Visiting Kansas

We were the only ones at the pool. 

The weather was a bit cooler so we played at the park!

This pumpkin plant is growing in our compost pile. I tossed a pumpkin in here last fall and was pleasantly surprised when Aaron told me that this plant was growing!!

More park time - we explored a new park and we all loved it!

My parents were in McPherson (only 3 hours away from us!) so we hopped in the car and drove to meet them. We had the best little get away, but we're sad Aaron wasn't able to join us. 

Braum's Ice Cream is delicious. 

We drove by our old home! So many great memories here. I thought my mom would be sad seeing our home, but she just said that she was so grateful so doesn't have to take care of this big lawn anymore haha. 

We went to check out the new John Deere store!!!

The kids got a thrill out of seeing all these tractors! 

We even checked out a new park!

We stayed with the Kynaston's and loved swimming at their pool. Austin and Eli even jumped off the diving board and did awesome!

Here we are playing ring around the rosie together. 

Papa got a new truck! We told my parents goodbye in Salina and then watched them drive back to Denver. A part of me wishes they still lived in McPherson, only 3 hours away from us, but I know they left at the right time for them and they're supposed to be in Colorado right now. 

Austin finished preschool! We love the Preschool Box and he did so great learning at home. He's beyond ready for kindergarten. 

He loves to read and look at books, play with Legos and is very helpful. We've had some great moments together this past year. He was happy when Eli's school was moved to remote learning last spring because the two of them got more time together to play. 

Oh and Eleanor wanted to share this picture that she colored. Coloring is her favorite thing to do. 

We made some chocolate zucchini bread and Eli helped me shred the zucchini. It was huge!

Saturday we cleaned and did house projects all day and then decided to make a trip to the lake. Aaron hasn't been with us yet so we were excited to show him the lake. 

In other news - I helped put together the Thomas family newsletter. It was a lot of time, but I enjoy it and hope it helps keep us connected as my grandma Thomas wished. My uncle Johnny created a newsletter for years and years and I offered to him if he ever needed it. A few years ago, he called and asked if I'd take it over. Little did I know, he'd pass away earlier this year. In part of the newsletter, we started a section for memories, where we highlight 2 people. We started with Papa and Grandma Thomas and now we've moved on to the siblings. This time is Uncle Lee and Uncle Johnny. I'm grateful for my extended family and the love we share. 

My dad bought my kids these John Deere shirts and they couldn't wait to wear them out to Grandma and Grandpa Volk's property. 

We headed out to visit Grandma and Grandpa Volk on Sunday afternoon. We had dinner together and enjoyed visiting with them. 

We were so lucky to see BOTH sets of grandparents in the same week! Yay! 

 

Weekly report

 My pictures posted out of order this week.

Saturday night: We swam and then finished up the chapters in Alma for our Come Follow Me study. Eleanor looked cute snuggling up to Aaron. 

Friday: We cleaned all morning and then swam at our friends' pool. Swimming is our favorite past time. 

Eleanor loves her new unicorn shoes from Wal-mart! 

We went to Costco and the kids got a kick out of these skeletons that were wearing masks! I can't believe Halloween decorations are out right now.  

The boys completed reading 10 books so they had a coupon for $3 off of frozen yogurt. They were delighted when I suggested we go and get yogurt for an afternoon snack. 

Monday: our FHE lesson was about the 2,000 stripling warriors. We gathered all the Lego people we could find and acted out the story. I pray my children will say that their mother taught them to never doubt and to be brave and obedient. 

More swimming at our neighborhood pool! The boys finished up their swimming lessons. They've improved so much! I say this all the time, but I'm grateful our pool opened up this summer. It's been a highlight of our summer. 

And our little tomato plant has produced a few tomatoes. The kids love spotting the red tomatoes and brining them in the house for me to eat. 

I left my phone at Wal-mart this week. When we got to the car, I realized my phone was missing and I knew exactly where I had set it - in the men's department by the pants. I was looking up Aaron's size that I had written in my phone to buy him some new pants. We all put our masks back on and we went inside the store to see if I could find my phone. I was devastated of my mistake and had a prayer in my heart that we would find it. When we got to the men's section, I couldn't see my phone. We went back to the register where we had checked out and I asked the lady at the register if I had left my phone. She hadn't seen it and then a lady at the checkout line said she would call my phone for me. We hurried back to the men's department and I couldn't hear my phone. I was so grateful for the lady's help in offering to call my phone. We got in line for the returns/help desk and the line was so long. I told the kids, "If the line is this long, I doubt anyone would stand in this line just to return my phone." Eli replied, 'Well mom, maybe the line wasn't this long when someone returned it." I was grateful for his encouragement. Austin was supportive too and even Eleanor kept talking about saying a prayer. 

I was relieved when we got to the front of the line and I was told someone had just turned in a phone - it was mine! I told the kids multiple times that I was so grateful for honest people and that Heavenly Father heard my little prayer that day. 

Swimming all summer

I don't have a ton of pictures from this week. I'm feeling extra tired these days with this pregnancy. Here's what our week looked like:

I gave the boys haircuts. 

Austin's glasses broke last week and we were finally able to get his new frames ordered. 

Austin was proud that he killed this fly!!

The boys have been taking swim lessons. There is a high school girl in the neighborhood that is on the high school swim team and she's been teaching the boys lessons. It's amazing to me how much they've learned just by having her tell them simple ways to improve their swimming. Maybe next summer they'll swim on a team. 

We were able to attend church today!! Here are the kids in their masks. They'll be required to wear them for school so church has been great practice for them. I think about how much the pioneers suffered to be able to worship so wearing a mask doesn't seem like that big of a deal when we think about the pioneers. 

Church is only 45 min and there is no socializing or extra classes. Today Eleanor saw her nursery teacher as we walked into the chapel. When sacrament meeting was over, she said, "Bye dad. Time for nursery!" When we told her she wasn't going to go to nursery today, she started sobbing. We're all looking forward to the time when we're able to go to all of our church meetings. 

Family walk. We enjoyed a stroll around the neighborhood. Aaron has been following the boys on their bikes as he walks with Eleanor in the hiking backpack. She loves it so much! (When I showed Aaron this cute picture, he said to write in my journal that he knows he is suppose to collapse the stand at the bottom of the carrier. He just forgot to. Ha!)

And here we are! A new month. It's August! I can't believe it. This year has been so slow and yet so fast all at the same time. School starts in a few weeks (maybe?). Our baby will be here in 3 months. Here's to enjoying the summer days as much as possible!