Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for memories at Tag Park.  It's a park near our old house where Kael learned to play tag so we've always called it Tag Park.  The kids wanted to ride their bike there after dinner the other night and had the best time playing tag together.

I'm thankful for this gorgeous rainbow we saw while we were there! Minutes later we noticed a second rainbow shining through!

I'm thankful to have been back at preschool this week.  We're having preschool camp and it's so fun being back there with the kids and my co-workers! Also thankful for Kylee, who volunteered to help out with the three year olds. She loves it!

I'm thankful for rainy afternoons and Twister in the basement.

I'm so thankful Kent gets to move back into his office. It has been a long month and a half for him trying to work from home and I'm so excited for him to get back in! 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

We had such a fun weekend at the Edward Jones Summer Regionals in Galena.  I'm so glad it went as well as it did because when we left town Thursday morning I was miserable! I had just found out a day or two earlier that I had strep and wasn't feeling any better despite being on medicine.

The kids were great riders and we met my parents in Dubuque for a pizza lunch, then after that I started feeling much better. 

The schedule for Regionals is pretty much the same every year so the kids have gotten used to the routine and look forward to getting to go to "Kids Club" while Kent and I have meetings. They have so much fun there!

A fun thing the spouses did this year was have a salsa making contest.  My team didn't win but I got a great recipe from the winner!

We had lunch with a bunch of friends on Friday afternoon, then spent the rest of the day doing the Alpine Slide and ziplining!

Friday night was a barbecue and fun activities for the kids.  Kase loved his face paint!

And Kael loved making s'mores!

Saturday morning we spent at the pool.  This picture doesn't do it justice at all! It was gorgeous!

That afternoon we went to the fishing derby my dad had helped organize.  It was so much fun being out on the water.  Our boat didn't catch a lot of fish but it was a great way to spend the afternoon. There were some fun prizes awarded to the winners and one group even caught a nice size walleye!

We had time for a quick trip to downtown Galena where Kylee was thrilled to find a shop that she had written about as part of one of her school projects this year about tourist destinations. 

Of course we got ice cream! And enjoyed just walking around the shops.

Saturday night is the big awards dinner.  It's a really special night and fun to get all dressed up.

I was so very proud of Kent and the awards that he won! He works so hard and especially these last couple months it hasn't been easy working out of our house as they continue to get his office put back together after flooding.

It was a really special night also, because they honored my dad, who is retiring.  A couple guys got up front and did a game-show type question and answer session that was so neat and also pretty funny.  My dad did a great job answering questions especially for knowing nothing about it and just being put on the spot.  Hearing these guys talk about my dad and seeing everyone give him a standing ovation was something really neat to be a part of.

We are so thankful for this opportunity he has provided Kent and we are thrilled to be part of the Edward Jones family!

We got home Sunday and spent the day unpacking and doing laundry.  Kent did take the kids on a bike ride and to the pool.  We were ready to relax and get to bed at a good time after a busy, fun weekend! 

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful Kase is getting a chance to have some fun at basketball camp this week.  He's been so good about riding along dropping Kael and Kylee off at their things.  Also, he was so excited that he got the same shirt that Kael did at his basketball camp!

I'm thankful for a family who takes care of me.  I wasn't feeling great on Tuesday and Kylee helped get Kase ready for soccer, Kael brought his Alexa to me in the living room and made a list of relaxing music he thought I might like to listen to and Kent brought home soup for me after work.  Love them.

Looking forward to a fun weekend away this weekend!

Weekend Wrap-Up

We have been summering hard around here, friends.  

Wednesday Kael was chosen as Camper of the Day at basketball camp! I am so happy for him and so very proud of him.  I know he has been working hard! He's a good kid and I'm thrilled when good things happen for him.

We drove straight from basketball camp to Adventureland and met up with some friends at the water park.  It has been so hot lately! Kase enjoyed some ice cream, poolside!

Kylee came home from ISU volleyball camp Wednesday and announced that she had also gotten an award at camp! So proud of her too!

Friday afternoon Kylee was off with a friend so the boys and I went back to Adventureland.  Kael brought a friend and they mostly stayed in the waterpark, which left me to hang with Kase.  He asks to feed the fish every time we go to Adventureland and most times I say no but this day I let him and he was so happy.  Amazing how much happiness a quarter can buy.

He has also been asking to go to the circus at Adventureland but neither Kael or Kylee are interested, so this was the perfect day to take just him.  He loved it!

Later that night (with Kylee at a sleepover birthday party) the boys and I went to the Drive-In.  The kids had so much fun running around before the show started and we all enjoyed Incredibles 2! It was a late night but so worth it.

Saturday after a very hot triathlon practice for the big kids, Kase had a baseball game. He was so cute waving from the dugout every time before he got up to bat. He had some big hits but most notably he had fun trying to not get tagged at home every inning.  He was the last batter this time so he always got to run all the way home and he had fun trying to "dodge" the kids on the other team!

After Kase's game, we had lunch with Cindy then she, Kylee and I got pedicures.  Kylee was pretty relaxed!

Meanwhile, Keith took Kael to MB2 raceway! They do this every year together and have so much fun.

Later that night we went to my mom and dad's to celebrate Father's Day with them.  We had a nice dinner then the kids had fun casting fishing poles off the deck trying to hit targets! We made it an early night and came home to go to bed early as everyone was exhausted from a busy few days.

Sunday we spent celebrating Kent! We had went out for ice cream, got a few things done around the house, and finished the night with our annual Father's Day skiing! 

So proud that Kael gave skiing a try and even got up!

Looking forward to a slower week around here, then a quick weekend trip!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for a sweet moment between Kylee and Kael at triathlon practice. Kael was on the bike portion and Kylee was on the running portion and they passed each other on the track with a big smile and high five! It was so cute. They're such good kids and I'm so glad they're mine.

I'm thankful for my mother-in-law's awesome shopping skills. She got the kids some really cute stuff for our upcoming trip!

I'm thankful when I come downstairs and see the kids reading together.

I'm equally thankful when I walk outside and find them entertaining themselves.

I'm thankful that Kael is such an awesome big brother.  Here he is showing Kylee how to put bait on the hook.  Patient and calm.  Love this so much.

I'm thankful that Kylee is enjoying volleyball camp so much this week!

I'm thankful Kase played his best buddy's team the other night.  They were all smiles when they saw each other at first base! A little bit less smiley when Kase's friend tagged him out at third base later in the game- ha!

I'm so thankful for my spirited, sideways-hat wearing six year old. 

I'm thankful for Kylee's training group! They are having the best time together getting ready for the triathlon near the end of summer.

I'm thankful that almost every night I find some sort of surprise on my bed from Kase.  Sometimes its a big block tower rested on the headboard; sometimes it's a drawing taped to the wall next to our bed.  Last night it was a long stack of his favorite Lego pieces (the little tiny ones that are often used as headlights to Lego vehicles). He always asks me the next day, "Did you see what I left for you, Mama?" I hope he continues to do this until forever.

Have a good one, all!