Father's Day Eve

We had a fun Father's Day Eve!
The fun began around noon and didn't end until 11ish.
Grandpa came over and took Kiera to the Nature Center then played outside.

Dave did went to work for the morning and I did some running around...a CVS run and a trip to Petitti's for ferns. Ryan was still visiting. I brought home Subway for lunch. Then Sandy and Mark came over to pick up the canoe. (Side story: The canoe has been behind our garage for 10 years, so we were happy to see it go to a happy home. Dave and his brother used to go camping and canoeing with the boys when they were younger. The boys have grown up and the bachelor brothers have gotten married, and the canoe hasn't been used since.) My cousin and her husband live on the Vermillion River, so the canoe will be seaworthy again! As the guys were loading the canoe onto the truck, our neighbors Ellen and Kate came to see the commotion. Pretty soon, everyone was sitting on the front lawn drinking beer. The fun didn't end there! Then Mimi, Papa and Emmy came over for dinner. Ryan and Mike went to buy steaks for dinner. We invited Kate and Ellen for dinner. Angie came over. We had a delish dinner on the grill...steak, corn on the cob, red potatoes and fruit salad. We played a dinner game. I read about it here.Everyone got a phrase they had to work into the dinner conversation without getting caught. Here were our phrases:

Dave: I think Dick Goddard is cute.
Mimi: Does this shirt make me look fat?
Emmy: In the summer I like to sleep in the nude.
Papa: Want to go to a club after dinner?
Kate: I signed a petition to keep Lebron James in Cleveland.
Ellen: How many cookbooks are too many?
Angie: I have a taste for butternut squash.
Mike: I've been thinking about getting a kitten.
Ryan: I want a tattoo on the small of my back.

After dinner, we played Apples to Apples. Angie won. Kiera stayed up until 11 pm! Thankfully she slept in until 9 the next morning. It was a fun, fun day!

Air Dry

I've been taking advantage of the sunshine and the breeze and air drying some of our clothes outside. We are not "allowed" to have a clothes line (crazy city ordinance) so I used a drying rack and our gazebo. My guys are so supportive...

Dave: Do you want to move to a trailer park?
Tyler: Is your neck red?

Our new grand-dog, Mya

Update: I came across a new(to me) blog, called Sailor and Company. She hosts a weekly photo contest called RAW(e) on her blog of unedited photos. Each week is a new topic....this week the topic is "pets." I have never done a link up before, but these pictures of Mya are too cute not to try it! Hope I'm doing it right...If not, I apologize in advance and welcome advice on how to do it properly!

Ryan came to visit for Father's Day weekend, and brought along his new puppy, Mya. We had a lot of fun with her, especially Kiera!

Garden Tea Party

We enjoyed a fun afternoon in our backyard. First, a garden tea party (with a tea set that belonged to Auntie Em when she was a little girl.) She was really concentrating when she poured the water! Then some twirling around on the grass. Followed by puddle jumping.

Blurry shot, but great jump!

Earlier in the day, Kiera was drawing on her chalk board. I didn't take a picture because the camera was charging. She made a monster. It was the first "drawing" she made that was recognizable. It was a rectangle shaped monster with eyes, nose and a mustache (Kiera said, "A mustache like Uncle Dan!") She can also made a "t" and says, "T for Tyler."

One other funny Kiera word...Sunburn = Sunscreen as in,
"Mama, I need sunburn on before I go in the sun."

"Moonbeam" Coreopsis

Move over zinnias...my favorite flower this summer is Moonbeam Coreopsis. My mom has some in her main garden, and she was kind enough to share it with me (and two of our neighbors) last year (Thanks, Mom!). I planted it last year and this year it really took hold. I love the delicate flowers and the wispy leaves...and the purple clematis is a great backdrop for the yellow flowers!

My favorite flowers and my favorite girl...
too bad she decided to move right when I snapped the pic!

Our Monday with Bay in Bay

Between my mom and I, we are watching our cousin Baleigh on Mondays this summer. Bay slept over last night (after her brother Nick's Confirmation party) and here are the fun things we did today...

Took a bath last night...the water was so dirty
after playing outside all day at the party
Had a tea party
Got cleaned up, Mimi came over and we went to Bob Evan's for lunch.
Then we came home, got bathing suits on and did some...

"swimming" in the "pool"
See you next Monday, Bay!

Nick's Confirmation

Our cousin (and my Godson) Nick made his Confirmation last weekend and had a family party today to celebrate! I didn't even get a pic of him (just the one of all the cousins playing a game) Sorry, Nick! And to top it off, the pics I did take were totally random.

Climbing the stairs to see the kitty

The cousins playing "Red Rover"

The girls had to leave early to go to their dance recital

Cole, Shell and Bean...as Kiera calls them

Uncle Carl and Aunt Carrie