The Morton Arboretum.
We spent the morning hunting for these trolls. Sounds easy, but we only found 2 of the 8 located across the expansive grounds.
No bother. The kids found plenty of playgrounds and water features along the way to keep them busy. Nothing like cooling off in a fountain on an overcast and chilly summer day...
Camryn and her BFF have been secretly planning a sleepover for several months now, and Friday the moms finally jumped on board to make it happen. The girls watched a late night movie, logged a solid six hours of sleep, and had a pancake breakfast. The details are scarce, but from the sound of it—and the three hour nap Camryn took the next afternoon—I would say it was a blast!
{That is the face of a sugar-crazed psycho girl who has no intentions of falling asleep.}
{Designer pancakes for breakfast? Yes, please!}
Spring ball is now over for both boys, and Jacob is ready to focus the rest of the summer on his travel league. He is becoming a very diverse player—he pitches, catches, and plays second base—and makes very strategic plays in the field! His hitting has improved significantly over the season, and so has his drive to be the best he can. So proud of you, Jacob!
And a special shout out to my parents—Jacob and Mason’s Number One fans—who attended almost every single game of their season. Your support is something they will always remember!
Today’s adventure took us to The Windy City for a stop at the Field Museum and a picnic along the lake.
This goofy crew couldn’t care less about Early American civilization, were bored with the dinosaurs, and turned their noses at the mummies when they realized they couldn’t actually see dead people. However, the naked statues depicting evolution were a hit. Because, wieners.
Then off to share our lunch with the seagulls.
Another fun day in the big city!
Jacob made this Father’s Day gift before school was out.
And here is the card Mason made in school.
Mason says, “I love you because you are lazy.”
Wow. Where did we find this knight in shining armor we call Dad?!
The kids spent this past week in vacation Bible school, and had a blast! Lots of games, songs, crafts, and science experiments crammed into a 19 hour week. The theme was to teach the kids what makes a person a hero, and they came home each day gabbing about the lessons they learned. Glad they could spend a week having fun with friends and hopeful that they will transfer these lessons into their daily lives!
{All set for their first day. And wearing bandanas to suit their own unique styles!}
{Tons of pictures posted each day! I spy Jacob watching experiments performed with dry ice!}
{This little girl loved the outdoor activities, but came home with some gnarly road rash on her elbow one day. She said she didn’t cry, but she did blow on it to stop the stinging!}
No good pictures of the elusive Mason!
Mason’s baseball season is over for now, and I must say that even though his team was painfully bad, Mason was so much fun to watch! That kid looked the part of a major league ball player, was the team cheerleader, and floss captain. He almost always hit the ball, played pitcher (probably because no one else on his team could throw that far...), and earned himself the nickname “wheels.” I’m happy to scale back on baseball for now, but am looking forward to watching him play fall ball!
{End of season pool party last night.}
{Showing off their participation trophies.}
My mom is watching my brother’s kids on Wednesdays over the summer, so we have planned weekly adventures with all the cousins.
First up: The free zoo close to home where the kids watched the peacocks, heard a growling alligator, made slime, and played at the massive playground.
Fun day!
Our high school’s baseball team was playing for the state championship near to home, so we loaded up the friends and spent an evening at a minor league ball park cheering on our team!
{The kids had fun playing on the lawn and shagging balls!}
{Our cheering section!}
Such a great night for a ball game. And even better that our team took home the trophy!
The weather in the burbs has been a bit wonky lately. While going through my photos today, I am laughing at the pictures taken Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights this week.
Monday: A post baseball game bonfire at the neighbor’s. Attire: Tank tops.
Tuesday: Jacob’s late-night baseball game. Attire: Winter coats and all the blankets we could find. Photo Credit: Camryn.
Wednesday: Mason and Jacob both had back-to-back night games. Attire: Sweatbands and bug spray. We sweated through Mason’s game, and were eaten by bugs at Jacob’s. Photo: Mason getting a chance at catcher during his final regular-season game.
Thursday was hot and sunny and today’s current condition is cold and rainy. What gives?!
Because doesn’t everyone go to the tire store at 9AM with all the accessories and an evening bag?
Love this girl’s style!
Our favorite neighbors and we traveled back in time to winter today. No joke. Our day trip to Chicago was 25 degrees colder than the suburbs, hence the sweatshirts, hoods, and leggings! Despite the cold, the kids demanded ice cream, and we made it a point to see all the things. 
{Like the Art Institute lions. A Chicago icon for sure.}
{We walked along the lakefront where the kids fed the ducks, and an Asian tourist petted Camryn’s head. Weird?}
{We found ourselves at the bean, in the bean, and under the bean.}
{We had a picnic lunch at Maggie Daly Park.}
And then we returned home to summer!
