Summer Scrapbook: Before Company Came and Went

My houseguests have now all officially gone and I am so far behind. I have to back track to before they even arrived just to catch up.

Monday June 28th
My head told me to get ready for company on Monday, but the good weather told me to go play. I heeded the weather. After piano lessons (which Alyssa is loving) we got into bathing suits and lathered up in sunscreen, only to drive over and find out that the pools are closed on Mondays. That is what happens when you are a fly by the seat of your pants mom, like me. The kids wanted to swim. We thought about going back to Lake Michigan again but that water is more for splashing than swimming (FREEZING) so I took them to the lake at the gym. It is a members only lake and since we are not gym members we had to pay to get in. The cost was the same as the pool so I figured it was money I was already planning to spend. Generally I avoid this little lake because we have so many FREE lakes nearby, but the water is really warm and shallow which the kids loved.

The best part of this lake was the snack bar. During the 30 minute lifeguard break my kids were so excited to lounge around eating Dippin Dots and sipping on a Slush Puppie.

Don't worry Lake Michigan. I still love you best!

Tuesday June 29th
Tuesday I had to get ready for company. The house was mostly clean-ish (summer time is always the worst time to try to keep a clean house) but I had to move Chloe's bed in to my room, vacuum, and get beds ready for company. It was the most counterproductive day ever. Every time I turned around there was a mess like this waiting for me.

My kids know when I am busy and they get in to lots of mischief. There was a peanut butter sandwich smashed in to the floor, spilled juice, salt spilled in the kitchen, and so on. I finally decided to wait until Chloe was napping to get the house ready. After swimming lessons I finally got Chloe down but since I had moved her bed in to my room, she found all kinds of trouble to get in to. She gave my bedspread a make-over.

Wasn't me!

After I washed it and found that it was irreparably stained I went to check on her again and found that she had finally fallen asleep, but not before she got into Fun Dip and spilled it all over the place. Why on earth do I have Fun Dip in my room, you ask? Alyssa gave it to me for Mother's Day and I don't like Fun Dip so I have just kept it in my top drawer. Bad idea, as it turns out.

Wasn't me!

While Chloe slept I did finally get beds made and the floors vacuumed and then we waited, and waited and waited for my Dad to arrive. They drove from California and had been in Omaha the night before. We expected them in the early afternoon. Their GPS took them way out of the way to get here, so when they still weren't here at 8:00 PM I decided to go take Alyssa's picture for her baptism program.

Grandma Ann bought her two dresses for her baptism. She really wanted to buy her a white dress, but me and Seth both vehemently opposed that idea. I have been to every baptism for two years now and I just don't like the foofy white dresses. If you do, great...but it's not for me. I have been to baptism's that feel like wedding receptions and I just don't like all the hoopla. Grandma Ann honored our wishes and took Alyssa to buy a not-white or frilly, post-baptism dress. While they were shopping they also found a pretty sundress and I liked it so much that I decided to take pre-baptism pictures in it, at the last minute of course.

We went down by the Lake, but the sun was in her eyes since it was nearly dusk. We headed over to the park instead. This park is gorgeous, with sunken gardens, bridges and trees everywhere. I had to be really quick since the light was vanishing quickly from the sky, but we got a few cute shots.

At the lake

At the park

Too bad this beautiful park is in a not so good neighborhood, right next to the not so good Middle School my kids will attend unless I move. Look what was resting beneath the bridge.

This is how Chloe felt about it.

So sad when we treat beautiful places like dumpsters.

But let's end with something beautiful. This is the picture that we chose for Alyssa's baptism program.

Such a pretty girl!

Shortly after we arrived home, my dad, Linda (step-mom) and Christian (nephew) finally arrived. My kids teased them about taking a pony to get here because they took SO long. Poor Chloe was so confused and kept asking to see Grandpa's pony for the rest of the night. Tuesday night my brother Jeff also arrived. We were so excited to finally start filling up the house.

We will now detour from the summer scrapbook and take a look at Summer Staycation 2010. We are not going to Utah or California this summer so we turned this family visit in to a super busy vacation right here in our own backyard.

Many more posts are coming soon!