Summer is Here

Blast-ball ended a few weeks ago. Tee-ball started within a week or two. By the time we thought to secure D a slot there was only one left, and even though its supposed to be for kids aged 5 - 6 yrs he gets to play...I guess his reputation as an above average Blast-baller helped him get permission to play with the bigger kids.

I guess that it's been long enough between posts that Tee-ball is now almost over...the last game is next week. D has done well, but it's pretty hard for little kids to concentrate on the game. At least they get to run all of the bases...including home, run D run!

Airbus treated all of the local employees and their families to a picnic at Tangnyika Wildlife Park here in Wichita.

At the park the kids were in especially bad moods. There was a time-out or two, and a few threats to leave before we ate lunch. Then Desmond chucked a rock into the penguin's pond...that was the last straw. We left before lunch. As we were leaving I saw a friend and jokingly told him that it was too bad that we had to leave early because I was feeling lucky...like maybe I would win a door prize. Well I did, and the folks at work were nice enough to hold on to it for me. It was a very nice new digital camera...sweet. So you may notice an increase in the picture quality from now on.

We went to Chicago to visit Aunt Heather, Uncle Lawrence and Cousin Jozyah...he's brand new.

We went to the Navy Pier.

Emma took a liking to the baby. One evening Emma was so mad that we had to leave Heather and the baby and go back to the hotel, that she threw her blanket out the window of the car...never to be seen again.

Aunt Dawn was visiting out there at the same time as well. When Emma threw the blanket out of the car she chose Dawn to confide in about the act. She whispered it to her, and then Dawn told everyone else. So much for Dawn being the 'cool' aunt.

We've gone to a couple of Wingnuts games lately. They're the local farm team (do they even call them that anymore?). Anyway, the first time Mom and Pop took D only, and he started to ask to be taken home after the second inning. Emma, Aunt Dawn and Nanna came for the second game and we made it through the whole game. Very fun.

Pops has been proclaiming, "it's not officially summer until...", and then usually something fun follows. For instance, its not summer until you get to play with the slip-n-slide.

Its not summer until you've been to the drive-in movie theater.

Its not summer until you've made "orange lips" with orange wedges.

Its not summer until you've made a pair of cut-off jean shorts, and its definitely not summer until you've taken the doors off the Land Cruiser. Some punk took care of that for me, and even had the nerve to ask for a ride for "helping".

Pops got a monster truck. The extended search for the new family wagon has come to an end. Desmond chose the color, and I'm starting to get used to it...really like it in fact. The truck is certainly a monster. One reason it took so long to find is because Pops insisted on the Crewmax version...I'd had enough of kids kicking the back of my seat. Now the kids can't reach my seat, and, maybe more importantly, each other. The back is so spacious that the back seats even recline. Overkill? Maybe, but the truck sure is nice. I tried to recreate on of the old Toyota commercials where the new owner jumps into the air...remember those anyone?

Does it seem like something is missing? A scooter for Emma perhaps? She's been asking for one...a pink one, of course.

Lots to report + Little time = Long Post. Apologies.