All aboard!

At 12:28 this afternoon Emma, Ellie and Grandpa Bill arrived aboard Amtrak's River Rambler!
We spent the weekend in Kansas City visiting with family. Then last night the girls stayed with my Dad and Kyra in preparation for today's train adventure!

These are not from our garden!

We joined a CSA (community supported agriculture-- aka farm share) this year and are loving all of the locally grown fresh produce. Each week we pick up a box of whatever is being harvested that week. We've gotten lots of greens (there weren't any this week, which honestly I was not too sad about), broccoli, cabbage, beets, cucumbers, zucchini and squash out the wazoo, several types of lettuce, berries, and 1 tomato!

A day with Ellie

Grandma Jackie had a special day with Emma today. So that meant Ellie and I had a special day too! Ellie wanted to go to the zoo because who doesn't want to go to the zoo when it's 90 degrees at 10 in the morning! She headed straight for the train.

We got off at the train to ride the carrousel. She chose the donkey, she always chooses the donkey! That means I got to ride the hippo/pig thing.

It was so hot that she had Dippin' Dots at 10:30 in the morning. After the quick snack we hopped back on the train and rode the loop back to our stroller (she wanted to be pushed in the stroller??) and left. A quick trip for sure!

After a couple of errands she wanted to go to Wendy's for lunch. Kevin took the girls there on Saturday for lunch and it was a big hit!

Thanks Ellie, you are such a fun girl to hang out with! I love you , I love you , I love you!!!!

It's Monday

and the day was going along just great, a nice combo of swimming and rice krispie treats. Then SOMEONE left Gus in the backyard while she took the girls to ballet. Which is not so good since 1.) Gus can get out of the fence and 2.) it's 100 degrees outside. Needless to say he got loose and ran around the street making the neighbors quite worried. Our next door neighbor Amanda called me on my way home to break the news....Gus was out and being a menace! I raced, as much as one can race, while obeying speed limits and dealing with traffic intended for a major highway but sidelined to city streets, home. When I arrived home Gus ran into the street to greet us, I stopped, not wanting to run him over. Meanwhile our neighbor (I assume he lives close, I see him a lot) was riding his bike down the street, I was very much in the way of his swift ride and Gus was making matters worse. I don't know what he mumbled as he sped by, but I bet it wasn't nice :)! I've never been up for any dog owner of the year awards but I'm pretty sure this kicks me out of contention for good! Sorry Gussy Boy!

WEEKEND RECAP

After exhausting the girls at the pool Kevin and I had a lovely dinner in our less than lovely yard~ you know I didn't even notice the overturned chair or shoes in the yard until now!

A great idea! Real Simple suggested cutting corn off of the cob this way...it worked so well.

Happy Father's Day Kevin! We had a wonderfully relaxing day!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Yesterday was Grandma's birthday!

It's rough

that is, our backyard is one rough yard. The grass is growing in, kind of, it's having to fight the rocks and clover but it is mostly green back there. We are trying to put in a few plants but oh my, it's not really looking so great! Do you think these grasses are dead? We have 5 more around the house that look equally brown. They were free so it won't be a monetary loss if they're beyond help but we really do hope they make it!

The back of our house is flat and covered in gray siding. It's the back so no big deal. Except I like pretty things and it is not pretty. We figured we'd landscape and that would help and I know eventually it will but wow this is really not making things look better!

After taking inventory of the sorry state of affairs I sat down on the back stoop and made a plan. The girls and I talked through what we wanted. I drew it out and labeled the different areas, a pergola over the porch which extends out about 8 feet more into the grass. A swing hanging from the pergola, large enough for all 3 of us, of course. Flowers and plants all along both the north and south side of the fence, all the way to the back wall. Two trees! Three raised garden beds at the back of the lot. "A bigger and much more grown up swing set with our own flower garden, plus a big spot for the pool". An herb garden where our current veggie garden is now. A bed full of day lillies and climitus (Kyra and I just saw this combo in Columbia last weekend and it was so pretty) up against the house. Oh, we Baum girls know how to dream!

The pool! The yard may be less than beautiful but it doesn't stop the fun. We've always had a blow up pool but this is the king!

We are having some luck in the front yard! The pots are doing well and the sod is still green!

We need an umbrella!

At dinner tonight I mentioned that it would be really nice to have an umbrella for the table. After a few minutes passed Ellie went inside. When she reappeared she had an umbrella for each of us. This kid really knows how to solve a problem!