Food Trucks

Recently the city of Des Moines released restrictions on food trucks allowing many vendors to set up shop and then move shop and then move shop. Since then, we have been chomping at the bit to visit a few. We tried to go to the Food Truck Showdown at the Des Moines Social Club a month or so ago but that was a wonderful disaster. There were over 10,000 people there and the lines had an hour to an hour and a half wait. Most trucks eventually ran out of food! We choose not to stay and wait for food, but our appetite was wet!

The boys and I got our first chance this afternoon. We stopped by Chef Ott's Asian Cuisine and got some great food. We agreed by far that we had the most wonderful crab rangoon ever! We ordered the Pork Fried Rice, Pad Thai and the Banh Mi Style Sandwich. The sandwich was also out of this world! I had a blanket in the car so we were able to sit on the Court House lawn and enjoy our food truck chow. Next time we will try one of their Bubble Teas, but I was trying to keep to a little bit of a budget with this trip.

Water Wednesday

It has rained on and off all day here on our second day of summer. At 5pm the news said that we had gotten .46 inches but that was at the airport. Here (4 miles to the north of the airport) we had gotten at least 1 1/2 - 2 inches. And tonight we are getting more. It was nice to have an inside day with Bennett, because every chance both of my kids get, they are outside with the neighbor kids. Which I love, but they are mine too!!!

Today was Emma's last official day for the summer (she will be back next Tuesday as Anne has a training day) so we took a trip to the library this morning after we dropped Harrison off at STEAM Camp. She loves to get out a bunch of books and read them on the carpet and she also loves the play house and tool bench they have there. We also had to pick up some books  for Bennett and Harrison's summer reading. I got a list from both of their teachers so we picked up about 10 books each. Bennett's big summer goal is comprehension at his reading level and Harrison just needs to keep up the fantastic work. I swear he will be reading The Iliad and The Odyssey next!

One of our summer goals is cooking so tonight Bennett (with very little help from me) made us chocolate chip cookies. And they were good!! He loves to cook but I worry too much about the stove and oven. I HATE burns! But I'm trying to loosen up and trust in good decisions as the summer goes on. Tomorrow Harrison tells me that he is making French Toast Muffins. Sounds delish!

Another big summer goal for me was the boys in swimming lessons. They have had them before and can keep themselves up in water and float and do a little front crawl, but I wanted them to learn how to swim. And learn to swim they are! Both boys passed their first 2 week session and moved onto the next levels. This session is a little tougher for both and I am glad they are being challenged. I don't know if Bennett will pass his level, but I think Harrison will pass his. He is most worried about endurance as they have to maintain a swim for a much longer stretch of pool. He also loves his instructor. He thinks he looks like Michael Phelps! And I guess there is a triathlon in Harrison's future. Stay tuned for more on that! And this is after both boys complained for 3 weeks about the upcoming lessons. Ha!

Harrison is in the middle with the black trunks.

Officially Summer

The boys ended their 2014 - 2015 school year yesterday. It was bittersweet for me knowing that Harrison is now going to be a fifth grader. One year left with the people I trust the most with my child's education. The saying 'The best is yet to come' doesn't feel right in this situation, but I am going to challenge myself to cherish this upcoming, special year. I will focus on making memories that will last a lifetime. Harrison's teachers were Mrs. Arbogast and Ms. Donovan. His favorite part of this past year was the Neil Smith Nature Reserve field trip and he super excited to take us there this summer. Harrison is sad to see the fifth graders leave The Downtown School and he hopes to see them again soon.

Bennett finished his 2nd grade year with Mrs. Watson (same teacher as Harrison had for his 2nd and 3rd grade years) his favorite parts of the year were all the cool projects, especially the rocks unit and over the summer he will miss his friends the most. 

To celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer I went a little Pinterest crazy! I put together a gift bag of popcorn, candy, and a movie ticket. Chris and I surprised the boys with a trip out to Newton to the Valle Drive-In to see Jurassic World. It was so much fun!! None of us had been out there before and we hope to make a return trip this summer. I don't know how busy it usually is but on a Monday night (with a little threat of bad weather to the south) we were the first ones in at 7:00pm and then gates opened at 6:30! We set up 'camp' and then the boys played some catch and then played some football. The movie started around 9 and was wonderfully fun and scary. The weather was perfect and Harrison and I even ended up in sleeping bags cause we were so chilly! Which was perfect because nothing is better than cuddling up on a cool summer night.

One more summer surprise I got for the boys was a basketball hoop for the pool. They got to try that out today and they love it. They are even pretty good about keeping the ball in the pool so that's a plus. :) Here are the wonderfully awesome quotes that came from the pool today courtesy of Harrison:

"Maybe I'm a cloud because I'm making it rain up in here."

"I think I should work at Dunkin Donuts cause I've got mad dunking skills!"

"I should be a plumber because I keep draining it."

November 17

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. ~ Cicero (106 - 43 BC)

I am thankful for heated seats. Pick-up was cold today!!

Christopher is thankful that the heat in my car works really well.

Harrison is thankful for our neighborhood. We live in a nice neighborhood with no bad people. (I can only hope you are right, buddy.)

Bennett is thankful for electricity so we can see stuff better at night.

Emma is thankful for a patient mommy. Afternoon fussiness can be hard on parents!!

Rocky is thankful for water in sippy cups. It's his favorite thing right now while sitting in the high chair.

Sunday

None of those material possessions do anything to make your life any better.... I know a lot of people who have a lot of everything, and they're absolutely the most miserable people in the world. So it won't do anything for you unless you're a happy person and can have peace with yourself. ~ Lenny Kravitz

I am thankful for books. After visiting Barnes and Noble and then Half Priced Books and then ending at the library, I wished that I was able to read by osmosis. So many books, so little time!

Christopher is thankful for the Bears finally pulling one off!

Harrison is thankful for snowboarding and sledding.

Bennett is thankful for knowledge because it helps to learn more knowledge.

November 15

I know that when I pray, something wonderful happens. Not just to the person or persons for whom I am praying, but also something wonderful happens to me. I'm grateful I am heard. ~ Maya Angelou

I am thankful for lazy days. Three movies, two pots of soup and warm slippers are the perfect way to watch the snow fall.

Christopher is thankful for homemade chili.

Harrison is thankful for me. "I love you and the way you care for me and make sure everything is always good."

Bennett is thankful for soup. I love potato soup!

TGIF

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie

I am thankful for small, small business owners who go to craft fairs and holiday boutiques. The Beaverdale Boutique was tonight and I love looking at all of the creativity people have!

Christopher is thankful for Fridays.

Harrison is thankful for technology.

Bennett is thankful roads and streets that get me all the places I want to go.

November 13

I am thankful for nights that turned into mornings, friends that turned into family, and dreams that turned into reality. ~ Unknown

I am thankful for Costco. I love that silly warehouse store!

Christopher is thankful that we are only one day away from Friday. It has been a hectic week in my new role.

Harrison is thankful for the Thanksgiving season. I like that Mom makes us tell her what we are thankful for.

Bennett is thankful for the playroom.

Emma is thankful for hannah anderson. Well, maybe this is me more than her, but oh my goodness Emma was so cute today!!!

Rocky is thankful for Emma. He followed her around all day today. He missed her!

Early out Wednesday

I wouldn't change it for anything. Never, no never. Your friendship is the best present ever. ~ Tigger

I am thankful for friends and relationships in all aspects of my life. Today specifically, Harrison had a basketball game and I got to visit with 4 families that we know from the Downtown School and then I went to coffee with Heather and Maegan and had a wonderful conversation. Thank you to all my friends. I am blessed.

Christopher is thankful that I had help covering at work so that I could pick the kids up from school.

Harrison is thankful for intelligence because without intelligence the human race would get no where.

Bennett is thankful for Guess Who. I like to play games with Mom and Harrison in the morning during breakfast.

Miles is thankful for school and early outs. It's a day off from math and I love math but I don't like to do it everyday.

Annabelle is thankful for Mommy. (I asked why..) Because she let me come over to your house to see baby Rocky. Finally!

Rocco is thankful for cookies. "You make the best cookies in the world, ever." (Aw, well thank you Rocco!)

Rocky is thankful for good naps. (and Beth is too!)

Veteran's Day

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them. ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I am thankful for maid-rites, buttered potatoes and beets. Felt like I was home on the farm in the kitchen with the wood stove burning to keep us warm!

Christopher is thankful that I made it to work safely. Lots of cars against the wall on 235 and in the ditch on I35. It was very slick.

Harrison is thankful for books and reading because you only get to live one life but when you read books you get to pretend to live thousands of lives.

Bennett is thankful for Mom. I love her more.

Rocco is thankful for his green light in his room at Mom's house.

Rocky is thankful for oatmeal. Warmed him up on a cold and dreary day.