Double scoop before dinner?

I declare, I might be the coolest mom ever.

Good day at the Brenton Arboretum.

Our first DSM Menace soccer game

Birdie Lovin

Another summer, another finch nest in my hanging fern!

I also went to monitor my bluebird trail today at Raccoon River park. It didn't even occur to me that there may be significant flooding. I found both park entrances closed, but no sign saying the park itself was actually closed. So I parked in a nearby industrial lot and hiked in. I was amazed at the flooding. Luckily, no water actually flooded the nesting boxes. But some of my bluebirds and tree swallows now have a rare, lakeside view to their temporary homes!

No fishing on the fishing pier right now

This is the beach the kids played at a few weeks ago. Now there is NO sand. The shower station is covered in water, as are the stone benches. 

I guess "Blue Heron Lake" is not only aptly named, but they can now call this "Blue Heron Bike Trail," too.

Safety City Graduation

Well, it's official. Gavin graduated from the incoming-kindergarteners-only Safety City. I guess he really can go to kindergarten in about 8 weeks!!

A nice day with friends

Gavin's good buddy Gavin K. went to a park with us today after Safety City. It delights me when they play in the natural surroundings of the park, rather than the plastic play equipment. Sometimes, admittedly, I have to lead them there. But it always turns out to be a good outdoor time.

Hard to be outside with boys before someone--or two someones--pee.

Next-door neighbor Shay likes to come play with the boys whenever he can

We enjoyed having our friends, the Alberhaskys, over for dinner and fishing tonight. Mike took all five of their kiddos down to the pond to fish, and we had a great time hanging out. 

Make Believe

The storm today made it possible for us to pretend we live at the base of a volcano-- a recently erupted one....

Or a mountain range!

Another one bites the dust

Benji's losing teeth like crazy

Rescue

I was heart broken today when one of the baby robins next door fell out of its nest. Thanks to the 18 ft. Ladder of a neighbor, Mike replaced it. Good karma, right?

Father's Day Fight

Had a fun water balloon fight today with Grandpa Smarty Pants and Grandma Suzi. They always like to bring activities!

Feeling grateful

There are far worse places to retire after a long day than a back deck with a view of this beautiful sunset.

Weekday breakfasts

Are just one of the perks of having the whole family around in the summer.

Chores

Spring chores aren't so bad

Home Office, check

Mike has arranged his new home office into a form that feels right to him.

It's still odd (and maybe slightly unnerving) to me that he has nit received word on his contract. It's been two and a half months since the anticipated answer was to come. No word, and no explanation. Still, they let his business consilt in the meantime. So it's good...it's ehat he wanted...I just wish we kmew it was guaranteed to last. 

Either way, we press on and love having him home. It's been a strangely easy transition to having him work from home. I think it helps that I have been working part-time, too. So it's been more like tag teaming childcare than it's been me keeping boys quiet so he can focus while upstairs. And I like my part-time work better than expected. So far, summer is good!

A little beauty

After the rain

Cherry Pickin

We went down to Osceola today and spent some time on the farm. My favorite thing to do with the boys when we visit the farm is to jump on the hay bales. We had a great time of it today.

 

From my favorite bale, I enjoyed the awesome view

Gavin made friends with "Leo 2."

Celebrated some early Father's Day time with Grandpa.

We picked nearly every cherry off their tree and brought home quite the haul. I see some pie in my future.

We left as storms started rolling in. The sound of thunder was over hills of farmland was slightly intoxicating. The heavy rains made for a slow drive back!

Early Father's Day anticipation

Since Mike was out of town for a conference this weekend, the boys and I seized the opportunity to put together an early Father's Fay surprise for him. A desk set! He's been sitting at a card table, with piles on the floor the past couple months. We figured it might be time to help him settle into his home office a bit more permanently. Thanks to the help of three generous friends in the neighborhood, I got this moved from a home in the neighborhood where I purchased it second hand, to our house in less than a half hr. We got some Father's Day balloons and the boys are dying for Mike's arrival in an hr. They made a trail of arrows from the garage up to the office so he'll barely have time to set his suitcase down before being whisked off to his surprise!

The surprise was well-received!

Summer Fun and Summer Attitudes

This kind of activity is typical around here in the summer:

And so is this type of attitude:

Living on the edge

First visit back to the beach that was responsible for Gavin and my cryptospiridium  two years ago. They are recklessly enjoying it. I am wringing my hands.

June!

It's June!

This makes me very happy

Prairie in Progress

Right now all we really have growing in our prairie area is weeds. We went out today and weed-whacked everything down to no taller than 6". My friend who is an expert on all of this tells me this is 100% normal and that I should not be discouraged. She tells me everyone thinks the first year after seeding natives is an epic fail. I'm also told it will take 3 years before the native roots are deep enough to really come up and shine, and push out weeds. But it's still hard waiting. I don't do well with delayed gratification. Patience....patience.....patience.

We put in some pavers the other day to make a little entrance stone inside the gate.

Celebrating the small successes today

After two major failures at attempting to make homemade mayo, I finally got it on the third try. This happened just as I gave up on mayo and eas about to turn the liquidy mess into ranch dressing. Woot! This little triumph will change our mayo/tartar sauce habits forever.