Luca vs. the Watermelon

We had the elder over for dinner, and Luca got to try watermelon. He wasn't sure what to do with it.

He ended up with a little piece of watermelon in his mouth that he didn't want to swallow or kick out, just wanted to play with it with his tongue.

I made a campfire dutch oven cobbler. DeA thought that it tasted "too campfire-y".

Leo Baby has learned a few things from Leo Puppy.

Aunt DeA can't turn away begging puppy dog eyes.

We had another dinner over at Mom and Dad's. It was a little loud, and Mom eventually just went into her room and checked out.

Saturday was finally a day that felt like summer. The kids wanted to swim with Leo, at least until they realized how silly, silly cold the lake water still is.

Jens eventually went numb and said that she just felt like taking a nap in the icy water.

We went to visit Rock at the Snack Shack at the end of his shift.

He had a difficult time with these costumers that kayaked over from the park

Rock loves his job and Ryker loves his burgers.

 

End of School (Finally)

We were watching Guy's Grocery Games and a chef butchered an attempt at noquis. It made me want to have them, so I made some.

Now, they weren't nearly as good as Hermana Almaraz's noquis, but there were better than whatever sweet potato and rice flower nonsense the dude on the show made.

Rock graduated 8th grade. Doesn't he look thrilled?

Hama celebrated the end of the school year with a trip to La Brisa. Leo couldn't contain his excitement.

We had a non-windy day! Call the newspapers.

Rock got a job at the snack shack at Wapato Point. He rode his bike down and back like a responsible worker.

The kids (spearheaded by Jens) made me breakfast in bed for Father's Day! They didn't have yogurt, so they gave me strawberry mousse dessert, it was the filling in Mama Rae's cake. Very nutritious.

We had family lunch after church, it is great to have helpful kids who are willing and old enough to be helpful in the kitchen.

Luca wasn't too happy about having to match his dad on Father's Day. I can't believe they made him wear a real tie!

 

School isn't out yet? What the duece?

With all the kids running in and out, the front door isn't always closed. That give Leo Puppy the opportunity to attempt the "camel's nose" maneuver to try and get allowed in the house. 

The kids move like pack animals, when one comes to our house they usually bring the rest of them.

Leo barked like crazy at something outside, I totally expected to see an animal, but instead saw a stack of wood. Stupid dog.

Ryker was begging for chicken and waffles, so DeA and I made him chicken and waffles.

Luca liked the waffles and syrup, but mostly the syrup.

Leo Boy loved the free access to our pantry while his mom was distracted.

Ryker had Hampa buy him some silicon chocolate bar molds, and Ryker sold bars to kids at school. Things got away from him and he ended up with almost 80 orders. 

He started out excited, but by the third day of chocolatiering he thought it felt like work.

Leo Puppy started barking crazy again, we walked out expecting another pile of wood only to find this little guy.

Mansfield has a Play Day and Memorial Car Show every year. The kids didn't want to go, and DeA didn't really want to go either, but I'm pretty sure she felt guilty making me go alone. I had fun and they had some really cool cars. Then we had a lunch date.

I still brought the kids their cool shirts.

Nick and Emily's girls are in town while their parents are off to a wedding. They followed the herd over and helped make nutritious oatmeal diet disks. 

 

Seattle Trip

The kids have been asking for years to go to a Mariners game in Seattle. It's not that I didn't want to take them, it's just that downtown Seattle and the M's have been crap holes for years. They finally talked me into it, and we planned a trip with Rissa Turd's family and Nick's. We stopped at the temple on our way through Bellevue and the kids watched Rissa's kids when they came through about an hour later. Despite the repeatedly stated plans, we didn't go to XXX Root Beer and burgers, but we did get Chick FilA on the way to the hotel from the temple.

Luca Baby was a big fan of the CFA fries.

We went to Southcenter and the kids were overwhelmed with all the stores and smells. Jens saw a Claire's and asked to re-pierce her ears. 

Right behind her in line was a 3 month-old baby

The food court was pretty popular with the kids. They each got to pick the restaurant that they wanted.

We met Nick at the mall and then all caught the train to Seattle Center

We jumped on the monorail, the boys loved the opportunities for Simpson's quotes

DeA and the kids really wanted to throw money away go to the observation deck of the Space Needle. We ended up bringing Cambri and Hadley with us. It made the waiting in line a little more adventurous. 

Imagine that it wasn't Seattle weather and that you can see the Olympics or Rainier. Stunning.

Being the fun aunt has a price.

The game was fun, the team did a good job of making the games more family friendly with a value food menu and $10 tickets. 

We had a little meltdown and left in the middle of the 8th, but the M's were up 6-0 on the Cheaters so at least we beat the rush to the train.