More summer Shenaniganery

Aunt Sherri and Uncle Tom like to join us for the fair, and since he's a pilot he can fly them here to the local airport and we pick them up. While Dada ran to get them, I rallied the troops to get ready from here. Someone decided it'd be a good idea to stretch out while he waited, and promptly fell asleep on our bed. By the time I get two of the three Things ready, I lose the third. Can NOT keep my ducks in a row...

Got that kid up, everyone into the car, grabbed Tino, and off we went!

Since the kid is 13 now, we figured that's old enough for him to have a ride wristband and run around and wear himself out. He had a BALL and rode nonstop in between us checking on him. So many rides and circles and spins and dips and doodles that he eventually had to crash onto a picnic table's bench with an "ohhhhhhhh, that was too many at once!"

He's in the florescent shorts on the right side.

Tino enjoyed the outing and voted this goat Best Dressed.

Sadly, we didn't get to keep them and had to return them to the airport.

This is not the same time frame, but I came down with a whole basket of toasty dog towels fresh from the dryer and Dada intercepted with an, "ooooooooh! Give 'em here!!!" He proceeded to drape them over himself and headed off into Dreamland. I told him he was responsible for putting them away. He had a nice nap and did a good job!

This cloud performed the perfect imitation of a cotton ball. I was dodging traffic on our walk so by the time I got a decent shot of it, it had experienced some decomposition, but it had been so cute!

Some sweet friends of ours stayed one night after dropping their kiddo off at college. It's always so good to see them and we're looking forward to way more of it! Dada got to hang out with them, too, but had to leave earlier for a work meeting so he missed our photo op.

Yes, my children, it is yet another picture of the sky.

PaPa came out to visit for a few days so we had to take him to the pool! He started a splashing battle where he proceeded to get ganged up on, but otherwise I think he had a good time. He hopefully got some decent photos of Thing Three backflipping off the diving board. Love to have some fun in the sun! Sad that our pool is closed for the year now. I know there'd be an awful lot of moms willing to celebrate kids being back in school!

 

Life skills

 

I always knew I wanted to teach the kiddos how to do laundry before they moved off to college or wherever they head when the finally move out. What I didn't foresee was my hand being forced. 

Our washing machine died.

Off to the laundromat, which is a PERFECT opportunity to learn how to wash clothes.

Thing Two helped me load up five loads of clothes ranging from the soaking wet and heavy dog towels used to mop up mess from the uncooperative washer to the usual stuff we wear all the time which was backing up in alarmingly high piles. We lugged it downtown to one of our many laundromats (one of the multitude of perks of a college town) with our own soap and five various baskets/ bags/ hampers. Taught that kid how to look at temps, read tags, to check the machine before you put your stuff in (we found a dime, yay!), to look at the machine's directions before you get started, and that just because a machine SAYS it costs $1.50 to run doesn't mean you're not going to need that extra quarter to fill that last slot taking it to $1.75 anyway, how using vinegar can remove odors and fluff up your towels. I explained how in college it seemed like quarters were more valuable than gold because laundry took so many of them. Being the techie that he is, he loved inspecting the machines and comparing all the dials and knobs. He laughed at the pictures as we made up possible misinterpretations such as adding coffee to your final rinse instead of fabric softener. Our new washer comes tomorrow and I'm betting he will be bummed that he'll be at school instead of quizzing the installation guys. He can now cook most breakfast foods, wash clothes, and hang laundry. Check!