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Sunday, July 17, 2016

Summer Fun--Week 5

Jillian attended her first FCA camp this week. She chose basketball and volleyball as the sports (two full days of each). I think she had a good time. I have no pictures, but so it goes. This was her first time trying volleyball and when I asked her what she thought about it she replied, "It's just very complicated". She wants to learn the sport very much, so we bought a volleyball and I am going to try and help her a bit in a low key way. It's unclear to me whether or not she thinks she likes it because SHE really likes it, or because she thinks I want her to like it since I played it and love the game.

This week we also spent a lot of time trying to stay away from the pool. It was warm and would have been great pool weather the first part of the week, but with Adrienne's clavicle fracture we were trying to keep things low key. On Tuesday afternoon, the girls got it in their heads that they HAD to put on a concert for us that evening. They spent two hours after camp locked away in the piano room planning costumes and routines. We were treated to quite a hilarious and sweet little show,  full of Tangled songs (Adrienne) and Kidz Bop numbers (Jillian).  Jillian had some very consistent choreography to go along with each number that corresponded well with the words. She asked to wear my hat and told me that "this type of outfit is what all the singers/dancers wear". I have no clue how she knows this, but she looked remarkably like a teenage dance member of a pop group.



Adrienne (in a dress and braid akin to Rapunzel) sang all her songs seriously. It was quite a switch.


Continuing with a Rapunzel obsession, Adrienne came down to breakfast on Wednesday morning with her long "hair".


This "hair" was rather delicate, and so you can imagine it broke easily and often. We had huge crocodile tears each time. Oh, how I love the imagination on this kid.

I bribed the girls with a drive through McDonald's cone after camp so that I could hit the mid-week Farmer's Market with less drama. It worked.

On Wednesday evening, our week took a dive. Adrienne suddenly proclaimed that she was freezing and insisted on staying under a blanket. She started running a fever, and when I went to get her up Thursday morning, she was crying that she hurt so bad she couldn't get up. Her temperature was almost 104, she had chills, body aches, tummy ache, headache, sore throat, and her neck hurt. I was just sure it was strep. I got her dressed while she was still laying down and carried her to the car. We took J to camp and then went to the dr to get checked out. Such a seriously pitiful scene in the back of the car.

And while waiting for the dr.

We got the strep swab and went home to wait for results. I was so thankful Matt was able to sneak away from work early so that he could make it to the closing ceremonies assembly for Jillian's camp and to pick her up.




When he picked her up, he tried to take her to a park to try out Pokemon Go and she started to complain of a headache and that SHE was cold. She was quiet  and subdued when she got home, and sure enough--101 temp on her. The girls just laid on the couch watching whatever was on Nick Jr  (which NEVER happens, they always use the DVR to find a favorite show), and I was flabbergasted to see both of my anti-nap (for many years now) children both asleep! At the same time! Inconceivable!




Strep results were negative, so we were just prepared to ride out a long virus. Adrienne perked up by the end of the night a bit, but had a hard time sleeping, so she snuggled up next to Matt as he watched the Tour de France and suddenly she was snoozing away. So sweet.

And just like that, both girls woke up Friday morning DRAMATICALLY better! Still some headache action, but no fevers or other complaints. Kids are so strange, I tell ya. We decided to lay low that day, but had to go into the dr for ME because I had a lingering earache (turns out it was wax...an ear lavage is definitely not high on my list of things I'd want to do again). The girls were so good and happy coloring in the room and you would never have known they were in dire straights the day before.

That afternoon I pulled out what we refer to as "the special boxes", which really are rubbermaid totes that contain the keepsakes for each girl. They had SO much fun getting to see their hospital hats/shirts, first artwork, pictures, baby books, sonogram photos, old blog books, and so on. The most hilarious moment was when we came across the pregnancy tests (why I saved these, I don't know). This of course led to Jillian asking "how do you find out you are pregnant? Do they put you in a machine or something?" When I revealed the pee-on-the-stick technology, they were mortified! If you wanna gross your kids out, let 'em see something you peed on many years ago. Ha!

On Saturday, everyone was feeling well, so we headed up to the Cities to help Matt do some shopping for RAGBRAI. He wanted to go to a bike store on the West side of the metro, so we ended up in the quaint little Long Lake area. We stumbled upon a fabulous little Brew Pub right on the water. Passion Fruit Witbier, I heart you.

Our lunch view.

Checking out the water front while we waited on our food.

Crazies in their sunnies.

After lunch and the bike shop, we went to the lake front park to play and explore a bit.



Beautiful scenery along the dock and little nature trail. The girls were mesmerized by all the lily pads.














Before we left the park, we had to try some Pokemon Go. Just to say we did. And now I'm all done.


After several more stops all over the Twin Cities, we made it home just in time to pick up pizza and put the kids to bed. Matt got out all of his purchases and practiced blowing up his mattress and pillow and tried out his new warm-weather sleeping bag.


Today was such a gorgeous day. We had some more RAGBRAI shopping to do (I told him I have zero personal shopping guilt after all this bike gear shopping we've been doing for him--a very expensive adventure!). First, outdoor brunch at Chester's with some very wiggly kids.



We finished our shopping and spent the day at home--I dealt with my 25 lbs of Georgia peaches from the YFC fundraiser. By "dealt" with them, I mean I made a pie and made jam. My kitchen smelled lovely this afternoon.






The girls played in the water and helped wash the bikes for RAGBRAI (for Daddy and Uncle Tim).








Despite the weird mid-week illnesses, I'd say we finished the week well!

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Summer Fun--Week 4

Another week packed with adventures of all varieties. We started out with our first fracture for one of our kids. Bummer! Adrienne was squirreling around on the side of the couch, when she lost her balance and fell directly onto her shoulder on the hardwood floor. She screamed like you wouldn't believe, which caused Matt to stop his piano lesson (this was at almost 8 p.m.). We were mid-crazy thunderstorm, so we tried to get her some ice and to get comfortable, but it wasn't working. He finally loaded her up and took her to the ER around 9:30. I offered to go since he had to work the next morning, but he insisted as he wanted to personally see the x-ray and wouldn't be able to if he wasn't present. Thankfully, this fracture is the best case scenario--a green stick fracture of the mid-clavicle, incomplete. She's in a sling (just for comfort as needed during the day) for 2 weeks and can do activities as tolerated. I am so grateful that she is also just such a trooper. No complaining or belly-aching about missing out on her usual swimming and park climbing activities. She's a rock star for sure.

On Thursday morning, the girls and I hit the road for Des Moines after early morning dentist appts for them. We decided that since Matt was working we would meet Aunt Meggie and the boys in Des Moines so that the kids could see each other and spend time together. We beat them there by a couple hours, and as the time grew close for their arrival, the girls couldn't take it any longer and had to sit on the front steps.

The kids immediately hit the water and enjoyed the big pool Grandad set up on the deck. I wouldn't let poor Adrienne in it with the other kids, however, because they were so wild and excited. I quickly realized I would need to get her a smaller pool of her own, but in the meantime she did her best to "swim" in a plastic bin. Bless her heart.

Jack and Jillian enjoying Grammy's ice cream sandwiches

Bedtime stories with Jillian. And Adrienne in a dress up hat, of course.



We hit a big local park Friday morning. Adrienne had to do some bubbles when the other kids were enjoying monkey bars. Still no complaints from this sweet one.

Cousin pow wow under the play structure.

Jillian mothering Bryce

Finally, Adrienne enjoyed relaxing in her private pool.

More ice cream. There's always lots of it at G and G's!

Coloring and playdoh-ing to prolong the bedtime dance.

Show snuggles between B and A.

On Saturday morning, we decided to hit the zoo. It was almost impossible to get a decent picture of all 4 kids at the entrance, or really at anytime, for that matter.




Camel rides were a hit.


So was the train ride





Checking out the sea lions

Snack break.  "Normal" pictures still impossible.


Trying out some tribal drums


I stood next to A on the carousel to help protect her arm.

Adrienne was so funny in the bird area--"Mom! I've never been this close to a bird before"

And then I asked J to stand with her and this is what I got. Teenage angst, anyone??


Happy shoppers after selecting their souvenirs.

A pretty decent pic with G and G.

We stopped at Chick-Fil-A for lunch on the way home, and then when we arrived, Aunt Mal and baby James were there for some fun. Aunt Mal ordered Grammy a pretty fun and appropriate shirt.

Adrienne happily shared her private pool with James.


Doing my best to imitate his faces.

The girls were all about helping Aunt Meggie bathe James in the kitchen sink

Glow sticks out and ready for a basement campout in the tent.

Love this sweet pic of the oldest and youngest grandchild.

All five of the kids together...this is as good as it gets!