July

July - you were good to us and we have the swimsuit lines and late nights to show for it.  The Fourth of July was a great mix of swimming, food, family and friends.  So much so that I failed to capture many pictures.

Uncle Marty came for a quick visit and served as an important consultant for some serious Lego-building.  Charlie put him to work finding some key Lego pieces and I'm hopeful that Marty left with an appreciation of why we don't need any more Legos in our house.  Ever.

Lucy is infamous for finding something that Charlie built and taking credit for it.  The picture below is no exception.  Don't get me wrong, she's a smart cookie but she hasn't yet mastered how to create a functional Lego car.  Give her time though!

Friends were in town for a basketball tournament so we were able to take some of their girls to the pool in the afternoon.  Later that night we were able to walk outside of our house and catch a glimpse of two different fireworks displays.

Homemakers has a giant Adirondack chair in its lobby and the kids couldn't have been more impressed.  I told Charlie that it reminded me of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and he gave me a blank stare.  So I added watch "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" as an important item to do before kindergarten starts in a few weeks.

Charlie's a pretty good negotiator because when it's time to pick out books before bed he always goes for a Star Wars book and he's convinced Lucy to pick a book about Legos.  He should enjoy it while it lasts because it's only a matter of time before Peppa Pig or Doc McStuffin are back in the mix!

We went to see the Minions movie when my sister and her family were in town.  Our theater has a "Peanuts" display in the lobby and I couldn't resist capturing my Charlie and Lucy with the original Charlie and Lucy.  Now we just need a Snoopy to complete our family and we'll check the "Peanuts" box for good!

Movies are always better with cousins who are willing to share their snacks!

I've decided to give in and support Charlie's Star Wars obsession by buying him this backpack for school.

I don't have anything against Star Wars, I just don't know that much about it so it's the first disconnect where he is passionate about something and I don't know what he's talking about.  In one of his more desperate attempts to explain Star Wars to me I apologized and told him that I just don't know that much about it.  He looked frustrated for a minute and finally said, "That's OK mommy.  You just know stuff about being a mom and making cheese quesadillas, right?"  Charlie, some days even a cheese quesadilla is a stretch for me!

Charlie had a birthday party at an inflatable gym and this little lady scored herself a pity invitation. She fit right in with the big kids and was annoyed whenever Charlie tried to help her.  I am holding tight to the notion that her need for independence will serve her well.  If it doesn't, we're all in trouble!

I turned 35 at the end of the month and BJ and the kids greeted me after my morning workout with some goodies.  My gift from the kids?  A Princess Leia costume to wear when we go trick-or-treating.  The kids were thrilled.  Me?  That's my "I can't believe you ordered this for me to wear" look to BJ.  Charlie's already planning to go as Darth Vader, BJ as Luke Skywalker and Lucy will either be Yoda or Princess Leia.  What we do for our kids!

We celebrated my birthday with a quick overnight visit to Omaha.  We weren't sure about renting a double stroller but given the ridiculously high temperatures, it was a great decision.

It was so hot that this tiger spent his team facing the big fan that blew into his cage.  I was wishing that I could join him.

Petting and feeding the stingrays was a blast!

Crazy kids waiting for the train to take off.

Most of the animals were hiding or sleeping due to the heat but we were able to get a decent look at this gorilla.

We also enjoyed camel rides, a Skyline ride, the aquarium, an Imax show and all that the zoo had to offer.  It was a full day and we swam for an hour before heading to dinner.

Lucy cashed out before we were seated and spent the entire dinner sleeping next to me in the booth.  It was pretty peaceful for the rest of us :).

The next morning we spent some time at the Omaha Children's Museum, which has a great outdoor play area.  The museum also had a Lego Exhibit and a special princess sing-a-long so it was great for our kids.

While I joke that my twenty-five year old self thought that the birthday plans for my thirty-five year old self were lame, we had a great time.

We plan to spend August soaking in as much pool time as possible before we are living with a legitimate school calendar!