Fun with Dad

Derek scored big points last weekend. On Friday he agreed to keep the last kitten of the litter that we haven't been able to give away. He actually likes it! Liv was thrilled to bits and named her Bagheera because she looks like the panther from The Jungle Book. She's quite a sweet little kitty and much more mellow than her mama.

On Saturday he made a swing in the Maple tree in front of our neighbor's house (they're very easy going). The swing was swarmed by kids all weekend. We have a great swing set in the back yard, but there is something about a rope swing in a tree ... kids go nuts for them. They are a little less predictable. Derek was Ivy's slave because she's too small to ride it herself - and boy were his abs hurting the next day!

On Sunday he took Liv and Ivy to O'Keefe ranch- a local historical site that also has a petting zoo. They had an awesome time! They started out on a tour of the buildings but it wasn't long before they were looking like this...


Boring boring boring. Clever daddy whisked them out and went looking for fun. They found some wild and adventurous girls that live on the ranch and the day was a huge success from there on. They played in the barn with the kittens, went on a tractor ride around the ranch, stood on the fence and watched the cattle roping and visited the woman who gives wool spinning demonstrations. Not only that they saw a bunch of these....


a few of these....

and at least a couple of these ...

Great fun was had by all (as my mom would say).

And as for me... well I enjoyed a whole day to myself! I went for a walk with my sister to the orchard/coffee shop /playground on the hill behind our house, where we enjoyed interruption free conversation. The rest of the day was spent listening to music and organizing my new sewing space downstairs. If you are a mom who does not get time alone at least once a week ...what are you waiting for?!! I am such a happier person and a better mom when I've had a good chunk of time alone. Oh- and after the kids go to bed does not count - you need time alone when you have energy.

I'm almost through here. I've got a picnic to pack - we're off to the beach tonight with my sister and her family. It's so hot and beautiful this weekend that the beach is the only sensible place to be. I hope you are all doing something fun and summery. I'll leave you with a picture of Ivy enjoying the first corn on the cob of the season at lunch today - yummy!