with the church playgroup. Alas, I didn't do my research - when we got there I realized, too late, that it was a lovely little swim beach. Luckily, these guys have a super chill mom (haha) and we don't care about swimming fully clothed.

 Joe's birthday was this week too! Four! Or "sore," as he says. Bless, I didn't get it together for a huge party, but I did get some patriotic popsicles for he and his friends to enjoy out by the pool. It was the perfect day for a swim, and no one got burned (I now apply sunblock every 90 minutes or so, at least to Riley. That girl burns!) Winning!

Picking up birthday packages

 That night Don joined us and made it a party. We had pizza and mint-chip ice cream cake by request ("Because Emmy loves ice cream cake." Even though Em wasn't even there? I don't know, guess he really likes Aunty Em and respects her dessert choices.)

Too much smoke from this bonfire! :)

He loved his presents. I found some Pez candy refill packets in a package from home and threw those in with his presents and he was over the moon! First thing he did was go find his Superman pez dispenser and fill it back up! haha! He also got a wooden train set, magnetic tiles, cars, and a fisherman's vest. The vest was my idea - he needed something with lots of pockets to put all his treasures in, i.e. rocks, cars. He literally has filled his pant pockets to the extent that his pant snap poppes open and his pants fall off! So now he has this vest and it has already become more like a weighted vest, full of cars and marbles ('narbles') and what not. He's going to be so strong!

Joe has a grateful personality. He was so thrilled with it all, and I loved the way he lit up during this rare opportunity to be in the spotlight. You knew he felt special. I have a goal to create more frequent moments like this. I know from experience how awesome it is when your family shows you how special you are to them; it matters!

Goal number 2: get more pictures of Joe's face. When I was looking for pictures for a previous blog post about Joe, I noticed that there aren't a lot of good ones of our happy boy. Plenty of sister, but not so much for Joe. So the past couple days I've made it a point of snapping his smile. Although honestly, I think he is just not as much a picture person. He doesn't seem to care if I get his picture, or if he does, he wants to do a goofy smile. Well, he's only four, after all.

A few more pictures from this week (lazy blogging ahead - twill be another "pictures are worth a thousand words anyway" moment. But I'm tired!)

Saturday mornings with Dad home: "I'll start kickin' and you start flippin'! Just like the circus!" haha!

Henry wouldn't let me sleep in so I took selfies. ha :)

But at least he's cute.

 

Torrential downpour this morning, and throughout the day. Riley: "we are just watching to see if it floods the earth." (Apparently they hear at least parts of the scriptures we read at bedtime, while they are rough housing and crazy. We read about Noah last night :)

Dave took them out to play in the rain while I watched from the balcony. They had a blast, right up till they came in when the lightning started. Joe is certain he was struck by lightning, actually. There is a scratch on his face we asked him about and he insists it was the thunder.

Dave also took them to see Finding Dory today, another huge success. Riley was so excited when she was telling me about it I could barely catch a word of what she was saying. As for me, I was glad to have some quiet time at home with my napping baby, being not very productive. I was supposed to take a nap. Nope! Painted my nails, watched Dan in Real Life, aaaaand...compiled videos on my phone for this blog post! I give you:

Summer Times!

To finish the day off, we went to Snuffy's Malt shop for dinner, where everyone got along and laughed and had fun, like we loved each other and everything! Then a little shopping (light throw pillows - hooray!), a tad late bed time, and an episode of "Stranger Things," on Netflix. Now I call that a good day. Tomorrow's the Sabbath and I strongly suspect we will be hearing Riley, Joe and the rest of the primary to sing in Sacrament meeting in honor of Pioneer Day next week. I heard a  whole lot of "pioneer children sang as they walked. And walked. And walked. And waaalked," this week. So here's hoping! I do love a good primary program!