School's Out for Summer!

Finally!  The kids got out of school for the summer last Thursday (June 10th)!  They had a few snow days to make up.  And so now we journey into our summer schedule.  Bryn has 2 jobs this summer.  She is babysitting for a family with 4 kids just down the street from us and she is working at a new bakery that is opening up downtown Cedar Falls.  (Bonus:  both are within walking distance so we don't have to have 'car wars' yet).  Ethan has been keeping himself busy by biking around the neighbor, going fishing and playing video games.  Ella and Carly start swimming lessons tomorrow.  Carly is worried and keeps saying,  "But I don't know how to swim!".  She obviously doesn't get the point of 'lessons' yet.  :)

We are getting our house painted this summer by an Amish gentleman.  Below is our new color.  It's almost the exact same color as the siding we put on our old house (1 block away). 

Brian extended our swingset area so the swingset could actually sit in the rock.  He had to dig up a bunch of the yard and put in some new wood border.  We still need to get a load of rock in to fill it up some more.

(Retirement note:  I do NOT miss getting up everyday and going to work.)

Mothers Day

We spent a quiet weekend at home.  My mom came down on Saturday.  It was cold out (frost warnings in May).  On Sunday the sun decided to come out for a bit so we decided to get out in the yard and try to figure out where my vegetable garden was going to be planted this year.   I had visions of nice rectangle framed, raised garden beds that I thought should be placed on top of the ridiculous putting green in our yard.  Well, after much debate it was decided that we would pull up some existing flower beds and plant on the south side of the house.  After much digging up, replanting, recycling stones that were randomly buried in our yard to be used as the 'frame' around the garden, and mulching, we are now ready for the beans, tomatoes, peas, carrots and peppers to go in.  It's still too cold and now REALLY wet as it rained all day today.  

  Here we are in our 'American Gothic' pose.  Notice the rake in my hand....I broke it!  Don't ask!   LOL

Here is one other pic of the princesses and the Queen Mother (as they named themselves).  Gotta love McDonalds Happy Meal toys!

The wheels on the bus do go round and round, even when the bus is over capacity!  I think this looks like a picture from a Richard Scarry book.  Can you find Goldbug?  ha-ha

Retirement note:  Monday was Menards day and a Girls Night Out with my friends, Tuesday was Home Depot, Sears and Target, along with drum lessons for Ella and yoga for me in the evening.  Today was a doctor appointment for Ella and a great hour massage for me.  I have gotten a few things off my checklist, but no routine has been established.  :)

Retirement....

So, yesterday was my last day of employment....in the corporate world.  I told people I was retiring and I heard a lot of  'You aren't retiring....you're not old' and 'It's not retiring when you have 5 kids at home to take care of!'  They are sort of right.  I am retiring....and my definition of retirement is this....'I get to spend every day with my favoritest (yes, that is a word) people in the whole world and do the things that I want to do on my schedule'.    I may not be bringing home the bacon anymore, but I am making the memories that I want to make with my kids and husband.  And I am finally at the point of being okay with turning over the bacon makin' responsibilities to my husband.  :)

My friends from work were great on Friday.  We took the VGM Party Bus to Tokyo (Japanese steakhouse) for lunch.  One of my favorite places!  We ate and had a great time talking about LOTS of fun times we have all had together.  They have been my second family for the last 14 years!  I have spent about 28,000 hours of my life with that group of people and I must say that even on the most stressful days I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with.

Monday will be a whole new world for me.  I think I am ready to tackle it.  The best part(s) are that Brian is on vacation that day and I am meeting my BFF's for drinks after work.  Cheers!