Cox visit

Had a lovely day with Ernie, Sofia and Aster at the zoo. For whatever reason, the only photos I took were of Benji and Aster on the swing at the park by our house after our zoo outing. It was a great day with great friends.

School!

Every day for the past couple days, the boys have played "school". This is great practice for Gavin who will be going to kindergarten! I guess this means they're ready for school.

Benji is always the teacher.

Fun in Omaha

With Uncle Adam and Jenna!

Brought our monkeys to hang out with other monkeys

Kelly and Shelby

Had a lovely impromptu visit with highschool friend Kelly and her oldest daughter Shelby today. So glad they were in town this week as I don't get to the IC/CR area as much as I'd like.

Apparently we were saving this last thimble-full if Rumchata for the last year just so Kelly could try it.

Boy 3 is in the game!

Of losing teeth!

What's new in our neck of the woods

1). My children are being so jerky thatI'm convinced I've failed at the task of raising human beings.

2). I experimented with fresh currants. Beautiful but tart. 

3). Picked two buckets of blueberries while my children whined about how hot and terrible it was to do nothing while I picked blueberries. I solved this by making muffins and peach jam and throwing myself into some emotional eating.

4). Mike and I enjoyed some incredible  sushi at Wasabi Chi before coming home to kids who were beligerent and cryingafter  time spent doing non-stop fun with grandprents (seeing a theme?)

5).  Went to a beautiful Mother Blessing for friend Alicia and enjoyed henna by Sarah of Alternative Artistry. And came home to kids already in bed- Joy!!

6).  This AM I am going to celebrate this amazingly cool weather and do some weeding if the prairie beds, joined by my favorite furry buds.

Happy black-eyed Susans!

Adventureland 2015

We did Adventureland with the Carlsons and had a great time. We got rained on whuch made it a bit chilly toward the end, but were so grateful to not get stuck with a terribly hot July day.

Kansas City weekend

Having a great time in KC with dear Bridget, and her adorable Quinn.

New used bookstore/cocktail lounge in St. Joe

Cheese slippers at Fervere

Babies and beer at Border Brewing in the Crossroads district.

So cute!

Succatash restaurant on Hospital Hill

Coffee flights at The Roasterie

The Roasterie

And I brought home some fun stuff!

Eve of the Fourth

And camping we are. Notice that Mike and I opted for take-out sushi while the boys went with weiners on sticks.

Next day....

We taught them how to light matches (what us wrong with us?!)

Roomie

Had a nice dinner and visit with the Davis family. Amanda and I were roommates at Drake. We served as personal attendants in each other's weddings, both on Memorial Day weekend-- her's in 2001 and mine in 2002. They live in Rochester, MN so we don't see them often, but it's nice to catch up when we can!

Kicking off July

Spent a nice day with the Giles family at the Saylorville Visitor's Center and butterfly garden. On the way home, the boys and I stopped to climb on the tanks at Camp Dodge Army base, just as my brother and I had done when we were kids. Got a discouraging phone call from Mike that he did not receive his contract, so the business would have to seek other options to continue :(  I stopped at Van Dee's ice cream in Johnston on our way home, for some ice cream feel-goodness after the bummer news.