Plans

After a work-related trip to D.C., and generally just missing the kids, I took today off to do something fun with them. I was debating between the aquarium and the zoo when our plumbing hit the skids. So instead, we spent the day waiting for and dealing with plumbers. Word of advice: don't flush baby wipes. It's true that they can be put into the toilet and flushed way with no immediate ill effect, but in fact, they are forming a fortress in the main plumbing line that will require four different plumbers and some fancy machinery to bust loose. (To most adults, this may seem obvious, but we had to learn the hard way.)

So instead of some great outing, the kids and I just puttered around the house, played "rocketship," drew pictures, and ate ice cream cones. The kids seemed extra funny and happy, and it was liberating to have nothing to do but hang out with them. I don't think the aquarium would have been any better.

Summer things

Watermelon and kiddie pools.

Art

Since starting preschool, the kids have accumulated a mountain of artwork--fingerpaintings, drawings, marshmallow polar bears, paper-bag puppets, etc., etc., etc. Last week they brought home rocks that they had painted green and glued to sheets of orange construction paper. According to the sheets, Annie had named hers "Cookie" and decided it was a kitty. Ivan had named his "Emma" and said it was a rock.

I do love the projects that involve these little made-up stories--the sillier the better!

Belated goodbye

It's been a couple weeks since Ruth and Earl headed back to the East Coast. We still hear "I want Grandma and Grandpa" a few times a week, and have explained to Ivan and Annie that hopefully, we'll soon take an airplane to go see them. Ivan is excited about that prospect, but Annie has announced that she "no like airplane."

We took a short train ride to a nearby city while the Grandparents were out. The kids, particularly train-obsessed Ivan, loved it. Here's a photo of him as the train approached--just a teensy bit excited:



Here they are on the train (the same one I take to work, actually, though this trip was much more fun).



Visiting this small city was simply an excuse for a train ride, but it was still nice to do a little exploring.



The grandparents read the kids stories each night before bed. Here they are on one of their last nights in the O.C.



Before they left, Ruth and Earl filled our formerly-barren planter with tomatoes, basil, sunflowers, snapdragons, and cosmos. They are growing fast, despite Annie's periodic attempts to dig them up. (She is quite the little gardener, despite the slight misdirection).



We hope they come back soon.