June 7-28

It turns out that when I am extremely busy no one writes my blog for me. I did offer to publish guest posts written by the girls, but thus far no one has taken me up on it. I think Gretchen did write a newsletter or something. I will see if I can put that up soon.

Way back on the 8th, Bryan and Matthias had their Christmas present video game day. The other kids and I went to the Fort Wayne Zoo to be out of the way. This happened last year as well, so I purchased a membership then, and we went twice (once for video game day and once for Bryan and Olivia's staycation). One of those trips was the hottest day of the entire summer, but we were committed and only whined a little as we wandered around the zoo with water soaked towels draped around our necks. I needed to get this year's trips in before the zoo membership expired. Happily, the weather was much more cooperative this year and our zoo trip was quite pleasant. We touched the stingrays and brushed the goats and saw the alligator in several different spots in his enclosure (although we didn't get to see him move). All the animals were out and active and the orangutangs even knocked on their glass for us. We were slated to return on Friday of the same week (staycation day), but then Murry decided to take the boys for the weekend and Theodore was really the only one who was excited about the zoo. Gretchen, Kaitlyn, and I made ourselves scarce locally instead.

The boys spent a happy weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house and came back in time for Matthias's final baseball game of the summer. Hooray. 

Kickball has been moving along, although a few games have been cancelled for rain and/or exceptionally muddy fields. There are five teams this year instead of the usual four, so they added some Wednesday games to get enough playing time in. Three mornings of kickball a week seems a little excessive, but it is what it is. I didn't have to deal with most of it due to my trip. Bryan and Murry took care of ferrying the children.

On the 13th the girls and I ran a 5k in Findlay. It went well enough, although I don't think there were any really exciting times. It was Kaitlyn's second 5k ever and I ran with her in an attempt to avoid straining my hamstring further. She thinks maybe hills are her favorite part.

Two weeks ago I abandoned the family for a Kodaly intensive in Bloomington, IN. Kodaly is a method for teaching music to children (particularly in schools) and there are three levels, each completed in a two week block. Last year I went to North Carolina and completed level 1. This year was level 2. Bryan and the kids made it through again, and I think this year his mom was more available to help than she was last year.

While she was here, Murry painted and redecorated the girls' bathroom and the boys' bathroom. She folded a lot of laundry, put up a shelf in the laundry room, and rearranged the living room. She also managed to get the boys to clean their room. Not a bad deal to come home to. My favorite thing, though, was the message I got from Gretchen four days into my trip: "grandma is here. she has made changes to the laundry room and girls bathroom. next she is going to do the boys bathroom. she has plans."

After the final concert on Friday, I drove to Hocking Hills to meet up with my family. They were attending the wedding weekend of a friend (except for Kaitlyn, who had been dropped off at Rudy's birthday on the way through Columbus). We spent Friday night and all day Saturday hanging out and playing board games before making our way back to Lima. I'll fetch Kaitlyn on Tuesday when I'm in Columbus picking up the NorCal Fentons for our family campout that happens this week.

Pictures:At the zoo:

In my Julie Fenton era:

Pictures for Oma's retirement party:

In the pool with Lincoln:

Bowling with Grandma and Grandpa:

The girls play with styrofoam. At least they are old enough to clean it all up themselves now:

Gretchen:

Kaitlyn made edible slime:

I did this very tiny puzzle. I'm pretty sure there are still some pieces wrong in the middle: