Water Fight

To celebrate the end of the school year, we threw a little "Welcome to Summer Party!"  I stole the idea from Rick's cousin Stacey (thanks Stacey!)  We invited school and church friends over for water balloons, squirt guns, popsicles, and watermelon.  It was the perfect day for a water fight.

Piper with Ashton, Scarlett, Gabby (Celina in the back), and Simon

Easton, Tristan, and Haydn

Scarlett refilling her squirt gun

Last Days of School

Piper's school had an End-of-the-School-Year carnival.  The bouncy house was a big hit with my kids. My mom and Rick were able to go with us.  Hooray for living close to family!  

Eating a lollipop

My friends Andrea and Lisa.  Piper went to preschool with Lisa's son and now they've been together in kindergarten and first grade.  And Lisa and I are room parents together for their first grade class.

Piper signing yearbooks with Scarlett and Amy.

Piper's last day of school was Pajama Day.  Here she is at pick-up.

18th Day of Thanks

1. Children's antihistamine.  Simon had a reaction to something he ate at church today.  We suspect possibly something in the wheat bread that was used for the sacrament.  His eye got really red, watery, itchy, and very puffy.  So we left a little early.  A little children's antihistamine got rid of the reaction and helped Simon sleep for two and a half hours.
2. Piper was so thoughtful with Simon today.  She earned a lollipop somehow at church and she automatically gave it to him.  When she saw how happy it made him (and me), she told me that she loved the feeling she had inside.  
3. A little rest time this afternoon.  Dinner was in the crockpot keeping warm, Simon was napping, Piper was quietly playing blocks and watching TV.  This allowed me to have a little snooze on the couch.  Bliss.
4. Hearing all about Rick's visit with old friends in our ward back in Cleveland.  We miss you all so much.  So wish I could have been there as it made me homesick for our life there.  If his job hadn't had been so rough while we were there, both of us would have liked to stay there longer.  (That said, I do not miss the cold.)
5. Getting to see so much family this week.  It will be over far too quickly but I will soak it up as much as I can.

Simon Turns Three!

To celebrate Simon's 3rd birthday, he requested a Dodger game.  We went, we won which was a spectacular ending.  We ate lots of junk food; it was just loads of fun.  Then on his actual birthday we had my parents and Rick's brother and his fiancee (now wife) over for dinner, cake, and presents.

WHAT A DOLLFACE!

My mom had brought over these extra cowboy hats and kerchiefs she had leftover from a party.

Petting the neighbor's dog Tootsie

These two serenaded Simon with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" which he sings really, really well.  Piper strummed while my mom handled the chords.

"I'm 3!"

Can you tell what Simon got for his birthday?  We got him the Cozy Coupe, the bike helmet, and the fireman rainboots.  My parents got him the awesome Lynx golf clubs and bag.  He insisted that his car was a golf cart and so in went the clubs.

What else - a baseball cake!  (Do you see a theme with all of the sports?  Last year's cake was a soccer ball.)

Piper was super excited because we got her this Jessie cowgirl doll.  We try to give the kids a little present on the occasion of their sibling's birthday.  It lessens the jealousy a little, we find.

Petersen Museum

Piper's school has monthly restaurant nights where local restaurants donate a portion of their sales to our school.  The last one was held at the Johnny Rocket's inside the Petersen Automotive Museum.  Piper and I had been before for a birthday party but Simon had never been.  We didn't get to go the kid's level as it was closed for a private event but here are the kids in front of their favorite cars on display.

Saturday's Thanks

1. Rainy weather.  We didn't have many plans today.  After we got home this morning it started to rain and hasn't really let up for the rest of the day.  We've watched TV, played board games and pretend, and done crafts.  Rainy days remind me to take it easy now and then but they also make me grateful that we don't live in a snowy state any more which necessitates many days house-bound.
2. Rick is enjoying his trip to Cleveland.  I'm jealous of the people he gets to see and the restaurants he gets to visit but I'm thankful for the time we lived there.
3. A clean sink
4. A good night's sleep last night
5. Creating our Christmas card this year with all of the wonderful photos we had taken a few months ago.  I'm excited to share it.

Grandma and Grandpa Come for a Visit

For Father's Day, Rick's parents came for a weekend visit.  During their visit we visited the L.A. zoo.  It was a hot day but we enjoyed ourselves.  Our kids are big fans of the churros there.