Since I had plans for a live LipSense demo and sale on my birthday, we went out tonight instead.
Of course my dinner choice was sushi.
Bulgogi egg rolls
A Volcano and Black Widow
And then since it was still way early…we did what we always do and went to Costco. 🙂
We were home by 8:30. LOL
The Roar Run is a PTA-Sponsored fundraising event in its sixth year. We are hoping it’s on a weekend next year—it’s a bit difficult getting there to enjoy the other events when the kids don’t get home until 4.
Katie is becoming a master hula hooper!
Stretching before the race!
We were watching the relay races and Katie wanted to try the wheelbarrow.
Neighbors!
Nine minutes until race time!
The group of neighbor kids running together! (Tom was taking the pic down at the fun run starting line.)
Katie came in a minute or so behind Sophia—but we had seen her on daddy’s shoulders for a bit!!
And the same pic close up as she crossed the finish line!
More neighbors!
Love a family photo!
Stacey and Lorenzo, Sophia and Enzo
And I had to try a selfie. It’s a bit more difficult with six people!
We had the results as they were happening and these were the finals (Katie missed a medal by one place—Sophia came in #3):
Grannie was helping organize the basement and we put up a new shelf in the litter room. There was a cat on it shortly thereafter.
A few quick pics before school…
He was five for five!
Owen showing Gramma how to do things.
She hit the target with all five arrows!
Last-minute date night!
This is an idea I saw somewhere and decided to do for Katie…she will wear this shirt on the first day of school until she’s a senior in high school!
BESTIES!
There are only three kids at the bus stop!
Katie is in the seat right above SCHOOL.
He and Nate zoomed off the bus and pretty much immediately asked to go ride bikes!
Mrs. Valentine
The huge playground (one of three!).
Getting to check out a bus!
She went straight to the very back seat!
That’s a “bike path” on the right. The raised circular structure on the left is for a specific game (Owen’s school has a smaller one).
Back inside to check out the cafeteria (no pics) and the gym! She made a beeline to the rock wall!
I had to go in and wake him up at 7:30!! This year he gets on the bus at 8:25—that’s a half hour earlier than what we were used to in Virginia!
Katie holding Owen’s hand as he was waking up.
Owen and his bestie, Nate (2nd grade):
They are the only two at their bus stop!
We wanted to have a fire with Papa and Grannie but needed some firewood so we actually found some free on NextDoor… Yay!
The kids caught a few lightning bugs (it’s in there, trust me).
After we made s’mores we got the fire going a bit crazy.
The kids finally settled down and were cuddling of their own free will.
Then they were trying to read by bug light.
I’ve always wanted to see Blue Man Group and when I mentioned it to Grannie she said they’d like to go, too…so it was off to Chicago!
Photos weren’t allowed during the show so this is all I got beforehand.
The kids absolutely loved it and they immediately asked if they could see it again. 🙂
Edited to add some googled pics of what we saw:
She loves her new power wheels! She was chasing Papa around and then driving crazy circles around the yard.
Waiting for Tom to get home and enjoying the weather on the front porch.
Of course we had to start with a traditional anniversary selfie. 🙂
Our dinner of choice this year was…sushi! This was called the Willis Tower and had layers of crab salad, sushi rice, avocado, spicy tuna, and a few sauces. You ate it with a spoon!
We couldn’t decide between three rolls so let the waiter choose for us. Why yes, that IS gold leaf on there (right).
We wanted dessert and were trying to decide where to go. Our waiter, knowing it was our anniversary, said he’d give us a mochi on the house. We’d never had it, but were game to try it—all we knew is that it would be strawberry flavor. This is what came out: it was strawberry ice cream on the inside. It was tasty but not quite what we had in mind. (I Googled later and learned that mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.)
So we headed toward home and somehow ended up at The Chocolate Sanctuary where we both indulged in our own desserts! (We rarely get dessert and when we do it’s shared between all for of us.)
Tom had Pecan Bourbon Crème Brulé (Jim Beam infused crème brulée with toasted pecans, topped with toasted meringue and Sanctuary caramel) and I had S’mores Dark Chocolate (Dark chocolate flourless cake with toasted meringue, cocoa graham cracker sable, cocoa graham crumble, Sanctuary spiced caramel, and cocoa-candied bacon).
We may also have let it known it was our anniversary (the couple across from us was celebrating their 38th!) so we may have also indulged in free champagne and raspberry chocolates. 💕
And then this was waiting for us when we got home. (Well, they actually weren’t quite finished when we walked in so we were forcefully instructed to go wait upstairs!)
The kids helped Grannie make rice krispie treats (decorated with our cake topper!) and they drew and colored a sign. They were so excited to surprise us.
It’s kind of hard to see, but they drew and colored lots of wedding-related things (my ring and flowers, the train, the cake, the horse and carriage) as well as some of our favorite things (Petoskey stone, a saw, dolphins). We loved it! And then of course we had to have a bite of still-warm rice krispie bars!!
It was a good day. 🙂
Papa and Grannie took the kids to the local aquatic center for a school fundraiser while Tom and I went out for our anniversary. I sent them with our waterproof camera!
Papa went with us while Grannie stayed home with Katie. Owen’s classroom is on the second floor. They have a multitude of desk areas—they have standing desks, bean bags, lap desk, etc…so the kids can figure out where they work the best. They also sit in a different seat each day.
Mrs. Gradner—I love her already!
Wiley, the school mascot.
And a few random pics of his classroom.
Nick and Gracie making Christmas M&Ms (the rest went into Lisa’s monster cookies).
Just a few brats to cook…
All the kids like to fish but they say Aubrey is the one who loves it the most and is the best at it. She apparently gives lessons to other kids at their house!
Katie caught a fish!
Someone took an unplanned jump into the river (learning you can’t walk on lily pads):
Drying off…
I think this picture is a tradition.
And the mandatory annual family Christmas photo! Every year they give us grief about taking it… And this year with the craziness of the move I didn’t post it immediately and they were all asking about it!! So there. :p
And the annual kid comparison—Katie is getting closer to Aubrey but Aubrey is still ahead (which should be the case, as she’s almost 9). And as usual, Owen is definitely taller than Gracie…
But I think he beats Nick this year!!
Last year:
More fishing!
After a campfire and s’mores it was time for bed. The kids decided to all sleep in the living room… Poor Timmy. 🙂
Owen was bummed that Katie got a small present from Gramma at the art fair but there weren’t any “boy things” for him to get so Gramma promised to take him out to buy something at the store. I jumped in to suggest an experience instead of a thing and they were both good with that. We ended up getting ice cream at a shop downtown and eating it in the gazebo. And he told Gramma he wanted a day with her for his birthday like Katie had!!
Own patiently waiting at the wine store.
Gramma to the rescue… Giving them both a quick bath. There was a lot of laughing and shrieking. 🙂
