An orange McQueen

What happens, you may wonder, when a bright orange jumbo crayon is accidentally left behind in a plastic bag along with Lightening McQueen in a hot car?

Well, thanks to me, you don't have to wonder any longer.

Lots of F's

Fantastic Fun with Friends at the Farmpark.

That was going to be the title for this post.  But there were just too many F's.

But the would-be title is very true.

We went to the Farmpark today with "new" friends.  I say "new" because Eric and Scot have known each other since they were kids, but Kari and I hadn't really ever met besides a quick hello one Christmas before Scot and I got married.  They're here for a one-year fellowship and the Lord would have it that they live just 4 blocks away!  So suffice it to say that they feel like old friends, but we're getting to know each other.  It's a wonderful thing.

Today, the boys and I introduced them to the Farmpark.  It was the perfect day to go.  After the insane heat we've been having, today was a wonderfully cool day - we all wore jackets and enjoyed walking to stay warm.

Can I just say I'm really looking forward to showing them all the gems we found around the area.  It's also our last year here, so we're going to be getting in as much as we can!  I think we have a fun year ahead of us!

The boys warmed up to each other pretty quickly and had a blast running far ahead of us, petting sheep, looking at all the animals, riding the tractor-pulled wagon, and watching Maddie, the farm's border collie, herd sheep.  We all enjoyed a fun picnic lunch and throughout it all, Kari and I got in almost-non-interrupted conversation.  Such a treat!

Here's to many more adventures with this sweet family!

For all the times we've been here, today was the first time we saw the mini-horses.  They were kind of funny looking, but the kids loved them!

Kari and Audry enjoying the Llamas

Audry, Evan, Ian, and Drew.  Such a fun group!

My favorite part of it (beside the mom-time, of course!) was the sheep herding demonstration.  I had a border-mix growing up and I'll always have a soft-spot for those black-and-white patterned canines

A little ironic

For the past...oh...almost year....I've been slam-packed-busy.  Multiple things to do, people to see, errands to run.  Each day filled.  Mondday through Friday.  At times it's been enjoyable to have so many fun things going on to pass the time.  Other times we've been so busy I wanted to cry.  So busy I would have given almost anything for just 2 or 3 days in a row where nothing was scheduled.

And now, for the first time since last August, I have a whole 10 days with nothing in them.  I'm sure we'll have play dates.  But I hope we spend time at the pool.  Run in sprinklers.  Walk down to the ice cream shop for a scoop.  Run fun errands, if any. Read more books.  Drive a lot less.  Have 10 days of the type of summer I remember as a kid.  Hot days.  Cool treats.  Chalk.  Imaginative play. 

Maybe a certain 4 year old will even learn to ride his bike?

And in all of this, it's ironic.  Here I have the time I've been wishing for, but I want to pack it full.  And also ironic, I don't want to do anything productive: clean, organize, cook...it's going to be an interesting 10 days!

Clueless

I haven't the remotest idea on how to give a full, yet concise, overview of our trip to VA to see Jared and Madeline and visit with friends. 

We were gone 7 days.  10 hours driving down all the way to Yorktown.  It was hot and we were thankful for AC and pool time.  There were lots of laughs.  Lots of people seen.  A BBQ attended in honor of Jared and as a send-off before he deploys in November.  We were able to go to our old church and see familiar faces.  And we ate at Rita's as much as possible.  My best friend, Katie, came into town Sunday afternoon and we took advantage f the little time we had together.  We weren't in bed before midnight those 3 nights.  It was fabulous.

That's about all I can muster right now. 

I guess I'll cop out and use pictures to help me.

First evening in town.  Jared and Madeline met us at a park to run (push) some energy out of the boys

Jared got the boys this airplane.  Tons of fun.  Let me tell ya.

I feel like once one kid  learns how to look at the camera and smile, the other one figures out that's a silly thing to do

Oh, Rita's - how we love you.

Special reading time with my Aunt

We all enjoyed a good softball game, even if we did lose

Cousins

Wow. I have a 4 year old.

Evan turned 4 yesterday.  And boy, was it a treat.  We had a small party for him on Saturday with friends.  All he wanted was to "play at the park with friends, and play games, and have rainbow cupcakes".  Pretty easy if you ask me.

So that's what we did.  The weather was just perfect for a morning at the park and Scot did a great job leading off the games.  Train, Train, Car (like Duck, Duck, Goose) was the favorite.  We also played Red Light, Green Light and The Conductor Says.  The kids all loved the surprise of biting into their rainbow cupcakes - it was great to see.

For his actual birthday, Scot was thankfully able to be post-call (which means he was able to come home at about 8:30a and spend the entire day with.  It was the sweetest gift imaginable.

Ok.  For starters, we do birthdays big in our house.  I think I've probably said this before, but I feel I need to say it again. We do low-key/small Christmas' (gift wise) and go big for our special days!  That being said, the birthday boy got to pick what he wanted for breakfast.  His choice: chocolate chip pancakes.  So as soon as Scot got home, we were off to our favorite little breakfast place that makes the best from scratch pancakes around.

After a delicious and fun-filled breakfast, we headed home to open presents.  Evan's big gift from us was a big-boy bike and a big box of Legos.  Hours of fun on both accounts, right?  After gifts weren't opened and oohed and ahhed over, we traipsed outdoors to learn to pedal.  4 times around the block with Scot tightly holding the seat (no training wheels) and he got it down.  It's amazing how different pedaling is from a trike to a bike, but it is!

Evan enjoyed some one-on-one time with Scot while Drew napped and I frosted the birthday cake.  He requested a blue train cake and the thing took about an hour to put together and frost.  I'm so glad I took pictures once I finished because when you have a cake that has stacked parts and you add to the mix a house that's just over 80 degrees,  you end up with a train wreck.  Literally.  Thankfully, Evan was a good sport when, hours later, we went to cut the cake and it had all fallen apart.  I think we both almost cried, but we improvised and used the coal car as the front of the train.  It all tastes the same, right? 

The afternoon was spent playing, visiting some of Scot's new co-workers, and eating Evan's chosen dinner.  Pineapple and Olive Pizza.

When asked what his favorite part of the day was, he told us it was getting his bike and riding it with us around the block, getting his new racecar from Grammy and Grandude (a little hotwheels-like Cars car), and eating the train.

You gotta love being four.

Our new family picture!

see the train wreck?  the front totally slid off and the middle "car" toppled over and broke

Happy 4th!

Evan turns 4 today!

Updates of our fun later, but for now, a little collage of him these past 4 years.