Summer Vacation Recap--Week 11

Sunday, August 5--Today was a good day for getting things done around the house.  Everyone's sheets got washed and bed's remade so when we get back from Lake Mills we'll have nice clean beds to climb into.  I also sewed a button on one of Brandon's shirts, packed for Mylie and I to go to Lake Mills on Monday, hung a picture down stairs, pulled some weeds.....you know, it was one of those days.  I also 'found' Kate (via interview) who will be the perfect girl to stay with Myah and Maysen on those Wednesday afternoons when they get out of school early.  It's so great to just know when you've found the right person--I'm hoping she accepts the position!  Brandon left shortly after lunch to go to Rembrandt to work with his dad on a car so it was just Mylie and I for the afternoon and evening.  We scrounged through the leftovers for lunch to be sure we didn't leave food to rot and go bad while we're gone (I HATE wasting food!).  We went to Target and Walmart to get the odds-and-ends we needed around the house (new filter for the vacuum, printer paper, diapers....you know, exciting stuff!).  After supper, I pushed Mylie on a 3 mile walk in the stroller.  She just loves the fresh air, the cars, the dogs, the people.....she's a great walking companion....if only she could hold a conversation, but that, too, will happen.  After she went to bed, I looked at my calendar for the week since we'll be gone until Wednesday.  I had a mini breakdown about my little girls being big enough to start Kindergarten.....maybe I'm not as ready for this as I thought.  They're ready, they'll be great, I need to get my act together!!  The next two weeks are going to be chock full of getting-ready-for-the-first-day-of-school type activities.  I'm pretty sure they're more for the parents than the kids.....those sneaky teachers/principals!

Monday, August 6--Mylie got me up around 7 and it was just her and I that morning.....very quiet!!  Did a few things around the house and had a chiropractor appointment before heading up to Lake Mills to see my other girls.  I picked up Kentucky Fried Chicken in Clear Lake for us to have for lunch and then took all three girls to the pool (where I used to work) to wear them out for a nap.  Mylie and I took a nap in one room and Myah and Maysen in another room.  For supper, we met my high school friend, Jen, her mom, Julie, and Jen's daughters, Cora and Tatum at the park.  We got a few pizzas and played for a few hours.  Baths were needed and then all three girls were exhausted.
  

Tuesday, August 7-- We had a lazy morning around Mom and Dad's house.  My dad and brother had gotten up early to go on Honor Flight so it was just mom, me and the girls.  I made a casserole and programmed the oven so it would be ready for lunch.  Then we went out to my Nana and Grandpa's house.....my girls call them Bessa and Grandpa.  We were there for a few hours and the girls got tired running around their house.  We went back to my parents' for lunch and a nap.  From 5-8, it was the National Night Out event at the park near mom and dad's house.  There were hotdogs and sweet corn offered by the local FFA chapter as a fundraiser for their trip to Australia next summer.  There was a bouncy house, fire truck rides, obstacle course, and so much more.  Here are the girls spraying each other in the kids water fight, trying the free Zumba, and getting fingerprinted. 

 Needless to say they were exhausted again.

Wednesday, August 8--Mylie bear turns 17 months today--boy does time fly!  I gave everyone showers in the morning and then we headed back to Ames.  Upon arriving at home, I did some laundry, bought some groceries and then got everyone down for naps since they'd had late bed times the last few nights.  Brandon got home mid afternoon so the girls were excited to see him.  He brought home a bag of craft supplies from his Aunt Darlys.  The girls have had a great time playing and creating! 

 After feeding the kids supper, I went with my friend, Dellisa for a girl's night out to get pedicures, supper at Noodles and Company, and dessert at Aspen Leaf.

When I got home at 9:15, Brandon headed out to the late movie of Snow White and the Huntsmen with his friend, Mike.  One of these days, we like to have a date night with each other, but since Mylie's seizure, we've had a really hard time leaving her.

Thursday, August 9--I've really been missing the pool this week and we didn't make it today either!  I got up and folded laundry and ran 3 miles.  Brandon and I FINALLY met with a lawyer today to start setting up a Will.  It's not really something we like to think or talk about, but since our kids are our life, we really needed and wanted to get a legal document together 'just in case.'  The girls and I went to the chiropractor and then played outside on the deck in the water table and with sidewalk chalk before going to the library for the Hotdog Dinner Theater.  Our backyard neighbor boy, William, went with us to see the magician.  It was a very average performer, but the kids enjoyed it.

  A gal I work with was having a Back to School Vault Denim Party (you buy jeans at an in-home party) so the girls and I made a quick stop there before heading home for baths and bedtime.  It was another busy day!

Friday, August 10--My morning started with a trip to the dermatologist.  At the end of last summer, I noticed two darkish spots on my upper lip.  I finally decided to get them checked out.  He told me they are a result of Melasma.  Basically a hyperpigmentation in the skin caused by the sun combined with a hormone releasing birth control.  It is especially noticeable (and more prominent) in people with dark/olive skin, dark hair color, and dark eye color.  Well, that explains me.  Of course, the best medication they've found is not available on the market right now so I have to wait until it comes back out.  At least I can be thankful it's nothing more serious than that, I guess.  The girls and I ran some errands in the morning and then met Brandon at Fazoli's for lunch.  It's one of those places that is underrated, we feel and we don't get there as much as we'd like.  Of course, we had some coupons that were going to expire today so we made a point to use them.....can't pass up 99 cent kids meals and you can get up to three (how perfect is that!?) with each adult entree.  After an attempt at getting all three kids to nap, one of them actually did (the littlest and most important one), I went up to the school to start planning with some of my coworkers for a few hours while Brandon played with the girls.  His parents stopped by on their way to Des Moines so they played outside and in the basement for a while.  Remember I said I had been missing the pool?  Well, I decided we better make a quick trip there since I knew we wouldn't make it there tomorrow either.  It was cool outside (78 degrees) and the water was cold but we went for about an hour.  There weren't many people there, but the girls still had fun and the sun was out.  We went home and made some Puppy Chow for our night snack and read some new books the girls got from my friend Sindy.  Her sister is a children's book writer and she gave the girls 3 of her (Lisa Moser) stories.  It's great fun to get books with such a personal story behind them.  Brandon and I wound down our day by watching the movie 'One Day' it's quite slow moving and not all that great.....I don't recommend it :)

Saturday, August 11--Half Marathon training called for 4 miles this morning and they were wonderful!  The weather was great and it felt like an 'easy' run, which NEVER happens!  The rest of the morning was spent packing and getting things ready to be gone over night for my cousin Lars's wedding.  We traveled north to Mason City for the wedding and to Clear Lake's Surf Ballroom for the reception.  It was a beautiful wedding and the girls had a blast dancing the night away.