Fun Weekend

This was our first weekend home in quite some time and we made the most of it!  Saturday morning we strolled around the Farmer's Market and grabbed breakfast along the way. Since we were on the south side of town and the weather was beautiful, we decided to head to the zoo. We've been there about once a week this summer, but have never taken a ride on the train or let Sage get her face painted. She got to do both this time, so she was ecstatic!

After the zoo we headed home for naps and work around the house. We made it to the 5pm service at church and then stuck around for Taste of Hope, which is like a huge free carnival, with awesome food, plenty of rides, and activities for the kids, only without the dirt and toothless smiles of the carnies you'd see at the state fair. Good, clean, fun. Both kids had a ball.

Sunday we did a little shopping and then headed to Raccoon River Park after nap time to play on the playground--totally forgetting there was a beach. Sage and Drew found a little stretch of shoreline after playing on the playground and flying a kite. They were thrilled.

I'm starting to get a bit teary-eyed thinking about going back to work in a week. We'll be back to three hours together each night during the week and we will have to maximize our weekends. We have sure had a lot of fun this summer!

Sage's City

After we returned from Target this morning with a new set of watercolor paints, I noticed Sage taking a bit longer to get into the house from the garage. After a minute or two I peeked out to check on her. She was going through a pile of wood scraps next to our miter saw (leftover from the insane amount of Pinterest projects that I have completed lately). She informed me that she wanted to paint the little pieces of wood. So, for the next 45 minutes or so, Drew helped me organize the toys in the basement (another Pinterest project) and Sage painted. Every once in awhile she called me up to check on her progress. I suggested that she could build a house and I would glue it together for her.  Then I returned downstairs. A bit more time went by and when I was called up again, Sage was so excited to show me the "city" that she built, "a view from a plane". As she described every building and piece in detail, I was amazed at her creativity and ability to even picture a city from an aerial view, when she has never even been in an airplane. I told her that I would bring up some bits of scrapbook paper if she wanted to add that to her city as well and then I would glue it all together. (I helped with the cutting, tearing, and gluing, at this point).

So, there you have it--Sage's city, which she calls "Hello Kitty City". Starting in the back row (from left), she has an amusement park and zoo. Next to that is a hotel, "because they are really tall!". The heart of the city is next, with all of the tall buildings and "Daddy's work". The train station is in the far back right corner. There is a rooftop garden on top of the building and those are three tiny steps next to the building "so the people can get on the train". Yes, that is a train in the foreground, five cars in all. What an awesome imagination she has! It turns out that Sage can take a pile of scraps and turn it into a beautiful city! ...and that's how we've been spending our summer. :)

More Summer Fun

Every day this summer I've been reminded of how grateful I am to be a teacher and have this time home with Sage and Drew. We are enjoying every simple moment together.

 Farmer's markets

 Picnics at the zoo

 

 Parks, parks, and more parks... who knew there were so many in WDM?

 Grandpa's retirement in CF

 Parks in CF...

 with their cousins

 Des Moines Arts Festival

 Feeding ducks...well, at least some of us were.

 Spontaneous trips to the splash park after frozen yogurt at Menchie's

 Laughs, laughs, and more laughs

Sparklers, swimming, smores, and Rasmusons at Grandma and Opa's

 Trips to the library

 Climbing at the mall

 PB for breakfast

 Playing in the backyard

 Drew at 19 mos.

 Sage at 3 1/2

Life is good.