Happy Father's Day!

Busy, Fast but Fun Week!  We started the week with Lori coming to hang out for Pizza and Beer Monday night.  I had wrapped up my day with a final meeting at Pizza Luce which worked out great since I was able to just bring home the pizzas.  Maci had fun showing off to Lori all night long!

On Tuesday night, I had a long night call with Asia and while following along, Miss M thought it would be fun to play with her makeup - oh my!

#KissFan

Connor continued to sleep as cute as can be on his tummy so of course we keep taking pictures of it :)

Holding Maci's Keys and His Giraffe 

 #Sleepslikemomma

Thursday was a not so fun day at work as I had to help with some lay off conversations.  I welcomed our soccer game afterward as I needed to burn some energy and get out some frustration.  The game was at 610p in 85 degree heat with humidity.  Oh and did I mention we only had 10 players so I played the entire game! WOAH  Talk about some good endorphins though.  I should have had Clint take a picture of how red and sweaty I was when I got home.  That same day, Maci got to enjoy a traveling zoo coming to her school.

Oh and Mr Connor is a role polly fella now - rolling here, there, everywhere!

Outfit Looks Like An Old Man - Polo and Stretchy Pants

Friday - I was so ready for a lazy Friday night at home!  This week wore me out!  First week without swim so we ordered pizza, took showers/baths and caught up on some TV.  We even enjoyed some family selfie fun :)

Saturday - BUSY HOT FUN DAY!  Today was Parktacular - the city of St Louis Park's annual celebration weekend.  On the Saturday every year they have a parade and it leads to a kid's day full of fun kids activities.  We had never been and WOW was it fun and we will be sure to do this every year from here on out :)

Connor's 2nd Mom was READY to Go!

We started the busy day with some breakfast at our beloved Egg & I in uptown.  We hadn't been in so long due to gym class/brunch and all sorts of other reasons.  We realized why we love it so and need to go more often!

We then headed to the parade which Maci LOVED!  They threw so much candy and the big kids were helping her to get some.  In addition, there were lots of "princesses" - AKA girls who are in a variety of local courts but Maci thought they were amazing all the same.  Oh and did I mention the waving?!

Loved Parade Waving!

 Scooby Doo

Post parade it was time to head to the kid events just down the road.  They had free face painting, petting zoo, some rides and Maci also sat with the girl scouts and made a necklace.  It was so much fun, so very hot, but so much fun!

Happy Boy in his Shady Ride!

Petting Zoo

 Loved the Llama - Yes she hugged it!

 Bunnies for Sale

Sorry Maci - Connor is Allergic . . . .or so I said!

 Pony Rides 

Her Horse was MOLLY!

 Just Hanging with Rapunzel & Anna

 Butterfly!

Smeared from Heat within minutes :)

We attempted to get the kids down for early bed times after so much fun in the sun.  Maci finally went to bed around 9p which is well earlier than she has been lately but still really late!  Clint and I watched a little TV until I too gave into exhaustion from the day we had.

Sunday - Happy Father's Day!  Clint headed to the golf course around 900a while I got lots of to dos done around the house.  We have a very busy week ahead, especially with the pending trip to Ohio.  That turned me and my OCD into a crazy list lady :)  Clint showed back up to the house around 230p and Maci had put herself down for a nap while watching the iPAD - WOW!  I then ran quick to the grocery before we did another twilight swimming fun with the kids.  Connor sure loves to sit and splash in the water and Maci is becoming a total fish!  Even swam without her floats for a while today.

Happy Father's Day - We Love You!

 Snack Time w. My Girl

 I mean for real?!

He is so Happy & Smiley!!

We grabbed some carry out from the local tex/mex restaurant on the way home and Connor had/loved purred apples for the first time :)  Now we are wrapping up our Sunday with the Cavs/Warriors final game on in the background - Go Warriors!  #willnevercheerforCleveland  I was hoping to spend some more time on my overall to do list for the week but I am fading fast - why does chlorine and sun do that to you?!  We hope all of you have a great week ahead and we are excited to see Ohio family/friends soon!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Sizzling Summer

This week kicked off Maci's summer program at daycare which means fun stuff everyday!  Ahh to be a kid again for things like this - I could totally handle a different art craft each day and field trips on the others :)

Painting with Grass

 Po Po Visited

 Cop Supposedly Said 

"You look like a kid who would spend time in my cruiser"

 Firefighters Came

On Tuesday Connor and I spent the afternoon at a pediatric dermatologist.  She had lots of great suggestions for our extra dry skinned fella.  We are going to apply her advice and we come back in 6 weeks for a follow up.

Connor's teacher Miss Mary had to be hospitalized over the weekend and under went surgery.  They aren't quite sure when she will be back  yet and we all LOVE Miss Mary.  She has been with this daycare center alone for 25+ years :)  The lil babies in her room made get well cards for her!

Wednesday night Maci was once again being mini mommy and wanted to hold "Connie." HA So cute - if only one of these could have fully turned out - Miss M and I have an issue with closing our eyes but Connor looks great!

Thursday morning passed out kiddos in Mom/Dad's bed. . . these guys didn't want to wake up all week long!  Miss M has been going to bed way late!  I love summer but man does it make bed time hard.

Friday - HOT Day and Last Day of Swim Lessons!  Maci had a great lesson and season of swim.  She is such a little fish now!  Afterward, we went to Applebee's as a family and while we were checking on Milo online, we realized he had been adopted!!!  YAY!!!  Good job Milo, that was really fast!

Saturday Morning Snuggler

Saturday - A REALLY HOT Day!  We took the kiddos to Mall of America (MOA) for lunch at the shake shack YUM and then for a few rides with Maci's left over points from her birthday :)  We headed home and the kids enjoyed some warm car naps on the way home.  After nap time, we headed to the local swimming pool for twilight swim from 430-700p.  Connor loved sitting in the water and Maci worked herself up to jumping in the 4 ft water all by herself!!  She also went down the whale slide without freaking out :)  We ate dinner at the snack grill before heading home for baths and bedtimes.

Pool Party Pals!

Sunday - Thankfully it is a bit cooler today for our errand filled Sunday.  We got up and listened to the disturbing news about the shooting in Florida.  We switched to cartoons as the kids don't need to hear this madness.  I have already hit the grocery and Clint had done some yard work.  The kids were being a bit crazy so he had to come back in early.  Maci is all over today (usual) and Connor has been fussy (not usual).  I finally got Connor to fall asleep on me and I am attempting to get some things done on the computer while he lays here.  I hate that we try to jam so much "to do" on our weekends but we only have a few more weeks before we head to Ohio, Connor's Baptism etc.  In the meantime, I will soak in the baby cuddles with our almost 6 month old :( and try to let some of the to do list wait to another hour or day all together.

Have a Great (Not Too Hot) Week Ahead!
Lots of Love,
C, K, M, C

The End of an Era (Gym Concludes) & Beginning of Others (Tummy Sleeping & Swings)!

This short work week went by fairly fast as it was fairly crazy at work for me!  Maci had a few rough days at school, not sure what that was about.
Clint took Thursday off work to do a variety of home to dos :

• Got a quote for all new carpet on main floor and in upstairs bedrooms (seems this may be the better option to truly get up cat dander and the carpet was fairly cheap version when the flippers did our home)
• Started the process of putting in stone stairs in the hill in the backyard that lead to the gate we installed last year to the neighbors yard.  This hill is steeper than you would imagine and the walk from the gate has been a treacherous one at best so a needed project!
• Took Milo to the Animal Humane Society :(
• This was a little harder for me than I had imagined.  I know it is what we need to do, I know he is a sweet cat and my friend Jacey will ensure he finds a home but to look at him Thurs morning knowing I would never see him again and he would wake up the next day in a crate wondering what he did to be sent here - GASP it makes me tear up again just thinking about it :(  We hope to hear he has found his new forever home this week!  The only bright spot is that we can now start the necessary cleaning to help our lil guy breathe a bit better in his own home - new carpet, ducts swept, basement carpet HEPA washed and deep clean room by room including drapes/rugs etc.

We were all glad to see this nutty and somewhat sad short week come to an end.  Before we hit the weekend, Connor surprised all of us with his new found rolling skill and continues to be found on his tummy in the morning. . . this sleeping position with butt in the air just makes me smile!

Friday - Maci and I started our day 1 on 1 while we went to her annual hip check together.  Maci was such a good girl through the x-ray (she said cheese even though it was a pick of her hips HA) and waiting for the Dr for her exam.  Fortunately everything seems to be progressing as they would hope. The right hip continues to progress but continues to not move as quickly as they would like in its development.  We are sent away with no changes and will be back in February time frame.  I had another fast and furious day at the office and then off to meet my favorite 3 some at the pool.  Maci is such a little fish now and she only has one more class left in this session, next Friday.  The teacher decided she would now graduate Maci because she has advanced so much these past several weeks - YAY Maci, even though we won't do lessons again until this time next year :)  After swim, we headed to Five Guys with the Cassem family.  Unfortunately it still wasn't the best weather and we haven't cleaned the basement yet for Connor and they have a cat.  The kids loved it though and it was a perfect quick dinner.  I then headed home, had cocktails and attacked my massive inbox while Clint watched a "boy" movie and Maci ran around the house playing with her great imagination. :)

Saturday - Maci's Final Parent & Me Gym Class!  This actually comes at a great time since Maci is getting a little burnt out on her gym class, I think she has outgrown the concept.  In addition, we are ready for summer fun and having our entire Saturdays open for a variety of great Twin Cities activities.  However, Maci has been doing this since her 1st birthday and 2.5 years later our Saturday routine concludes.  I of course had to figure out what I will replace this with for the next school year and Maci is so excited to share that she will be in dance class!  My friend Lisa's sister runs her own dance studio and they have a cutie 3-4 year old class that does ballet, tap and tumbling every week in a 1 hour class.  We are so excited to hear more about the program but proud to say I remembered to already get her signed up for the fall and I can't wait to share pictures of what is sure to be her cutie recital this time next year!  In the meantime, her final gym class proved to be very cute and sentimental as the 3 families reminisced on all the fun times over the last 2.5 years.

Parachute Fun!

 Balance Beam - Look Who Does it Alone!

 Our Monkey on the Uneven Bars

 No Fear

 Forward Rolls All Alone

 Our Graduate!  So Proud of Herself!

 Preparing for a Group Pic with 3 Year Olds :) HA

 Pretty Impressed by the Result

After our final Lil Gym brunch, we came home in time for Connor and Mom to get a much needed nap!  After we awoke, Maci came along with mom for grocery trip and Target run for Connor's "as much as gold" formula.  Dad then ran out for some carry out Mexican food and we watched some of our recorded TV to wrap up the somewhat rainy Saturday.

Sunday - GORGEOUS SUNDAY!  It was 79 and just beautiful out all day.  I once again was tackling some email outside while Maci played with her toys/in the pool and Connor would be chill Connor and doze in and out of naps in his bouncy seat outside.  At times he even sat on my lap while I got my to do list organized :)  We are never ceased to be amazed how chill this lil dude is for us!  While I was doing my to do list/work and kids played, Clint finished the stairs in the hill - holy manual labor!  The stairs turned out great and neighbors took turns coming to see his handy work and get excited for the new easier path to and fro homes after a few too many around the bonfire this summer :)  Once we all wrapped up our "work" for the day, we headed to the "Big Park" for some splash pad and playground fun!  We then got home around 7p just in time for baths and some play before bed.

The Man @ Work

Girl at Her "Work"

Doll Baby

#Boycouldmodel

 Tummy Time in the Yard

 Be Still My Heart!

#SpecialBondAlready

 His Mini Momma

PARK FUN

 Ha Realized After Snapping the Pic

Clint was Getting Mulch Out of His Shoe

 The Usual

Mom & Connor Selfie While Maci & Dad Play

 Who is Having More Fun?!

 First Time Swinging!

He Liked it Even if Face Doesn't Say So ;-)

Many times throughout the day I thought about how blessed we are for our wonderful family of 4, this weather, our home, our neighbors, the parks in this town etc.  About to take a bath and watch some TV with a full/happy heart on this Sunday evening!

We hope you all have great weeks ahead and hopefully enjoy some gorgeous early summer weather!
Lots of Love,
C, K, M & C