Keivn's 31st Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEV!! I always love celebrating Kevin. And this year was a fun, laid back birthday celebration. Kevin has been so busy recently, and gone all the time it feels like. So for Kevin's birthday (which he was amazingly home for) we did nothing at all. Doing nothing at all was kind of hard for me, I felt like we should do something to celebrate, but this is really what Kevin wanted. We watched shows all day, hung out in our pajamas, and ate a lot of delicious food. We watched Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Cars, and Up with the kids, then when they went to bed we watched the new live action Aladdin. It was a lot of fun. We ate omelettes for breakfast, Johnny Carinos Bow Tie Festival Pasta for Lunch, and a Beef Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus for Dinner. It was so much food. Like way too much food. I am currently halfway into the next week and we are still eating leftovers!

This year for Kevin's birthday he got some treats from his Parents, dress socks and Hickory Farms from my parents, and tickets to see Brian Regan from me.

Kev, I love you so much. I think you are wonderful and I am so glad I was able to celebrate your birthday with you. I hope that this next year is better than last year, and that your 30's turn out to be awesome. Happy Birthday! I hope you felt loved and celebrated today.

Back to School Night

Being a parent with a child in school brings on a whole new list of things that we are attending. Back to School night is one of them.

This year we met with Camille's teacher and she gave Camille a Bolt Shirt and a packet with information. We had some pizza and apples in her room, then went to the library. The library was giving out lots of free books, so we went and picked out a handful. I love free books!

Then we went to the gym. They had hired a drummer to come and do some drumming with the kids. Jason and Camille loved it. It was starting to get late so I didn't think Sadie would let us stay too long, but even though it was late and loud she was really good.

I can't wait to experience more and more things with these kids and start finding all the things that they love.

 

Iowa Children's Museum

Camille, Jason, and Sadie all participated in the Iowa City Library Summer Reading Program. We always participate, but this year after we accomplised all of the tasks, the library gave each of the kids a free book and a bundle of coupons. One of the coupons was a free entrance into the Children's Museum. Camille and Jason and Sadie were SO excited. Since we were gone all summer, we ended up going on a school day which turned out perfect. 

It was early out day for Camille so we picked her up and hopped in the car. I gave the kids a snack in the car and off we went to Coralville. When we walked up to the Museum, I was concerned it was closed because no one was in it. But we got inside and it was open, just no one was there. 

When we got in we ran into a friend from church and hung out with them for part of the time. It was fun for Camille and Jason to have someone to play with while we were there. 

I always love doing things with the kids. Their eyes just light up as their imaginations start to churn.

Here are some pictures of our trip to the Museum. I hope to go back soon so the kids can play even more. 

 

 

                                

Hike to Coralville Lake

My friend asked us if we wanted to go on a hike with her and her kids, and of course my answer was yes.

First off, I really needed to be with another grown up. With Kevin being gone so often recently, it would suffice to say that I am lonely and in need of company. So I was eager to get out of the house and talk to Lala.

Second, I love hiking and being outside. I don't think I really grasped how good it is for me to be outside until recently, but it really is so therapeutic for me and good for my mental and physical health.

We hiked the woodpecker trail that leads you to the coralville lake and it was the perfect hike for the kids. It was pretty flat and easy for them. I carried Sadie in my ergo carrier, and off we went.

We walked around a corner and saw a cool "maze". It was a bunch of skinny tree trunks or branches that had been lashed together to make a little walk way. It wasn't very big, but the kids loved running through it and around it.

We walked a little further and we saw the lake. It was beautiful. Camille picked up two full pockets of acorns as we walked, and when we made it to a clearing we threw them in the lake.

We walked back and then had a little picnic with our friends at the trail head.

It was the perfect way to spend the day. I am feeling more and more grateful for the friends I am making here in Iowa.