Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Last night C and I had a little date night together at the local minor league park. We had excellent seats and it turned out that it was a shirt giveaway night too. 

It was also $2 pops and $1 hot dog night so our entire dinner was $7. My guy's preteen appetite has kicked in and he likes 2 hot dogs now! 

C even got a ball! 

By the 4th inning, we had accomplished everything a ball game should. Hot dogs, a home run, free shirt, and we were on the jumbotron during the national anthem so... 

We were right up in the action and next to the dugout of our team. Typically when we've gone in the past it's to the company suite, but then Husband switched jobs. C was initially distraught that we wouldn't go to the games anymore. M didn't care. That's actually how this date came to be. I enjoy sitting and chatting through a baseball game. Husband feels similarly to M. 

C opted for popcorn over Cracker Jacks though I did offer. We had a really nice time. It was the MOST perfect weather for a baseball game. We stayed until the end of the 8th. The home team was down and C told me he was tired. 

I am so glad we got to spend that time together just the two of us! 

August Adventures

I wish I had interesting things to post all the time but the last week or so has been rather quietly boring. And I am just totally fine with that. 

Up until last Thursday anyhow. We have had some fun family time these past few days. 

Thursday night we went to the art museum to see the Charles Schultz exhibit again before it left. 

Saturday we went to a different museum to see the Jerusalem movie I have been wanting to see. 

Yesterday we went on a big family adventure day and started at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Here are the kids posing as the Hoovers. 

We stopped on the way home at the I-80 World's Largest Truck Stop. It was a hoot. 

Then we went to the I-80 Truck Museum and I was not anticipating how interesting it was going to be. It was HUGE. 

They even have this, and it's one of the oldest trucks ever. Like from when trucks were first ever manufactured! And I was so impressed.

I don't really care about trucks at all and I found it so fascinating. If you have even a remote interest in seeing the history of trucks and find yourself in Iowa, you should definitely make time to go. It's even free! (Though they accept donations and we did feel inclined to give at the end.) 

So that's what we have been up to! Family time together before school starts and trying to have a good time. 

August Came Marching In

We ended our time at camp with an overnight in the Dells. We went to no water parks and in fact, didn't even go to the pool. We did shower the kids off and take some time to hear all about their time. 

The next morning we got up and went to have breakfast at the Paul Bunyan Cook Shanty.

I had been when I was a kid. The food was genuinely as good as I remembered. But I was unhappy with the service since it was all you could eat that they only checked on us once and then never came back! 

I would have at least had a drink refill. And maybe even a bit more food. 

After breakfast, we went on the Original Duck Tour. Again, I had been when I was very small. But even Husband hadn't. It was exactly how I like to experience nature: sitting down, and for only an hour. 

C particularly loved the corny punny tour. It is very Jungle Cruise-esque. 

This week with them home has been nice. We had a fish fry on Tuesday using some of the fish C caught earlier in the month.

It was really tasty! 

Last night C and I went to see Much Ado About Nothing. It was a preview so we were legit the only two people there. But it was a blast. C did think it got a little long. But man was it good. 

And now even though I can't believe it is August, there's still some summer fun to be had before school starts up. 

A Week Away

So... here's the thing, maybe you didn't know this about me, but I love summer camp! I do. I love to watch The Parent Trap and can quote the Hayley Mills and Lindsay Lohan version to the point where no one wants to watch those with me. Meatballs, CAMP, Camp Nowhere, Heavyweights... I love all those movies about camp. 

I love TV shows about camp too. Salute Your Shorts and Bug Juice were top favorites of my childhood. And pretty much any book about summer camp too. Starting with the American Girl doll book about Molly going to summer camp and pretty much any time anyone went to camp in any series. I love camp. I was a kid who went to summer camp and I loved every single second. 

*Ahem* summer camp. With cabins, provided toilet paper, counselors, and those who prepare your food. Camping camping... is not in my wheelhouse. Because I pay a mortgage so I have no need to pretend to be homeless thank you very much. 

ANYWAY, the kids just got back from a week away at camp. This year we spread our wings and tried a new to us camp. A Catholic camp three hours away. And it was phenomenal! We took them up last Sunday. 

This camp did a phenomenal job of posting pictures every day. At least one picture of each kid daily, which I so appreciated. There is also an optional email service when you could email your camper every day and they could hand write a note to you and camp would scan it in to send you every afternoon. SO WORTH IT. 

My favorite letter was M's on Monday. 

Two sentences. Straight to the point. So funny. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the week. 

We picked them up Friday afternoon and I was happy because I missed them! 

But I know they had such a good time and I am so thankful for a safe, friendly, beautiful place to send them. We always said that their previous camp wasn't ever going to be our forever camp... but this... this felt like home to me. 

So in case you were wondering where the kids were again... it was camp. July was our kid free month as it happens! They were gone for 16 days in there between my parent's and camp! But now they're home where they belong and we have a few more weeks of summer fun before school gets rolling. 

Memories

After the kids came home we had scheduled creek stomping pictures. I don't know why I thought that was a good idea, but when it was offered I decided they'd look cute doing it. 

I am so glad I went with my gut instinct. Here are some of the sneak peeks! 

M got SO wet and she LOVED the whole experience. C also enjoyed it but was looking for minnows and turtles too. But we still got some good pictures with genuinely delighted looks!

I don't know if these will be Christmas card pictures or what, but I do so love getting pictures of my kids. 

The kids are back in town!

Maybe you noticed or maybe you didn't that I hadn't posted much about what my kids have been up to. Well, that's because on Saturday, July 8th we met my parents about halfway to their house and the kids went to Camp Grandpa and Grandma for 10 days. 

While they were gone they did so many things. Parks. Fishing. Shopping. Hanging out. Just generally all the good stuff grands do with their grandparents. 

The Jolly Green Giant

Minnesota's Largest Candy Store

A Trip to Macy's 

And Chick-Fil-A. (Ours is actually under construction and closed in April until like October so this was genuinely a treat!)

Visited small towns. 

Made friends with the cat. 

Did a science experiment led by M. (It was a VBS experiment.) 

Went to the library for some books to read with a snack. 

Shopping at 5 Below and Bath and Body Works. (So, pretty much an 8-year-old girl's dream shopping spree.) 

Some latch hook action. 

A trip to Outback. (Again, ours closed and this guy loves this bread so much!) 

Running through the sprinkler.

A boy's fishing trip! 

C caught 14 fish! 

Anyway, I picked them up on Tuesday and we've been settling back into routine and fun. So that's what the kids have been up to!