Adventures

 After a quick stop at home to unload our bikes, we headed out to the children's museum to meet up with more cousins for the day.

Lots of fun!  Follow that with a pizza lunch & we were ALL ready for a nap. 

Adios, cousins! 

So glad we could be with you!

Our Father Bike Ride

For the last three years our KCs have sponsored the Our Father Bike Ride on the Saturday before Father's Day.  It's a simple trek down one of our city bike trails with various options for how far to ride.  The first year Andrew just made it 3 miles to the cookie station & we packed up his bike in the van to go home!  Last year he made it half the way back, too, but the ground was so soft he was really worn out, so we threw the bikes in the back again. 

This year Darren, Andrew, & cousin Max did a full loop of 6 miles with energy to burn at the end!  My sister Melissa & niece Liz joined us in the cheering section.

 While we waited, Matthias was fine to walk around & pick flowers with the girls... but refused to take a picture with the flowers afterwards!  Ha!  Love that stage.

 We had a good crowd this year despite some rain clouds lingering above.

 And, they're off!

 Waving the pompoms, shaking the maracas, & cheering I think helped them zoom into the cookie stop at lightning speed.  After 3 (or 4?) cookies they were off again!

Some took a longer trek to make it a 9 mile ride, but Max & Andrew led the pack on the short route back.  Max was already talking about when he joins us again next year!

All cousins, all the time

 We were so happy to have two of our cousins stay with us last week!  Max & Matthias fill in some of our stair step of ages... Max 8, Andrew 7, Matthias 6, Rebecca 5.  They played so well together!  We played at the park, had a picnic, hung out at Green Grandma's (ironically) & tackled with cousin Logan (from Darren's side), & then had a blast at the pool.  I LOVE these beachfront entry pools.  The girls had a blast, the boys could actually swim in my view, & I only sunburnt one half of my body where the sunscreen ran out before I finished.  :P  Not used to spraying 6!

 They spent most of our time at home entranced by LEGO creations in the basement.  They made some really cool stuff! 

 One afternoon I lost track of all 5 for a bit & found them all lying on our bed staring at the fan & suppressing intense giggles.  Goofy guys.  =]

It's so nice to have some non-event time with my nephews!  We really enjoyed having them.

Artsy afternoon

 I took advantage of Teresa (& Daddy) napping last Sunday afternoon to take the big kids over to a festival at a local art studio.  I had never been there before & I was really impressed!  The kids made these neat marble papers, tie-dyed t-shirts, buttons, pictures of Nebraska, & origami bugs.  FOR FREE.  We ran out of time or we would have also made clay figures, had their faces painted, & painted an outdoor mural!  (We intentionally skipped the henna tattoos.)

There was live outdoor music... rather eclectic but fun.  They were the most intrigued by watching a woman work with a pottery wheel.  I was so eager to jump right in there, too!  I forgot how fun that is to see a big lump of clay transform in your hands.  Maybe I should see if they have a pottery class.  Anyone care to join me?

Thank you, Jody, for telling us about this great festival!  I'm so glad we went.

Almost...

Recent quotables from Tootsie:

"No, bee!  Don't STINK my elbow!"

***

"Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top,

when the bell rings the cradle will rock
& down will come baby
princess in a tree top."

One BIG day

When cousins come to town, we can hardly resist zooming immediately to their location.  So, when my sister Melissa & her family were here last weekend to go to the zoo, we also joined them for pre-zoo & post-zoo fun at my sister Cara's house.

"Let's play pretty princesses in the castle with white dresses & orange shoes, Veronica."

Then we ventured to the zoo.  The mole rats were both intriguing & hilarious to the girls!

We clued our cousins in on our cheap trick to feeding the goats... scavenge for all the feed that other kids dropped before us.  Andrew found a whole cup full!  Veronica was very frustrated, however. 

"Why won't he eat this food from me?"

Well, she hadn't quite mastered the techique of discerning the pellet food from the other kind of pellets.  I don't blame him for not eating it!

And that's as close as we could get to a posed picture with this motley crew!

My little monkey inspired by

the real monkeys.

The boys were all rather hesitant, but the girls dove right in to hold this huge grasshopper in the bug house.

Ah!

"It tickles, Mom!"

Yuck.  There were no mommies holding this huge millipede, either.  Andrew finally caved to peer pressure... GIRL peer pressure that is... & decided to hold this one.  He required a photo as well. 

Cute chicks

Since we hadn't tired out of fun yet, afterwards we walked down through the rose garden, past the fountains, & over to this gorgeous garden.  The boys were enjoying the fish in this pond... & grandpa's spitting trick.  Still lovely.

Back to auntie's afterwards to play, play, play & grill out, too.  Thanks for hosting us, Cara & Taylor.

What a BIG, fun, happy day! 

Love you, cousins!