This evening we had our first practice of the Neighborhood Sports summer season. This summer we are playing ultimate frisbee and baseball.
Neighborhood Sports Summer Season
High Water
We knew when we bought our new house that our creek would have its share of high water and today we got our first taste of it. There has been a lot of rain over the past 24 hours and the creek has finally spilled over its 8-ft banks. It is only into the corner of our back yard and I have installed a lock on the back gate to make sure that no one accidentally gets too close.
Bean Sprout Summer Camp
This week we are hosting Bean Sprout Summer Camp! I am taking the morning off work and the kids and I are helping Susan host some kids from her program for a week-long summer camp. It is a lot of fun and we hope to spend the entire time outside. We even brought up our big school table from the basement and have it set up on the deck.
The Clive Aquatic Center
Today we decided to join the Clive Aquatic Center. It is just a couple of miles away on the trail and the kids had such a blast yesterday that we couldn’t resist. Hopefully we will have a hot summer with a good swimming weather!
Mari’s 9th Birthday
Today we celebrated Mari’s 9th birthday! It was a fun day, with swimming in the afternoon and then the Reagens and Liesses over for some Skyline for dinner.
I was looking back at Mari’s bio from her 8th birthday and not much has changed. She continues to be on a very consistent schedule, waking around 7:30 or 8 and going to bed at 9. Of course, as she gets older there is more variability here. Her favorite food is “I don’t know.” Her favorite color is blue. Her favorite song is Royals.
Mari is going into 3rd grade next year and she likes language arts, which for us means reading stories and then drawing a picture from the story and writing a short summary.
Mari Get Her Ears Pierced!
Today we are back in Des Moines after a busy weekend and it is a big day for Mari! For a few months she has been asking to get her ears pierced for her 9th birthday and this afternoon we went for it! She was definitely a little scared, but she kept telling us that she wanted to do it. In the end she followed through and her ears look great!
We got her ears pierced a the Pink Elephant, which is a tattoo parlor in Ankeny. They do a great job with kids and know what they are doing. It was an interesting experience for the kids as there was a lot to learn about.
Boys’ Trip: Lake View, IA
This past weekend the Liesland and Reagen boys headed up to the Easlers’ cabin on a Cub Scout trip. We were joined by Collin Easler, his dad, Mark, Jordan, and Mark’s friend Jay. “The wind was a factor”, but we all had a great time.
The girls headed south to Kansas City for some girl time. They had a fun time hanging out at Aunt Mary’s.
Reading with Lucia
Lucia likes to read before bed.
Eric’s Ordination
This past weekend we headed to Milwaukee to attend the Ordination of Eric Sundrup, a friend from college. It was a fun weekend, full of a lot of Mass and receptions.
Jelly Belly Tour
While on the way from Cincinnati to Milwaukee we stopped at the Jelly Belly warehouse for a tour and to do some shopping. It was surprisingly fun. The kids love Jelly Bellys and it was a neat experience.
Summer in Cincinnati
We spent the past week in Cincinnati hanging out with family and friends.
Bean Sprouts: The End of an Era
Today we celebrated the end of an era for Bean Sprout Early Childhood. After 3 great years teaching with Susan, Sarah is moving on to other things. She has been a large part of our lives for the past few years and will be missed!