Making No Promises: July 2014

July 28, 2014

At dinner tonight, the kids were eating everything but the celery out of their potato soup. I told them to plug their noses so they wouldn't taste it. Shelbi commented that it was the texture of the celery that she didn't like. So I told her to put her fingers in her ears. They'd take a bite, cover their ears, and then start chewing. They didn't know I was joking until Shelbi asked Jeff the scientific reason that this works, and I couldn't keep a straight face.

July 27, 2014

One of these days this will be the site of our sandbox. Of course, the kids still play back here, even if it's just dirt and rocks.

July 26, 2014

This is as close as we're going to get to a ping pong table at this house. I dream of some day having a basement rec room to send the kids to.

July 25, 2014

We're pretty excited about that cucumber. It's the first we've grown here. And it was delicious.

July 24, 2014

July 23, 2014

December 20, 2006

Aww.

July 22, 2014

Many nights Bailey chooses some random object to take to bed with her. I don't mind; it makes bedtime go much smoother. Sometimes it's just a stuffed animal. Other times it's stranger things, like a greeting card or item of clothing. Tonight it was her "'Fia First" pencil case.

July 21, 2014

The cultural portion of Family Home Evening tonight--a dramatization of The Frog Prince.

July 20, 2014

Sunday evening baseball practice

July 19, 2014

July 18, 2014

Happy anniversary to me!

Luckily Shelbi's final band camp concert was in the afternoon, so Jeff and I could still go on a hot date.

Jeff and I, sixteen years ago.

July 17, 2014

Shelbi all dressed up for the band camp ball.

This was her first dance, which means it was also our first dance as parents. She said some of the girls got asked to the dance by boys from the band. We aren't ready for this.

July 16, 2014

Every day while the kids are taking their swimming lessons, Bailey plays on my phone on her beach towel bed.

IHTBB

July 15, 2014

From Shelbi's awkward smile phase. Do all kids go through that?

July 14, 2014

Syd's 3rd birthday

One of my all-time favorite pictures of her.

July 13, 2014

We have some pretty great neighbors. I got a text a few days ago from my next-door neighbor, saying it would be fun to get together as a cul-de-sac. We all split the cost of this bouncy house and some pizza. We had fun jumping, eating, and playing volleyball way past our bedtime.

July 12, 2014

She's a "worker."

July 11, 2014

The sassy band camper.

July 10, 2014

Yesterday Sydney was disappointed because she didn't get to see Shelbi in the morning before she left for band camp. I took this picture at breakfast thinking it was a nice sister moment, with Sydney getting up extra early to see Shelbi off. Until I found out that Sydney mistakenly got up for her dentist appointment that's not until tomorrow. Oh well.

July 9, 2014

He was saving the other half for later.

July 8, 2014

The face of a girl who just found out she doesn't get to take swim lessons with the other kids.

July 7, 2014

An annoying thing in Amarillo today.

This fire broke out at a construction site by the road I had to take to get Shelbi across town. People were frantically driving toward the fire to watch it, parking on the shoulder of the road and even in the center lane. Annoying for those of us who actually wanted to just drive past. It's rumored that this is also the site of a future Cheesecake Factory. If this fire slows down that development, I'll be even more upset.

July 6, 2014

I decided earlier this year that I want to collect magnets from all the places we travel to. Not very original, but still a fun thing to remember the trips by. And the kids love helping me pick out magnets.

The collection is coming along. Some day I'll have a magnet board to stick them all to. For now my happy blue desk is working just fine.

July 5, 2014

Back home today.

This makes me happy. I left this garden as it was trying to recover from a hungry, sneaky rabbit. I put up the fencing just before we left. I guess it's doing the trick.

July 4, 2014

We originally planned to drive back home today. But the thought of being in the car for eight hours and going to lame Amarillo fireworks didn't sit well with us. Jeff rarely has the 4th of July off, so we decided to make the most of it. With a little online research, we discovered that a city just outside of Oklahoma City boast an amazing fireworks show. So we drove the four hours and joined the good people of Edmond, Oklahoma, for their fireworks. They weren't lying. It was awesome. They had these ones that were like bombs that exploded into huge fireballs in the air. It was both freaky and cool.

Waiting for the show to begin. I have yet to figure out how to take a decent picture with my phone.

July 3, 2014

Back in Kansas City we spent the day at Worlds of Fun, the local amusement park. I wonder if people always think their own hometown amusement park is the best one? I couldn't help but compare it to Lagoon, and believe me, it doesn't stack up. Best part of the day (other than the best dinner at Olive Garden ever after a long day in the sun): getting soaked with the girls on the water raft ride. Worst part of the day: eating the grossest "hamburger" ever. I mean really, it was the worst thing I have ever eaten. Never again will I take a sign that says "100% ground beef" for granted.

July 2, 2014

On our way from Nauvoo back to Kansas City, we stopped at Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. The kids said they never knew how Joseph Smith died, so this was a good thing for them to learn.