It's Still Summer!

I always hated the first part of September, where you had school and you wanted to wear your back to school clothes but it was still in the 80s and you had to make do with your old summer shorts.  It's still like that here, it was super hot and humid yesterday.  So after school we got out the pool and the kids had fun jumping and splashing.  It's still kind of summer, and that's okay.  We'll have plenty of extremely cold, wintery days ahead of us, I will enjoy this while it's here.

New Pals

More of the same summery goodness lately, made even better because we have made friends with the neighbors across the street.  They have a little boy six mo. younger than Ingrid and one just a couple months younger than Otis.  It's been instant BFFs around here! 

Today after nap time we had them over to play.  I'd made this paint I saw on Pinterest, which did not really turn out like paint so much.  It's simply flour, water, and food coloring, but all I had on hand was whole wheat flour, next time I'd try regular flour and hope for a better consistency.  But all in all it was a nice messy project for the kids on a hot day.

We had a pool of cold water ready to wash them up, and of course, popsicles.

The other day we stayed inside for the hot weather, and the AC must have been cool enough because we baked cookies.  I'd gotten some cookie cutters from Ikea that Ingrid desperately wanted to use, so we made moose sugar cookies.  They were delish.

Ingrid is Four!

Ingrid turned four on Saturday.  We had a crazy hot day for the middle of May, but we had fun.  One grandma got a kiddie pool, the other got a sandbox, we had an EZ-up for the oldies to sit in the shade, and used a sheet on the clothesline to make a tent for more shade.  It was crazy hot, we even ended up having to come inside to get away from the sun, something that doesn't happen that often in Wisconsin!

Last year we went all themey, with rainbows and gnomes and toadstools, but this year I'm going easy.  I told Ingrid to pick a couple colors and I figured we'd make a bunting for the table and get matching balloons, maybe some matching candles.  I have decided that it was fun to do once, but I am just not a good themed party thrower.  I don't think anyone actually took home my goodie bags and I ended up with a million rainbow crayons and mushroom spinning tops in my house...So, this year was a simple neopolitan theme.  I made a simple brown and pink felt bunting, got some pink and white balloons, and asked our friend Carole to make another amazing cake.  She did not disappoint!!

 We also had neopolitan ice cream.  The kids ran around in the sprinkler, splashed in the pool, and played in the sandbox.  It was super fun, totally summery, and Ingrid had a great time!  So did Otis.  He absolutely loves the sandbox!  He sat in there for an hour, just digging and pouring sand from bucket to bucket.  I see a very laid back summer spent in our backyard!

In non-birthday news, my mom and I planted a garden this weekend, too.  We have raspberries, blueberries, zuchinni, lettuce, carrots, green beans, and strawberries.  So excited to see how things turn out!  It's my first time planting food plants, so we'll see.  And in completely other news, I am still in shock after finding out one of my close friends is having TWINS!!  She never had a dating ultrasound, just heard a heartbeat, went about her first few months preparing for a new baby.  Then today at her ultrasound the tech said "Here's baby number one, and here's baby number two."  Wait, what huh?  If I'm in this much shock, I can't even imagine what she's going through!!!  I am super happy and excited for them, though.  I know it's going to be crazy and hectic and I hope that I can help her out when she needs it.  Jeez louise, twins.  With a two year old ready to help out :)  Crazy.

Pool Time

Oh man, we had fun yesterday!  We put on our bathing suits, slathered on the sunscreen, and headed off to the new pool in town.  They just redid the whole thing and it's amazing!  And it's only a couple blocks away from my friend's parent's house, so we met for a picnic at their house first, and then walked over.

The pool is zero depth entry, there are fountains and sprayers, but the best thing is the play area.  It looks like a playground, only the slides are little kiddie water slides, and instead of, say, a steering wheel, there's a fire hose that squirts water on the poor moms trying to stay dry-ish.  Ha!

Ingrid ran right up the stairs to go down the water slides about a million times.  She was thoroughly enjoying herself!

Otis was also enjoying himself.  He just sat there and splashed a little when he wasn't chewing on his hand.  (When are those teeth going to make their appearance???)

It was really nice because our friend's mom came with us and watched Otis while I played with Ingrid, then took Ingrid to the sandbox while I fed Otis, then got Ingrid a huge ice cream cone!  Thanks, Mimi Carol!  Ingrid was in heaven.

On the short walk home, all the kids fell asleep, and honestly, I could've done the same.  It was so fun, and I'm sure we'll be back again sometime this summer. 

Our Days

New things in our lives:

Exersaucer.  These things are monstrous pieces of ugly plastic and I hate them.  But kids love them and they give me time to take a shower, so I'm not complaining.  Too much.  My friend gave us hers to use for Otis so we didn't have to spend any money on one. 

Drawing.  Not really new but Ingrid is definitely getting better at it.  She draws these little guys all over the place.  She said this picture was a family and they were dancing.

Wading Pool.  Our local park, which we go to at least three times a week, has a wading pool.  It's not chlorinated, they refill it every day, so it's easy on the skin and nose.  It's free, and it's open 10-2, which is great.  I hate pools that don't open until noon.  That's naptime, dummies!  Yesterday after we picked up Ingrid from school we went over there.  She loved it!  So today we packed a picnic and a blanket and spent the morning there.  This little squirrel kept sneaking up on us, causing Ingrid to shriek in half delight, half terror. 

Both kids fell asleep on the way home.  I felt like a freakin' pack mule--I had Ingrid in the stroller along with towels, a bucket, our lunch, the diaper bag and a bag of misc. pool stuff.  Then I had Otis on me in the Moby.  It is time for a double stroller, my friends.  I cannot take lugging around an extra 15 lbs. this summer.  It was fun while he was a baby, but he's getting to big and squirmy for it to be his only form of transportation.  I swore I would never get a double stroller but that's why you never say never.  I'm hoping to find one that isn't too unbearable. 

And now we're off for a three day weekend, hooray!  Cookouts and family and Summerfest and fireworks and sun!  Happy 4th everyone!

Summertime, already? Again?

Our weather has been so crazy around here, I feel I won't really know what to do with myself with so much summer.  We had 85 degree days in April, then it got cold, and now we're back up to the 80s.  And it's not even quite June yet.  And usually our weather is hot until September, sometimes into October, so man, summer is going to be loooong this year!

I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong!  I have been thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.  We got a pool for the back yard, which Ingrid has loved. 

We walk everywhere, which is my dream!  The library and the farmer's market are a hike, but a doable hike.  (And let's face it, my butt could use the walk up and down hills...)  Yesterday we went to the farmer's market and found the cutest prairie bonnet for Ingrid.  I had looked at patterns and sellers on etsy, and I was contemplating buying one from this lady, but we walked by a little old gramma and I couldn't pass by without getting one.  Cute!

After the market Brendan took Ingrid to a local park's pool, which all opened yesterday.  They had fun splashing around, then came home to rest.  But a friend called and asked us over for hot dogs and beer, so we were off again.  Poor Ingrid had about five minutes rest here and there in the car yesterday, she was beat.  But we had fun, the kids played and ate a ridiculous amount of cupcakes, and Ingrid fell asleep the minute we got back in the car to drive home. 

We still have two gorgeous days to fill on this long holiday weekend, too.  Whatever shall we do today??

Indoor Swimming and lots of Sewing

Brendan found an indoor pool that has open swim on the weekends, so we went today to check it out.  I am so glad we are finding this at the beginning of winter, because I have a feeling we will become regulars during our yuck-o cold snow season.  Which means I have to get a new bathing suit because my old one is not fitting right...

The pool has a cool ramp to walk down into the tot pool.  It's really shallow, so Ingrid could walk around in the water.  It took her awhile to get her sea legs, and she fell in a couple times, but she got right back up and kept going.  They have beach balls and water toys to play with so Ingrid was in heaven.  We were in for maybe a half hour and that was enough to completely wear her out!

And, finally, I have finished the felt book.  I think it looks so cute, much better than the one I made Ingrid.  Probably because I know a little better now what I'm doing, and I had to take my time and make it right if I want to charge money for it...So here it is: