Memorial Day and other happenings

Spring is flying by.... which makes me sad, because I'm not a fan of humidity and sweating.  We've been outside a lot.  Poor Cecily really, really, really wants a pet.  I really, really, really don't.  For various reasons.  So she decided last week that she has a pet rock named "Boulder."  He lives in her treasure box in the garage with all of the other bits of nature she's collected.

 Enjoying lunch on the porch on their primed picnic table.

So I was reminded this week that I really want to move to the country.  With no neighbors.  Ha.  Unfortunately, that is still a far away someday dream.... plus, Bob wants to live in the forest and the forest makes me claustrophobic.  And there are bugs, and snakes, and too much shade, and you can't see the horizon. I prefer the wide open prairie where you can see the sunrise, sunset, and all points in between.  I also want a gloriously cool old house and Bob wants little to no maintenance. So yeah.  We'll be in town forever.  My dream is to build a new old house.... someplace with a few, but not too many, trees.  If you hear of anything, or want to sell a few acres, let me know.  :P  Ha.

Anyway, the reason I have become so anti-town living is because a friend- of the neighbor's friend moved an old playhouse out of the neighbor's yard.  It was a pretty cool process that involved a "kidsteer" and excavator.  Unfortunately they used them on our muddy back lane.... left the excavator overnight.... trimmed a bunch of limbs off our trees (slightly bold?)... and left a muddy mess.  Bleah.  I'm too non-confrontational to say anything to the movers while they were there; they looked like they were having so much fun.  But we were just kind of... I don't know.... amazed at the audacity?  They probably had no idea they were on private property, but still.  No Trespassing signs might be in our future.    

 Bob and I (and Cadence) got to go to potluck Thursday night.  Greg and Mary made all the food so if it wasn't for our noisy little squeaker it would have been a super relaxing evening. The big girls got to go eat "worms" at the farm.  Ha.  
The picnic table got a coat of IH Red paint.  They had to try it out with their outside dishes.

 The girls and I went and got Emmy's pictures taken on Friday and ran some other errands.  I very rarely take them shopping anywhere that they can't be contained in a cart... "I don't want to go yet!  I want to buy more things!"  Haha.  Okaaay then, this will be fun in 10 years when you're not trying to buy overpriced chocolate at a clothing store.
Saturday was a lovely day outside.  I worked on weeding the garden and washing the outside of the windows.  Bob got the turtle pool down, and the hose, and put it next to the sandbox.  They were wet sandy messes, but they had lots of fun.  Also, Emmy thought she shouldn't swim in her skirt, but it somehow ended up in the water anyway.

 

Sunday after church, and some much needed naps, the girls and I went for a walk in the cemetery to see the flags.  Monday morning we went to the Memorial Day service... they were pretty good.  Besides asking to go play, when are they going to shoot the guns, and squawking for more goldfish at inopportune times.  This is why we sit in the very back.   

After lunch we went to visit Grandpa Beutel (and Grandma, and Howard & Janice).  We finished off the afternoon with a trip to SAM's and then got pepper fries because I was tired and lazy.

They like to eat lunch on their little red table.  

And then we moved it out to the "perfect spot" that Cecily found for it.  Is this not the cutest little welcoming committee?   

I'm so ready for her to be past the put-everything-in-my-mouth stage.  I'm tired of fishing sticks, rocks, dirt, flower petals, and various and sundry other items out of her mouth.  It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't gag on half the things and scare me half to death... and if I stick her in the stroller, she throws a fit about being contained.  I can't win.  Little squishy.  
Blessings.  

And exhale...

We made it.  Ha.  You know it's going to be a busy weekend when you have to make a game plan.  And I think we spent just under 5 hours in the van over 3 days.  (Which really isn't that long, we were just all.over.the.place.)

On Friday, the girls and I went to my Great Uncle Bill's visitation.  Shelly and Gideon followed us so we would have somebody to stand by in line, and Mom and Dad were there and got to wrangle all the children.  He was the last of my Grandma's siblings... so weird to think they are all gone now.   And no more jokes...  mur.  Here's a throwback to young group days- it was a grandparents dinner and I think Kendra invited G&G so Michelle and I invited Bill and Lucille.  

From there, we headed west to Carli's graduation party.  Hooray for graduations and cake!  The girls had a great time not eating anything but sugar and playing with the other kids that were there.  It was good to see Abby and Lys and some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  

Little squishy kept falling asleep in the car so she was not ready for bed until much later than usual.  

 On Saturday we all went to Gridley to Jesse's graduation party.  It's a long drive and I let the little one destroy a package of kleenex in exchange for her not sobbing, and the middle one played with the stereo remote.

 They were of course more interested in Christina's swing set and trampoline than in eating or talking to people... plus Ed and Peggy came from California for the funeral and brought Ruby the dog along. Our next stop was the condos, where all of the kids and a host of babysitters were hanging out during testimonies.  This blurry picture of Cadence and Parker is the only picture I took and they were being so cute. 

Troy was 3 out of 4 and we planned to show up late and leave early.  Which is great in theory- but slightly awkward when the only open bench was pretty far up and Abby and Michelle and I tried to slip in.  And then slip back out again. Hehe. Maybe if they had the sound on in the baby room during testimonies I would have brought Cadence for the whole evening, but nooo, my favorite trustee tells me it's not possible.     
We were in Washington all day on Sunday, of course.  Oh man, I have no idea where Cecily comes from- she has no problem going to Sunday school there.  And her teachers told me she volunteers to do things in class.  Pretty sure I hated visiting other Sunday schools and tried my hardest to be invisible.  
I got the older two in the afternoon and we sat by Aunt Shelly and Gideon and Kandace, Carli, and Kayla.  They were pretty good, considering how long they had to sit quietly.  (I'm just glad Bob got to wrestle Cadence all afternoon.)  It helped that they borrowed Grandma's purse and her "strong" for the occasion.  
So other than an almost freak out by Emmy when it was our turn to go through the line ("Noo- I don't want to get bath-tized!") It was a good day.  Even though it makes me all emotional that my little cousins are all grown up and getting baptized and graduating.    
The rest of Sunday was spent recovering and napping.
Cecily wanted to know where we were going to drive to this morning and it was so nice to say- NOWHERE!  Instead, Tim came to look at our not functioning air conditioner; cross-our fingers it's fixed for awhile.  Emmy drew me pictures of our leaking air-conditioning.  They rode bikes and looked for rocks on the road while waiting for Grandma to come with entourage for a tour-of-the-grandkids. Or something like that.

Squishy was so happy to be outside. 

They were so excited to show Grandpa their playhouse, and the garden, and the rose bush. 

 Uncle Ed and Mom...

 Peggy, Christina, and Ruby. Ruby is such a chill, laid back dog.

The girls gave them the grand tour and Cecily insisted on showing Grandma how to play Mario Kart... *sigh*
I'm hoping for a quiet week. 
Blessings.

In the Merry, Merry, Month of May

Lots of nothing and everything all at once over here.  Chemistry is done for the year, 

May Day! May Day!  They wanted to "do something fun."  So they helped me make sugar cookies and I let them waste use sprinkles.

 Emmy insisted that she wanted an Elsa cake for her birthday, so we looked at some cake pictures online.  She would not be dissuaded... so I borrowed their Elsa barbie.  Jamie suggested using rice crispies for the skirt instead of trying to bake or sculpt the right shape cake.  (We made cupcakes too, don't worry.)

 Meanwhile, back in the living room, this little squishy can reach the piano.  

 My little baker wanted to help make her birthday cupcakes.

 It was chilly, but they had to play in the playhouse with the dishes Grandma Kathy contributed to the cause.  

 Our last day of class was all about Electrochemistry.  I spent Thursday evening testing homemade batteries.  This is my favorite- a stack of pennies, vinegar soaked felt, and washers generates enough electricity to light up an LED. 

 Elsa got the rest of her slightly ombre skirt... and Emmy really wanted her to have snow in her hand. 

 Bob was home on Emmy's birthday and helped the girls fly their kite.

 Eating "chewy heads," aka air heads. 

 Happy Birthday to Emmy!  

 Three years old already... crazy.  

 Opening presents with little sister's help.

 And big sister's help.

 I made her a doorway puppet theater from an old curtain and fabric scraps and they put on several "shows" for their captive audience.  

 They added the ponies and Baby to their cast.  

 Once we got the yard mowed, we moved the playhouse out under the trees.  Isn't it so cute!?

 Sunday after church we went to the farm for Emmy's party/Mother's day.  Grandma Kathy gave her toy cleaning supplies... haha.... (Melissa and Doug makes everything.  They've been using them in the tub and they loooove 'cleaning'.)

 Uncle Jake gave her a "bone-in-arrow!"  A compound bow, no less.  

 And shooting lessons.

 Jack wanted in on the fun too.

  We had driven over a piece of wood in the road on the way to the farm; by the time we got back home one tire was flat. Ugh. So Monday morning was spent shuttling car seats and borrowing vehicles and getting the van to the "tire fixing place."  And then Emmy had her 3 year checkup at the doctor.  We stopped at DQ on the way home because it was necessary.   

 Is anybody home?

 Watching Marci's tree come down.  And being like the big girls...

 The peonies are blooming! The peonies are blooming!

Bob invited Dang over Saturday afternoon.  The girls insisted they play tag and hide and seek.  Ha.

Sunday was a quiet day and then we all woke up with a bad case of the Mondays.  So we went to the park for lunch and a change of scenery.  It was warm... and they don't look enthused, but they were sooo excited.  There was another family there with girls to play with and they had so much fun.   

In the afternoon I built a picnic table!  I mostly overcame my fear of the circular saw... 

 Cadence approves.  It's not perfect by a long shot; I'm hoping a good sanding will help with some of my wonky cuts.

 But, it's so cute!  And I made it all by myself!  #howhardcanitbe #stubbornwysswomen

 They were begging to go swimming after supper but we don't have the pool out yet.  They settled for the sprinkler, or, "the magic water door."  Odd children.  Hehe.  Look how lovely and weed free the garden is!  That won't last long.  

 Little squishy was content to watch from the stroller.

We went flower shopping yesterday and bought all of the flowers.  Or tried to.  And Cadence tried to eat every plant she got close to.  *sigh*  Good times.
Blessings.