Summer Time, Summer Time

While summer weather has not hit us, at least by okie standards, it has at least gotten warm enough to not have to wear coats all the time. (Only part of the time!) It has been so nice for the kids to be able to go outside. It has rained a bunch, so it is muddy, but they don't care. I try not to care, but I can't stand muddy kiddos! Baseball season has started, golf lessons have started, bike riding, walking, you name it we're trying to stay outside. We had our school lessons on the deck last week, it was sooo nice. We are so lucky to be able to do things like that.

Callie is an outside girl. She loves being outside. We have sliding doors from our kitchen to the deck. When we have screen out, she just opens it goes on out. Several times we have looked up, out the window and seen her just doing her own thing on the deck! That girl! This is a video of here going up and down our hill. It was the most precious thing. She went up and down, up and down. When I got the camera out she did it again, then tried to take off to the side of the yard because she thought no one was watching! Ugh! I love how she looks like she is trying to keep from falling. (Our pictures have all started being a little blurry lately, don't know if the settings have gotten off or what, sorry! Maybe I need a new camera, hint, hint!)

The boys are having fun with the neighbor kids, after they get home from school. There is quite a crew of boys around. Fun for all of us, not so fun for the neighbor behind us. He is the only one that seems to be annoyed by kids. Everyone else either has kids, or seems to enjoy watching them.

Gannon came in last week and asked me to feel his "soggy armpits". I passed! It is exciting to know that it is warm enough to have soggy armpits! :)

We are trying to plan our summer vacations as well. Todd is still wanting to head to Canton, OH (pro football hall of fame) and go to baseball games all around while we are there. We have been going to do that since we moved here. The first summer I was pregnant and couldn't do it. The next summer we had an infant, so we chose New York City instead. Don't ask me how that was better! Actually it was better because we flew, no long car rides. And, there is so much to see and do, she was content to watch the world around her from her stroller. Of course the big motivation was to see the old Yankee stadium in it's last season. Whatever, I don't get it. But, if it gets me out of town, I'll go along with it!

Kiddos in front of Yankee Stadium (in case you weren't sure!). Look at that baldy!

Garrett and Kellen at the Mets game. Daddy, Kellen and Garrett went to a Mets game while Mama, Gannon and Callie went to Central Park. Loooved Central Park.

This summer we had planned to go back to Chicago. I love Chicago. It is only three hours away, no long rides in the car. (Do you see a pattern here?) There is a ballpark we haven't been to (White Sox). Lots of things we haven't seen yet. But, Todd has started throwing the Canton trip out there again. So, we'll see. He has planned two of his weeks off this summer (not back to back) so technically we could do both, but I don't know if I am up to chasing Callie all over America!

Kellen and Garrett at the Cubs game, May 2007. Yes it is freezing, and yes, we are almost the first ones there! (Every...time...first)



Gannon and Mama at the Cubs game, did I mention it was freezing?

We do do other things besides go to ball games on our trips. We of course saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Times Square, and Central Park in NYC. We went the best art museum in Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago. Love it. I love Georgia O'Keefe, they have a bunch. It is also so cool to see Monet and Seurat paintings in person. Of course we can not leave the house without some kind of drama. We set off an alarm in the museum. Gannon was almost three. He went to sit down on a bench that was apparently some form of art. Who knew. Then when he had had enough, he just squatted. He did this a lot at this age. There he was squatting in the middle of one of the galleries, Japenese tourists were seriously taking his picture. We were just ignoring him, I guess they thought he had been there so long he was an exhibit! I thought we had a picture as well, but I can't find it right now. They have a great aquarium we visited as well. Anyway, just wanted to add some other stuff in there as well! We are not as one dimensional as our vacations sound!

In between all of the other stuff we have going on this summer, the kids and I are planning to go to Oklahoma sometime. Todd said we could go for a month, but I don't think I can do that. Too many other things going on. (Don't panic mother, we aren't coming for a month!) We always need at least a week and a half, two weeks is even better. There are so many people we like to see when we are there we always run out of time. That is why we come without Todd a lot. He can't take off two weeks in a row, so by the time we drive, there just isn't enough time to visit in one week! We flew when we came for Christmas. Even with all the drama we had getting home, it was still better than driving by myself. But, I do enjoy having my own car when we get there. I know my parents don't mind us using there van, but I don't feel comfortable just taking off when I please. So, I don't know what we'll do about that. We haven't been in the car with Callie for more than a couple of hours since she has been old enough to voice her opinion. She is obviously not old enough to be entertained by watching a movie or playing a game. Her brothers are pretty good entertainment in the car, but they have their limits!

So, we'll see how the summer plays out. Here's praying God blesses us with health and no house drama that keeps us home bound. We're looking forward to some fun months ahead!