Happy Father's Day to a very special dad! Kley is patient, fun, and intentional and I'm so thankful to parent alongside him. These three girls are sure blessed to have him as their dad! We all love you so much, Kley, and are grateful for all you do for our family!
We were supposed to go to Des Moines for the weekend, but unfortunately Norah got strep throat the day before, so my family felt most comfortable with us staying home, which I totally understand. We were very disappointed to not go, because we hadn't been in awhile and were really looking forward to seeing family and friends. But, things happen and kids get sick! We stayed home and tried to make the best of it. Saturday we had a family fun day and went to a waterpark in Sioux Falls (Norah had been fever free for almost two days, on her meds for 24 hours at that point, and acting normal). Norah had been once when she was very little, so it was basically like a brand new experience for all three. It was nice to get away and do something fun and different. We got to do bumper boats, go-karts, mini golf, and several different pools and splash pads. And they enjoyed Dippin' Dots for a special treat! The girls had a wonderful time! While it wasn't the weekend we had planned, I'm thankful for this sweet time we got to have as the five of us.
Summer T-Ball and Softball has started! All of the girls are on the Royals (in their own age brackets). Go Royals! It's neat to see their personalities come out in team sports like this. We are proud of them for putting in effort and trying their best in their own way! Excited to see how the rest of the season plays out. Norah, Lucy, and Ellory, we love cheering you on! Kley is also a rockstar dad and is coaching both teams!
Every year, a neighboring town close to us has a summer celebration with a free kids carnival. It's a fun highlight to the start of summer! The girls enjoyed the train ride, inflatables, petting zoo, and playing at the park. It's so fun to do the same things each year and see how much they've grown and changed. Before we know it, they will be too big for train rides. I'm trying to treasure the in between while they are big in some ways and still small in other ways. Watching them grow up is the best!
We hit up the pool for the first time! Always a joy to be back again. It was only 75 degrees, which felt amazing to be outside, but a tad chilly for the pool. That doesn't stop them though, they still were so eager to go! Looking forward to many more fun times there this summer. It's also fun to see how their swimming improves each year! (This was about two weeks ago when posting this, the high for today is 102, so summer temps are here!)
My college freshman roommate, Jackie, and her family came to visit us for the weekend! We rented a bounce house and that was an excellent decision with lots of kids and worth every penny! We enjoyed fellowship together and tons of outside time playing, walking, and visiting parks. Thanks for visiting us, Calandra family!
Norah had her first piano recital! She started taking lessons this year (first grade), and I'm so impressed with all that she's learned in a year! I took piano lessons for ten years growing up, and it's always something I wanted my kids to do too. I think it's very helpful for many areas, and music will serve you well for your whole life! While there are many benefits, that definitely doesn't mean it's easy. Piano has been a good learning tool for Norah to practice responsibility and discipline. There are days when practicing is hard and you don't want to do it, but perseverance is a good lesson. Most days Norah does pretty well practicing and we are so proud of her for giving it a go a whole year and learning many songs!
Norah was nervous for the recital, but she was very brave and got up there and did so well! We love you, Norah, and cheering you on is our favorite!
We wrapped up soccer for this year- go teal and green teams! (Even though their shirts look blue and neon yellow if you ask me.) It was fun to watch the girls try hard, meet new teammates, and learn about soccer! Way to go, Norah, Lucy, and Ellory! We love you and love cheering you on!
On Saturday of Tulip Festival, we scrubbed streets! In case you have no idea what that means, our little down has Tulip Festival every year where we celebrate our Dutch heritage and many wear Dutch costumes. Before every parade, the streets are scrubbed so they are clean for the Tulip Festival Queen to walk on. The men pour the water and the women scrub. It's a fun tradition!
