Erin's high school friend Lara and her two children visited us briefly after flying in from Seattle on their way to northern Minnesota. Here are Erin and Lara on a very HOT day at Elm Creek Park's new playground.
Dakota, Sarah and Brian enjoyed playing at the new playground despite the heat.
Sarah tries out the rock-climbing wall.
OK, these photos are almost two months old, but we visited the Richfield Fourth of July celebration again this year and saw the vintage car show. Here's an old Cadillac ... love the tail fins!
Noah and Caleb got a LONG ride on this ride ... are they about to throw up?
Sarah, about to ride the swings.
WHEEEEEE!
It was much too gorgeous of a summer day to stay inside doing housework, so Sarah and daddy went to Minnehaha Falls to have a McDonald's picnic and see the falls. Here's Sarah enjoying the shade.
A man and his treasure.
Sarah visits Minnehaha Falls for the first time.
"Dad, how many pictures are you going to TAKE?!!"
Sarah and her neighborhood friend, Melissa, take a run through our sprinkler.
Rich's outdoor project this week was to install new outdoor lights on our garage, house, and light pole near the front door. Here's Sarah standing next to the freshly painted pole (it used to be white) with the new light fixture on top. Erin picked 'em out!
One of the new lights on the garage (compare it with the picture of the old white fixture below).
The new light by the front door.
Ewwww! I know, I know ... this image is forever burned into your brain!
One of the 20-year-old lights before being replaced.
Caleb earned a bunch of money from Grandma and Grandpa Wynne while visiting there last week, and with it he decided to buy a young parrotlet. Aren't they cute? Caleb says he wants to donate his two turtles to cousin Zane, and his three ducks are about ready to move out of our backyard and get out on their own.
Caleb is still thinking up names for his bird. He says "Cooper" is a front-runner. Erin likes "Mojo" or "Gizmo." Rich thinks "Elvis" or "Norman" might work.
Moby the Cat immediately fell in love with the box that Caleb brought his new bird home in. We don't know if it's because he simply loves boxes or if it's because the box had that "just lived-in by a bird" smell.
With Erin at work, Lucas still visiting his dad and Noah out doing something, the rest of us were looking for something to do last Thursday. Rich saw that the nearby suburb of Brooklyn Center was having a parade, so off we went! Here are Sarah and Caleb waiting for the parade to begin.
Caleb and Sarah even brought along some bags to collect candy with. They got a fair amount of sweets given to them, along with some Mardi Gras necklaces and even a small sandwich from Jimmy John's.
Sarah even scored a freezie pop!
Sarah hams it up while the Richfield Marching Spartans approach from behind. (That's Rich and Ellaina's alma mater, doncha know.)
Go Spartans! March!
Sarah and daddy spent last week up at Bowstring, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Gordon. On Thursday night we invited some bicyclists over from the Jaunt with Jim ride that Rich had to miss this year because of his eye surgery. Here are Warren, Rhonda, Steve and Bob with Grandpa G. We had burgers and brats by the lake!
Sarah lined up Grandma's stools and had us play "bus" while the cyclists were visiting. She thought Bob was the BEST driver!
Roger and Rich spent most of their time working on a new set of steps leading down the bank to the lake where the dock is newly positioned. It was a big job, but we got the bulk of it finished before Rich and Sarah had to leave for home.
Caleb and Lucas had their sixth-grade graduation ceremony this morning at Edinbrook. With that, we no longer have ANY BOYS who are elementary students in the house. Here's proud mama with her sons.
Lucas accepts his certificate from his teacher and his principal. The photographer was too slow to catch Caleb's trip onstage ... Caleb practically sprinted across the stage!
Sarah got up early to watch her brothers graduate.
"Junior high, here we come!"
After Rich shaved off his goatee last week to "give his face a break," Erin commented on how much he and Noah look alike with their shaved heads. Here's the proof.
Bella's kittens are growing quickly. Mama takes more breaks nowadays to wander around the house. Guess the kitten box is getting pretty boring.
Noah's cat Bella, who is only about 10 months old herself, had four little gray kittens yesterday afternoon. They're not even one full day old in these pictures. Sarah has been having fun taking care of the kittens while the boys are in school. Noah has been charged with finding homes for all of the kittens once they're old enough to leave, and Bella is going to be spayed as soon as possible!
Sarah's second year of dance classes came to an end on Saturday with the annual dance recital at Osseo High School. Sarah's class performed two dance numbers during the 150-minute show.
Two beauties.
Sarah was proud to receive her trophy this year. "Dad, it's even bigger than last year's!"
Sarah is an official graduate of preschool after her class held its graduation ceremony today. Here's Sarah posing in front of her school for the very last time.
Sarah and her classmates made their very own graduation caps out of black construction paper, with yarn for the tassels. Here's the entire class posing with their teachers before they regaled us with several songs.
The proud graduates.
Mommy was on hand with Daddy to enjoy the festivities.
Sarah receives her graduation certificate from her wonderful teachers, Miss Jeanette and Miss Joanie.
After we watched a slide show with pictures from the entire school year, the kids finally got to dig in to what they had been waiting for ... CAKE and CUPCAKES!
The parents all chipped in to buy the cake and some juice boxes. The kids went on an immediate sugar buzz!
Standing in line to get a cupcake.
Sarah and daddy enjoying the sunshine on a beautiful graduation day.
Two proud parents enjoyed the first of what we hope will be many graduation celebrations for Sarah.
