Long Weekend indeed

The opening of Summer is as much about looking back as it is about looking forward to the start of Summer. We easily packed two weekends, and maybe three, into this long weekend. The Clan Bryan made the trip over on Friday night and were able to spend a couple of nights with us. It was an adjustment in weather for them and once the furnace was turned back on I attempted to get them to take their jackets off, but that would have to wait until Saturday. Friday night we set up a cot-town in the basement with the idea that all the kids could camp out downstairs. That ended with all the Bryans on the floor in the office and me sleeping in the basement with Sophia and Merrick. For anyone playing along at home, that means that not a single bed in the house was used. Saturday night the kids were camped on the living room floor, but I made sure to find a bed. Saturday morning found the weather oscillating between sun and rain but constantly cool. Becky and I loaded up all the troops and headed out to find some treasures at the thrift sales that pop like the crocus of spring. He hit a gold mine at the first stop were everyone got a new gun and Sophia picked up a new Hula-Hoop. After only a few more stops and a recognition of the amount of parenting that is required with 5 kids at thrift sales we went to the park instead. Ollie helped dry off all the slides for everyone before we took a short hike along the bike trail that wanders through the park, even saw a couple of deer. The kids were even able to play hobo and sit under the bridge. The intent was to have the kids take a short nap (mostly a failed idea) after lunch and then head to Bay Beach (also a failed idea). We expected a big crowd but had no idea it would be so large that we had no place to park. The new roller-coaster was finally open and it was drawing a large crowd. We opted for the wander through the wildlife sanctuary instead and then a nice woodland loop. Jake managed to miss the trail a little and get lost his shoes in the mud, similar to the old Uncle Willy story. We headed home for some brats and partial talent show while the kids used tarps and jump ropes to build forts out of the swing set in the back yard. We attempted to get the kids down early but that was mostly a no go and Sunday brought the inevitable and unenviable sleepy kid syndrome. It was our intention to hit the disc golf course and then maybe the Hall of Fame. The big hill was too much for them to resist running down and before the first tee we had 3 of the 5 kids injured. We played about 3 holes before Becky and Brad tossed in the towel and pointed the van towards home.
Sophia, Merrick and I headed home for a little lunch and a nap. With a little rest behind our eyes we wandered down to Voyager park for DePere days party. Plenty of bouncy houses and face painting for the kids as well as a midway of games for the kids to challenge each other at shooting water in a clown's mouth. Sophia even talked tough about the back flips she was going to do on the bungee trampoline, it appeared to me that she was done long before her time was up. Our blanket and back-pack were prohibited items and the weather still being a little cool I opted to not hang out for another 3 hours to watch the fireworks. The kids were not pleased, although both of them were home and sleeping before I heard the first distant boom and were somewhat placated by the backyard campfire and smores. Monday was a pancake morning and then Sophia had to get to a birthday party. Merrick and I hit the store to find a new kite, and find some straw for the garden. We picked up Sophia and headed over to Pamperin park, which was packed for the holiday. Sophia quickly found a girl she knew, shocker and the kids played in the heat of the sun. They were rosy cheeked and thirsty by the time I piled them back into the truck. I got them home just in time for a serious water balloon and hose fight to cool off and learned just how devious the kids really are. Merrick easily convinced me that he would throw the water balloon at Sophia only to have a Jekyll/Hyde facial transition and through it at me. Sophia thought this was hilarious and then felt left out and wanted a balloon. I told her that if she through it at me then we were all done. She just ran into the back yard and hollered at Merrick that when They "were tired and cold we just have to throw a balloon at Dad!"

Rain, Guns and What?

Friday night we ate at an old haunt in Manitowoc, Marretti's deli. The food was good, not that the kids noticed but I thought the three entrees we ordered were quite fine. Saturday morning consisted of monkey bread and realizing we need to go to plan B. If life gives you rain then head to EC, the weather is still crappy but at least you can get a snack bag from grandma. That was the story for this weekend, our only indoor plans were to get soccer cleats for the upcoming season and I figured we could do that in EC just as easily as GB. Grandma and Grandpa were pretty glad to see the kids, themselves figuring it was better than hanging out in the cold, wind and rain. We did set up the camper and get the winter aired out of it. Merrick and Grandpa were able to shoot the BB gun on Saturday, an activity that was also required on Sunday when we got home. Between the two of them they were able to put a serious hurt on a coke can. Meanwhile Sophia and grandma were off putting the hurt on retail, as Sophia was able to drag Grandma around the stores to buy clothes. Grandma concluded that she was a pretty serious shopper. The two of them did find some very nice clothes including some lacy socks for Sophia. The drive home was a continuation of the kid's game of "you own it." This game apparently consists of asking "Hey, Dad?" until I say "What," at which point they laugh and giggle at me and holler in unison "You, own it." I am then stuck with the word "what" until I can trick them into saying "what". Revenge being a dish that is best served cold, I would tend to wait until they had long lost interest in the game and then make them own it. This of course just leads to another round of the game, but I didn't want to own it. We headed out of EC early with the camper in tow and a bag of cinnamon rolls. It was naps for everyone when we got home and then dried out the camper from Saturday's rain and got it all set up for a summer of camping. Sophia had a couple of neighborhood boys come over and play. 90 minutes, one bloody nose, four happy kids while I cut the grass equals good entertainment for all. Merrick did get to try his new soccer cleats as well and he thought he was much faster in them than his non-soccer shoes. Sophia's cleats of course have a of a touch of pink. We will see how those work on Tuesday night.

May we please see some Sun

These was the first weekend that the sun made an appearance in what seems like nearly a year. Sunday was a dry day with high winds and clear blue skies. The rest of the weekend was pretty busy, well pretty busy for Sophia. Friday night was the end of Brownies and required nearly a 3 hour awards banquet complete with an ice cream social. Each of the bluebird, brownie and girl scout troops did a skit and then handed out their respective awards. Sophia's troop put on a skit in which the final joke is that the camera man has no film in the camera. The irony was of course that I have no pictures of this because the battery in my camera was dead. Sophia played a valley girl and has been practicing her lines for the last month, which consist of inserting the word "like' between every word of importance in the line and performing the lines with great amounts of hair flipping. She was flawless in her role. Merrick was not feeling well, and considering as much, was very well behaved. We gained a kid that night as one of Sophia's friends came home with us for a sleep over and the girls crashed on cots in the basement in front of Punky Brewster movies surrounded by left-over chocolate Easter rabbits and popcorn. Saturday morning pancakes. We then headed out into the street to explode a couple of bottles of diet Sierra mist by adding Mentos. The kids loved it and we had a nice discussion on gas suitabilities, which the second graders seemed to grasp. Merrick and I worked on cooking up some chicken soup stock while the girls ran around the house doing girl-sleep-over things. Sophia's friend had not even left before another one called to take her to Circ du soleil, when I told Sophia it would be the coolest gymnastics she had ever seen, she said "where is my leotard." She was ok with not performing and seemed to enjoy the event thoroughly. Merrick used the quite house to catch up on much needed sleep and I brewed up a batch of beer. Sunday morning was another birthday party for the oldest kid, but not before Merrick and I found time to make an apple pie and wash all the windows. He was feeling much better and we were able to buy new play sand and seeds. While Sophia was off partying, Merrick and I were able to plant the peas, beans and potatoes in the garden. We are so planted some new morning glories with the hopes they will climb the trees in the back yard. Him and I headed to the park with the spider man kite, that flew so well last year. This year, not so much. Not sure if there was just to much wind of the kite had aged, at either rate it didn't make the return trip home and was left in a crumpled heap in the park garbage can. On our way back to the truck we past a small sign by a tree that identified the tree, in concrete, as a 'kite-eating tree." Had we only known. Moved a couple of hops plants and then played a lot of baseball in the wind. Merrick and I did get the groceries this morning including all the ingredients for how the weekend will end, spiced meats, onions, mushrooms, sauce, and mozzarella cheese for a big homemade pizza