Sum Sum Summa Time

I love summer.  I always have.  What's not to love about not working, laying out, and going swimming at your family pool with your cousins everyday?  My summers look a little different now than they did ten years ago, but I love them just as much.  The first Monday that I was done with school, I went and bought myself a 18 month planner...starting in August of 2011.  (I got it for 50 cents since 12 of the months have already passed ;)  Then I wrote a list of all the fun things I'd like to do and found dates for most of them.  So far so good!

Week 1
Ryan was in class in Glenview all week, so I filled our days up to make the week go faster.

-Tuesday -We played with Audra, Grace, Abby and Christian.  Parker especially likes to drive their barbie jeep.  He doesn't care that it's hot pink.  He's just happy to "drive to Papa's house."  That's where he says he's going almost everytime he's behind a wheel.

- Wednesday - We went down to my good friend Angie's in the morning for donuts and coffee, and then headed to the pool for a few hours.  It was a perfect summer day and a bunch of my bff's were there with their kids.  Parker totally loved splashing in the kiddie pool and going down the slide.  I also got a pretty solid start to my tan!

- Thursday -We played with some cool toys from the DuPage County Children's Museum that they brought to the library.  Then we sat and read some books.  Who knew going to the library could be so much fun?

- Friday - We went back to Phillips Park with Lesley and Levi McCord.  Parker could hardly wait to show Levi the big fake elephant.  We went through the zoo, played at the park, ate a picnic lunch and then played in the splashpad.  Levi had a blast in the water.  Parker was a bit hesitant.  Then he found a little tractor sitting in the middle (that apparently belonged to no one) and played with it on the side.  He would find a tractor at a splashpad...  The Haskells came over that night for supper and lemon shake-ups.

- Saturday - Ryan was on shift, so we went home for good old, German Valley Days.  If you'v never been, I will just tell you that German Valley has a lot of pride, and they put on a pretty decent festival for a town of 400.  Parker loved watching the firetrucks and tractors in the parade.  He did not, however, like the people that were dressed as dogs.  He was crying hysterrically when they walked by. After that, we went swimming with a bunch of my family at our pool and ate a stack of Oreo's at Grandma's house.  Finally, we headed back for the delicious pork-chop dinner.

Week 2
Ryan had class all week again.

- Monday - We brought supper to Mike and Deb's new house and helped them move in.  Their place is so cute!  I can't wait to hang out there all the time.

- Tuesday - I went to my first mom's Bible study at church in the morning.  I'm very happy to be in a mom's group for the next couple of weeks, and there's free childcare!  Parker loves playing in the church nursery, so it is a win-win.  We headed to Joei's after naptime.  Parker and Ella had a great time playing while Joei and I chatted.  We spent the night there since Ryan and David were both on shift, and played the next morning, too.

- Wednesday - We met up with my friend, Katie Drach, and her friend Michelle in downtown Naperville.  Ryan got out of his class early, so he was able to meet us too.  We got Red Mango and walked to the park.  Parker is getting so brave now - climbing ladders, going down slides, and running all over the place while we watch from a distance.  I love watching him have so much fun and interacting with other kids.  He usually finds some cute little girl to chase ;)

- Thursday - We needed a day to chill at home, and that's just what we did.  I put a bunch of containers of water out on the deck to see what he's do with them.  Who needs a pool when you have a bucket?

- Friday - We went to Centennial Beach in Naperville in the afternoon because Ryan got home really early.  It's a big beach that turns into a pool that is built out of a quarry.  It's pretty cool.  Parker walked right into the water with no hesitation, and wanted the water to be right up to his chin the whole time.  Then we put a life jacket on him and took him into some deeper water where we tossed him around and splashed in the water.  It was such great time as a family after two weeks of not seeing much of Ryan.  After the beach, we went to Cici's Pizza.  It was Parker's first buffet, and we were kind of grossed out by the time we left (as I usually am when I leave a buffet place).  He had his own plate, some bites of ours, and dessert.  He slept reeeealllly good that night.
- Saturday and Sunday - Parker and I went to Byron Friday night because Ryan was working a 48 over the weekend.  We spent Saturday with Nat's family and my parents, and then went to the Glendennings for a Father's Day cookout the next day.  As always, we had a great time with family.