A Good Week

We had a pretty good week at our house. It was filled with evening activities but they were all fun end of summer activities. This was the last full week of my kids summer vacation. They start back to school next Wednesday.

On Monday evening a cold front brought some much needed (but not enough)rain. After the heat we have been dealing with the cooler temps and the rain were very welcome. As the storm was rolling in my kids moved outside to the porch to watch it come in. We all love a good thunderstorm. Well....except maybe Dakota our Red Heeler. He hates them.

When it started to rain the kids decided to run out and cool off. It was so fun to watch them play in the rain!

Tuesday:
We had amazing weather the rest of the week after the rain. Tuesdays high for the day was in the 70's!! The kids spent ALL morning running and playing outside. They were loving it.

Jadon finally got brave enough to go down the big yellow slide all by himself on Tuesday! I was so proud of him. Of course I was close by snapping these pics. Not sure if he would do it without me close yet but at least I did not have to hold his hand!

"Here I come Mom"!!

"I can do it"

I did it!!

He was so proud!

On Tuesday evening I had an appointment to get my hair cut then we went into Stanford to the pool for the annual 4H pool party. It was almost too cool to swim! How often to we get to say that in August!!??

Wednesday:
 This was one of just two evenings we were actually home.  We grilled pork chops for dinner.  I made some zucchini cakes.  I saw the recipe HERE and thought they sounded delicious and they were.  Grandma Cindy came over for dinner so she got to enjoy the very first "watermeme" from the garden with us.  Jadon was very excited!

Thursday:
Another great weather day!  The temps remained cool with the high in the low 80's!  When Daddy got home we all loaded into the truck and went in to town  to our local zoo for member's only night.  They had a couple unusual animals that we could touch.  My favorite was the Armadillo.  My least favorite was the python.  I touched it but eeewwwwww......

We also go to see some of the areas of the zoo we don't normally get to see.  The kitchen where they prepare the animals meals was open.  A zookeeper was in the kitchen to answer questions and show us some of the diets.  We got to see what the tiger was going to eat for breakfast the next morning, and the Gibbon's dinner.  It was pretty cool.

Jadon trying to decide if he wants to touch the Armadillo.  I touched it but he would not.

Hanging out while Jadon rides the carousel with Daddy.

Daddy and Jadon picked out the polka dot giraffe.

The python....eeeewwwww.

After the zoo it was time for our picnic dinner that I packed.  I made THESE sandwiches.  I have made them before and they were a hit.  I think they mostly just like the bread.  We had the sandwiches, applesauce, some of our dill pickles, and Cheez-It's for our meal.  Then it was off to play at the playground.

The kids finally got Jadon to play in the splash park!  We had tried one other time but he would not.  So glad to see him enjoying it this time.

Then we hit the swings right before leaving.  Love this picture!

Friday:
Was....yes....ANOTHER nice weather day!  Jacob went out early in the morning to squirrel hunt.  This is his first hunting season.  He took his hunter's safety course over the winter so he could get his permits.  Friday was his third day out trying to get a squirrel and he got one!  He was so proud!  

Unfortunately that means we get to try squirrel for the first time........Yay (insert sarcasm here).   He has to get a few more before we will have a meal.  I am supporting this because I love that he is outside doing something he enjoys that does not involve video games.  Just never thought I would ever be eating squirrel.

Never say never.

Sprinkler Fun

Summer is quickly coming to a close here. School will be starting in a little more than a week and we will be starting a new, more structured routine but for now we are still enjoying our carefree days spent mostly outside!

I found an awesome tutorial for a pvc pipe sprinkler while I was wandering through blog land one day and I thought it looked pretty fun! We picked up the supplies for the sprinkler awhile ago but never got around to putting it together. My wonderful husband finally found some time in his crazy schedule to put it together for me.

We decided to test it out today and it was a HUGE hit! Normally Jadon and John do not care for the sprinkler. They prefer to play in the baby pool or the water table. When Jake kicked on this sprinkler however they jumped right in. They loved it!!

I could not believe how much fun Jadon was having running through the water!

Stopping to get a quick drink.....

Trying to catch some of the water in buckets.

Another drink break.....cracks me up.

Watch out big brother.....Here I come!!

Oh mom this is so much fun!! 

After about 30 minutes of running through the water Jadon needed a break.  He got out his chair, sat in it, and watched for about 5 minutes.  That was enough to rejuvinate him and he was off running again! 

Love this idea and I am so glad we made one!  Thanks to the blog "Here Comes The Sun" for sharing her idea! 

Gardener In Training

We have a little gardener in training at our house this year.  Jadon LOVES to go out to the garden.  He is very excited to pick and eat the "watermeme"!  Tonight I told Jadon that I needed to go water the garden (we need some rain).  He scurried up the stairs leaving me to wonder what he was up to.  When he came back down he was wearing his rubber boots.  He has been waiting for the perfect time to wear these boots.  He keeps trying to put them on when we are leaving to go into town and run errands.  We keep having to explain that he can't wear them.  So finally I don't have to tell him no!  He looks so cute in them.

So off we marched to the garden.  Jadon ahead of me saying "Mon Mom, Mon"....translation...."Come on Mom, come on!".   I started watering the garden pausing every few minutes to fill the three cans that we keep out there to water the plants that the hose can't reach.  Jadon was dunking his little watering can inside of these cans to fill it up.  He was then searching for things to water.  Jadon believes that you need to water the actual vegetable not the leaves.  Of course he had to water his precious watermeme's first!

Shelby took over watering so I could snap some pics.  I love how this picture turned out. 

Watering another watermelon.

Marching back to fill up his watering can.

So serious!  Look at Righty go!

Righty carrying the watering can.  Just loving the boots!

He found a tiny squash that needed some water.

That tiny squash must have looked very thirsty.  It got several good drinks!

Jadon was such a good helper!  After I was done watering I gave Jadon the hose to play around with while I did some weeding.  I was pulling some grass out that was trying to hide in the tomato plants and the next thing I know I am getting wet!  That little stinker turned the hose on me!  He thought it was pretty funny so I continued to get sprayed periodically while weeding.  He did finally lose interest and came over to help me find more "pickles".  He LOVES Daddy's dill pickles!  We found about six.  Jadon put them all in a can and carried them in the house for me.


As we were walking in the house I noticed that he was soaking wet from head to toe.  His boots were covered in mud and grass.  We had to make sure he took his boots off on the porch and his clothes came off not long after we got in the house.  He was messy but it was a nice way to spend an evening.