July 2019

Ottumwa Visit: July 3-6
  
    The kids and I had a nice visit to Ottumwa; Keenan had to stay in Ames and work. Olivia turned 6 on July 3rd, so Stacy and I took all the kids to a cheap movie (Beethoven) and then Stacy, Jason, Liam, and Olivia enjoyed a special birthday lunch.  I got to catch up with a friend that evening over dinner while everyone else had a fire pit night.
    July 4th the kids played in the pool for a bit then our kids took a long nap, so they could stay up and enjoy the fireworks. They all seemed to have a good time; it was August and Nora's first time going and they are still talking about it.
    July 5th the kids spent a lot of time in the pool and Stacy and I chatted in the shade. Then I helped her to prep food and tidy the mess of grass the kids carried in before the birthday party the next day. Each evening after the kids went to bed we had a little time just to ourselves! I savor getting to have time with just her.
   July 6th was Olivia's 6th Birthday party, a Wonder Woman theme. The kids had fun playing, cake was had and presents were opened!  Then we went back to Ames, most of our kids were asleep before we made it to the highway. Riley always misses Olivia and looks forward to the next visit. 

Mom got the girls the matching dresses

 Pool Time

July 4th

 Down time around the house

Making crafts together

Playing quietly before the other kids woke up

Nora and Olivia playing Zingo

Liam, Mom and Vader playing Zingo

Olivia and Riley playing War

 Olivia's 6th Birthday Party

I used Stacy's camera the day of the party and got a really good picture of Olivia blowing out the candle that I will edit in later.

We always forget to get a picture of ourselves

Back in Ames
   Here are some pictures of the kids just being silly or having fun around the house. Riley and I love to make bouquets with flowers from the garden! This was our latest creation. Nora asked me to take this picture of her and Punky then she called Punky over to her!

 

Riley's favorite quiet time activity

August wanted his picture taken

Riley's zinnia patch is doing great and has started to bloom now!

Some art Riley made outside

Riley and Punky snuggling

The vegetable garden is doing really well. I just picked our first round of cucumbers and another round of snap peas. There are a lot of tomatoes on the vine; I am just waiting for them to turn red. We have picked a few of the orange cherry tomatoes. The purple pole beans are covered in flowers and just starting to produce beans so I should have a lot of those soon if it continues to do well. I love gardening season!

Home Again!

   It is fun to take a trip somewhere new but it is also great to come back home and relax. I mean...after the laundry is done and someone has gone to the grocery store to restock the very empty refrigerator!  Punky was desperate for some snuggles when we got back and has been following me around.  I dream of traveling to many places in the future but home is my happy place.

   We got all unpacked and have been enjoying relaxing at home and doing some fun but simple things around Ames.  I like the kids to have a lot of unstructured time at home to play together and invent their own games. They play the best when I give them the space to explore.  This doesn't mean they never fight, there has been plenty of that.  The kids have been sleeping in a bit and I have enjoyed reading in bed before getting up for the day. The kids and I (Sorry Keenan, you were at work) have gone to several parks, the library(they love to find new books and play), and the farmers market. At the farmers market I love the honey, vegetables, Hueys donuts and a coffee, if I am feeling fancy! The kids love to see all of the dogs.

   I finished weeding the front flower bed before vacation but just got the two in the back done this week. It looks a lot nicer. It has been really hot and humid so I haven't enjoyed sitting on the deck much but there will be a time for that, I hope.  The vegetable garden is doing well, I always get really excited about eating the first tomato!  I didn't get the hot peppers planted like I meant to (available time and weather didn't line up this year) but I do have tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, purple pole beans, snap peas, cucumbers, small sweet peppers and herbs. Basil is my favorite but I also planted thyme, rosemary, mint(I just made some ice cream with this), sage, oregano, chives, and dill.

   Riley planted some zinnias and they are doing really well. They are about a foot tall and have buds on them. We like to have a lot of flowers in the garden so we can cut them and make bouquets together.The bees and butterflys don't mind either.

Wrens in our Tree and Riley's drawing of them!

A story with Dad before bed

The Garden

Riley likes to tuck the flowers behind her ear

Nora showing me her flower

Making silly faces

Just exploring the yard