Summer Update

Hello! I am trying to do a better job of updating our blog on "daily life." Here's what we've been up to since our return from Disney:

The kids have been asking to go fishing every single day. Sometimes, their dreams come true. 

Daniel has been very interested in drawing. Annika, too.

WE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE!!!! One of the craziest things we've done. There was no logical reason to move but we love our new house overall and it feels more like "home" to us than our old place ever did.

Biggest new adventure of the new house is that it has a pool. The kids of course wanted to get into the pool within hours after closing on the place.

We discovered a trap door in Daniel's closet! It leads to the water-turn-on/off valve for the outdoor bathroom. Two things we did not know existed when we purchased the house. ;)

Another discovery - a mulberry tree with delicious mulberries.

Oh, and a dead snake.

We have a lovely screened in porch now, where we have set up our treadmill and hot tub!

And love having friends and family over to swim. Here are the Thorntons.

Daniel lost his first teeth - two in one go! His permanent ones had grown in completely behind them.

Will has been doing lots of home improvement work on our new house, including much patching of ceilings.

This is Daniel's room - it was a very dark navy blue before, but he requested a Snow White color like Hath in Star Wars. Annika's is a very New Mexican turquoise.

I did take Daniel to City Park Pool one day while Annika was swimming at Northview with friends.

But mainly, we've been enjoying swimming at our house! We love having people over. Here are the kids with Brady & Brynn - they've also enjoyed having Bryn & Sage over, and other friends - everything in a pool is better with more people!

The kids are staying busy with activities this summer. Annika is in STEM this summer in the mornings, which is a collaboration between the school district and K-State to do all kinds of hands-on science modules. She has been in Vet Med, CSI, Coding to Mars, and the Science of Hollywood, and has loved them all.

In the afternoons, the kids have theater rehearsals for Mary Poppins, a giant play with kids in grades K-12. Both kids are in the chorus, and Daniel is a bird feeder and Annika is a toy. The costume requirements were a little bit overwhelming when I first saw them. E-bay to the rescue!

I was out of running/walking for a while after I hurt my big toe by dropping a giant mixing bowl on it. Daniel wrote me a sweet card.

MOVING DAY!!!! We had the most awesome friends and family in the world who came and helped us move. To my parents, Will's parents, Julie & Charlie, Monica, Abby, Joe, and Jeremy . . . Thank you, thank you, thank you, all!!

My sweet friend Abby packed up our pantry and discovered that we have a whopping 7 containers of oats. Oh my goodness.

Another thing our new house has - poison ivy. And not just any poison ivy - giant poison ivy.

Daniel's costume for Mary Poppins arrived in the mail! We are still waiting on Annika's arrival, but hers is coming from the U.K.

Daniel's completely unpacked room! Annika's is still a work in progress. 

Daniel was very proud to blow up this giant inflatable gecko all by himself. Thank you, Amy W.!

Annika went to her very first 4-H camp last week!! My sweet friend Abby drove her there with other girls. I was nervous but Annika reported that it was positively awesome, she loved everyone in her cabin, and she hopes that next year everything can be exactly the same because it was so much fun.

Annika & Eden.

Annika, Rachael, & Emma.

We had the most wonderful time this Friday night with a CAUMC pool party!! We had 13 families over and it was an absolute blast. I can't wait to do it again, especially since we were missing Annika and a few others due to 4-H camp. Abby and Kim came over ahead of time to help clean the patio and outdoor toilet to get ready - thank you!! Great evening.

On Saturday morning, my friend Christine and I ran a 5K race, then our family (minus Annika) headed to Kansas City for our dear friend Karen's pool party/housewarming/wedding shower. It was great to see her and we got to see both sets of Will's parents, too. 

Sunday was Father's Day, officially, but between 4-H camp pick-up and VBS preparation and beginning, we did not have much time to actually celebrate much. We have declared Sunday, July 5th to be Make Up Father's Day.

VBS!!! This started at our church last night and it is a blast. We have 76 kids registered - a new record! Will is one of the people in charge of science, and I am in charge of drama. The kids rotate through drama, science, music, recreation, and art. VBS at our church is in the evening, Sunday through Thursday nights, and also includes dinner beforehand. It is an awesome way for us to all really come together as a church family.  

What have you been up to this summer??