Summer Fun

Well we are about one month into summer....and already have enjoyed our laid back schedule, being able to stay up a little later and sleep in a little longer!  We haven't made any major trips yet...but have just enjoyed being able to relax at home a bit!  Here's a little of what we have been up to so far this summer!

Sam simply idolizes Sophia.  And she is the best Mini Mommy EVER!

We made a little trip to Deanna Rose Petting Zoo before the weather got too hot after soccer camp one day!

Feeding the baby goats was so much fun!

Sophia learning how to brown butter for a chocolate chip cookie recipe.

We finally caught the ice cream truck on a perfect summer evening!

And of course trips out for ice cream are a MUST during the summer months! Here Sophia is after a day of VBS.

We have hit many parks, but Antioch park is definitely a fun one to visit!

And when we can't make it to the neighborhood pool...we just pull out the little pool in our backyard!  

And we've had a few picnics at the park...looking forward to lots of these this summer!

Summer is playing baseball in the yard...

Dinner on the patio....

Big boy swings at the park...

Another trip to the ice cream store...

Waiting for the rain to stop...

Head bandz game on rainy days...

Making Sidewalk Chalk paint.....whew...what a messy project!

Making Chia Pets and having outside story time...

Summer haircuts

And even trips to the mailbox (always with the lawnmower in tow) of course!

Hope you are all enjoying these lazy days of summer!!!

T ball

I thought for sure that Joseph would be dying to follow in the footsteps of his big sister and start soccer this spring.  But he kept routing for BASEBALL.  I LOVE baseball...so I couldn't have been happier with his choice!  So began our T-ball days!

We were not thrilled with the purple jerseys that were assigned to their team, The Purple Spiders, but at least our coach is a true KU fan!

It's pretty funny to watch these little boys come out and bat for the first time.  It's funny how once they hit the ball...they are almost afraid to drop the bat and run to first.   It's funny to watch them in the outfield watching fire trucks go by while the other team bats.  It's funny watching them cheer their opposing teammates on as they run past their base.  So cute!

J is a pretty good little hitter.  He is a lefty.  I must do something to my children that makes them favor their left hands...b/c I think all three might be lefties!  We need to work on his catching and throwing a bit....but that will all come in time!

So excited to go to baseball games as he gets older.  I hope he loves it as much I used to love watching it.  Thea and I LOVED our Royals baseball cards.  So much in fact that I hid my prized George Brett card so well so Thea couldn't steal it ....that I never found it before we moved:(  Willie Wilson was her real hero anyway!  Hahaha!

Here's to a great season!  Go Purple Spiders!

Belton Train Ride

We have been  wanting to go to Belton to ride this train for a few years now... and finally made the short trip over Memorial Weekend!  

The boys were thrilled, to say the least, to get to ride in a REAL train!

Sam was definitely one happy camper!

The train took us on a short 45 minute trip through Belton!

And after our ride we walked the Main Street of Belton to find a little old fashioned car show!  J was soooo excited to look at all of his favorite old fashioned cars!

And of course a trip to the old fashioned ice cream cafe made it even better!

What a great start to summer!

Good-bye THIRD grade!

Pretty thrilled for her last day of THIRD grade....and of course she came home with a STELLAR report card!!!  We celebrated the last day with a trip to the zoo with some good friends after her early 10:30 dismissal!

Sam really got into the animals this year!! Loves to say grrrr at the tigers and any animal that looks big and scary.  He handled the day trip pretty well even though he missed his nap....but had a pretty big melt down just as we were leaving!!  The train ride was definitely his favorite part!  He loved going through the dark tunnel!

The polar bears were one of their favorite animals to watch!

And this show was pretty fun too!

And the Merry-Go-Round ride was the best way to finish our day!

Mahaffie Stage Coach Farm

I was so excited that I was chosen to go on Sophia's class field trip in the early spring.  They were originally scheduled to go to Ernie Miller Nature Center....but believe it or not... May 2nd turned out to be a rainy and SNOWY day!!  Good ole Kansas weather for you....so the field trip was cancelled.  

We gave it another shot...this time scheduling a trip to Mahaffie Stage Coach Farms.  Mahaffie is the last remaining stage coach stop open to the public on the Santa Fe Trail.  And thankfully we had a perfect weather day!  Here Sophia is learning how they made coffee in the olden days.

We even got to ride on a real stage coach!

And panning for gold

Whew!  So glad we got to fit in a field trip on the second to the last day of the school year!

Good-bye Preschool

Two years of Preschool already in the books.  Here was Joseph on his first day of 4 year old preschool this past Fall!

He loved every minute of preschool.  Such a little socialite.  Loved his teachers. Loved all of his friends.  Smiled going into school and always came running out to me with a huge smile on his face.
All of Joseph's teacher talk about his contagious smile.  It doesn't surprise me.  Sure he can test his limits from time to time.  But his personality is so incredibly sweet.  He is FULL of energy....but does everything in his own time.  He can be painfully slow but runs like a maniac.  Next year he is moving on to FULL day kindergarten.  I prayed for a half day program...but it is no longer being offered at his school....so lunch without this little guy will be a HUGE adjustment for this Mama.


Here he is with one of his best buddies.  We have known G back from our My Gym days!

Here he is ready to tackle his last day!

Popsicle Party

Thanks Mrs. H for a wonderful year!  We will miss you!!!