Sunday Funday

Sunday was more of the same....Steve working on the shed, the girls fighting, me leaving the room while they fight. Then they follow me into another room, start fighting again and I leave again. It was a fun game.

I did get the pool and sprinkler out for them, but that was short lived after Presley wouldn't listen and they continued to fight. So we went back inside for no fun. Piper had more quiet time (which wasn't so quiet this time) and Presley and I went back outside to enjoy a little time in the sun.

My dad, Scott and Andrea were supposed to go skydiving this morning, but it got cancelled b/c of problems with the plane (kind of an important part of skydiving). But Susie had invited us all over for dinner to their house, so we went and it was so nice! We hung out, ate too much, the kids played in the pool, it was a very nice dinner and evening! Thank you Riders for having us all over!

Now for another week of heat!

Weekend Update

Thursday I had my monthly (or every-other-monthly) work outing. The weather was HOT but we braved the heat and sat on the patio at El Bait Shop. As always, it was good....SO many laughs!

Friday we didn't do much. Steve did take them on a walk after dinner (while I took a very short cat nap) but it's so hot out that no one really wants to be outside for too long.

Saturday Steve got up and started working on the shed. The girls and I hung out, they fought, cried, got in trouble, fought, cried and it was loads of fun. I had to go to Target and knew I was going to have to take both of them with me. Noooowwwww.....it really shouldn't be THAT hard to take my 2 children to Target, but after the last time when I had to carry Piper out b/c she wouldn't stop running around and knowing that they can't get along for more than 5 minutes these days, I was VERY leary to go. I had a nice, stern discussion with them before we left about how they were expected to behave and what was going to happen if they didn't. And they were good! I made it a quick trip b/c I knew that time was not going to be on my side but it worked out!

We went home, Piper had quiet time (seems napping is minimal on the weekends with her anymore but when she doesn't get up until after 9), Presley and I hung out, did laundry, watched a little High School Musical 2 and then Steve and I got ready for our date night.

Our date night was good, we were able to enjoy the nice night, some good food, drinks and music and of course, the girls were perfect for Carlyn! (Carlyn, who is leaving us to go to college in 2 weeks, so we are sad).

Back to life, back to reality

So Monday morning, this woman was up at 5:15...knowing it was going to be a struggle to get everyone else up was my motivation. Piper randomly woke up a little after 6 and I just decided to keep her up....and that girl was ready to go! She was up and dressed and talking with no problem! Daddy and Presley on the otherhand....

We signed Presley up for swim lessons thru the KTC program, we knew she was going to be hesitant...just NOT knowing what to expect and having that fear and nervousness....I know exactly what she was feeling. And she freaked out at drop off. Steve said it was like the first day of kindergarten...she didn't want to leave the house and then the staff had to take her away from him, crying and screaming (all the other kids watching). UGH!

But actually swim lessons went good and she didn't end up HATING them! I think now she knows what to expect and it's less scary! (and she seems proud of the things she is learning!)

Tuesday after work, I picked up Piper, dropper her off at home and got Presley. The two of us went to watch Boston's teeball game! Presley fell asleep in the car on the way there! That never happens with my kids!!

Tonight she had swim lessons, then they went to Chuck-E-Cheese and then she had gymnastics! I picked Piper up and she had scraped her knee so she didn't want to walk anywhere b/c her knees hurt! HA! We had our date night at El Mariachi and she was VERY good for dinner (b/c her knees hurt!). Presley got home about 6:30, Steve went to meet his sister and a friend out for dinner and both kids were in bed and asleep by 9! Success!

Thursday/Friday and the weekend

So Thursday morning Presley woke up at 7:30 and threw up?! WTH? She was running a fever and just slept. Well, we all slept in again. Steve took Piper with him to get Spudnuts (super good donuts at a place in Okoboji). Piper didn't want to leave Presley alone and all Presley wanted to do was lay on the couch, watch TV, play with her barbies and sleep. The water in the lake was dirty from the rain the day before I decided to take Piper to the local splash pad (to keep her busy and away from Presley!)

 She was only interested in one water fountain.

I got the perfect picture of her peeing like a boy! HA!

She mainly enjoyed the playground and swings over the water, but it was good for us to get away for an hour!

Friday started off like Thursday. Presley throwing up about 7:30 and then again about 10.  Piper slept until after 11...I even went in and put my hand on her back at one point to make sure she was still alive b/c it just didn't seem right that she was still sleeping!!!The weather was HOT and with almost no wind and honestly it was hard to stay outside for very long, so good thing the kids wanted to stay inside. Presley did start to feel better about noon, actually started eating and coming outside!

We just hung out and then as it turned out about 4:30 we decided we were going to pack up and head home! Normally we leave early Saturday morning, but almost everyone was leaving Friday night and we thought it would be good to get home, get unpacked and have all weekend to do laundry and recover before going back to work and daycare!

We got home about 9:30 and all took showers! Oh it felt SO good to take a good shower without having to put bug spray on afterwards....and then sit in camp fire smoke! So none of us got to sleep before 11 but we all slept in anyway!

 

Saturday was alot of laundry, cleaning, organizing, grocery shopping....then we met mom, dad, Holly, Boston and my Aunt Ellen from Wisconsin at El Mariachi for dinner! It was nice to have dinner with everyone and talk. Then we went back to my parents house and talked some more....then of course th girls didn't get to bed until after 10! (Monday morning was going to come as a SHOCK to all of us!) Our plan was to wake them up by 9 Sunday morning, but of course I didn't wake up until 10. So we got up, got ready and met my parents at 1908 for brunch at about 11:15. The girls were actually pretty good and we were able to do some more talking, which we don't do with my parents one-on-one very often. The weather was perfect and we were able to enjoy the patio with no one else around!

 

Overall our vacation was a success! Lots of laughs, good time and memories! Now back to reality!

Wednesday

Wednesday we decided to go to Arnold's Park and walk around, shop, maybe ride some rides.

The girls sitting by the door waiting to leave.

 Steve in the mirror house...I can't go in there, makes me dizzy and sick!  So good thing he can go with P into this and the tipsy house!

Piper played on the playground since there isn't much for her to do since she is scared of rides.

Presley was 2 inches short to ride the roller coaster and log ride, really the only two rides she wanted to ride so they did the go-karts instead. She was scared last year, so I was happy she did it this year!

We took Gavin with us and he joined the fun too!

After the park we went with Jordan and Sarah to lunch at The Ritz, again, right on the water but this time the kids were good!

We got back to the cabins and Steve took Presley fishing, she doesn't have much patience though.

Then the rain moved in and they played in the rain, one of their most favorite things to do!

The rain didn't last long and then we had another great sunset!

Photo courtesy of Presley! (yes, she told me how to pose!)

Gavin holding the sun

Tuesday

We got up late again and decided to try to get lunch on the water in the sun at The Okoboji Shop, it was hot. The girls were NOT good. We had to take each one of them out of the restaurant twice, the service was bad and we finally decided before we even got our meals that we were not going to make it thru the meal with them...so we got the food to go...and even that took FOREVER. It was disappointing and sad to not be able to enjoy that lunch out together. ugh.

So we went back and hung out at the cabins. Presley showed me how she knew how to jump off the swings! I love that she is getting brave enough to try things, even little things like this!

We actually had room in the car to bring out big wheel, Piper would ride up and down the sidewalk so it was worth taking!

Daddy and Presley, posing of course!

Jordan brought his boat up, which was awesome. He was nice enough to take people out basically whenever they wanted to enjoy the lake.

Cousin Gavin (who the girls loved by the end of the week! Presley said he was her 'big brother'....you know the big brother that we can never give her! ha!)

Presley on the boat

Piper was super hesitant the first time on the boat....by the end of the week she wanted to go all the time and kept telling Jordan to go fast! She loved it!

Little Miss Model! :)

I think this is the night that Steve and Jordan hit golf balls into the lake to see who could hit farther....the only problem is that you can't tell where the ball lands in the water when it is midnight and pitch black! And this was also the night of the skunk, a skunk who was not cared of us. He walked up the beach, and then a while later back down, we were all on high alert worried he was going to come way too close to us! I went to bed about 1:30, once you could smell skunk in the air and we didn't know where he had gone! HA!

Monday

Monday was the last day that everyone was going to be in town so we headed over to Barefoot Bar, we made sure to eat before we went b/c their food SUCKS but the atmosphere and drinks and being right on the water is awesome.

Presley taking pics of daddy and Piper

Family selfie!

Piper was burning up and just NOT herself at the bar. She actually sat on our laps most of the time, didn't really want to play on they playset, so I took her back, gave her some Tylenol and put her down for a nap (which she didn't really take many naps this week since she didn't get up until after 10!).

 

Looking at Piper you would think that we were doing something VERY noisy (the girl gets scared of loud noises)...but no.

We decided to fill up the water ballons and get out the slingshot! All the kids love it!

They ALL are SO intense using the slingshot!

Presley and Ava got the same tank top at Barefoot Bar, so they posed again for me.

Cousins Jordan and Jake playing bags....they don't look alike at all! HA!  Ava had a hard time telling them apart.

The girls playing bags, very competitive!

Our beautiful niece, Devin

More model poses!

Cousin Derek

Swinging on the beach

Sunday - Day 2

Sunday was the only morning that Piper (or any of us) was up before 10...she was up at 7:30. But once we were all up, we got ready and headed to the beach to play (or read!). Presley and Ava played, made sand castle and birthday cakes out of sand. Piper did a good job of playing too and was not afraid to get into the water, even just a little bit (it was more than Presley did!)

In the same swimsuit she wore last year!

Trying to keep cool, by drinking and playing bags

As usual Sam caught a bullfrog...gross.

And Luke found a turtle!

Love the sunsets!

Nightly game of bags...I'm not sure if Matt looks better with his shirt off or like this?! :)