Summer BBQ's + Popsicles

 

Love being able to host friends in our home again this summer! Lingering meals on the back deck with friends are what laid back summer days are all about!

 Parrishes for fajitas!

Unruhs for burgers and hot dogs!

The girls are in love with Baby Joanna (almost 2)

Mike brought the fun with obstacle course races after dinner!

Kate + Sofia with one of my many attempts 

of homemade popsicles this summer!

Chloe + Molly making slime! (of course!)

Surgery Day for Bear

 

Bear had his neuter surgery today and as much as we explained where he was going this morning, he was still so excited to get in the car to "go on another adventure" as far as he knew.

He was gone about 8 hours and when they called to say he was coming out of anesthesia, the girls couldn't wait to go with me to pick him up!

Poor guy had to wear the cone off/on to leave his wound alone.

No walks or yard play for a week, but he was not without 

LOTS of snuggles and cuddles from all of us! 

Father's Day!

 

We celebrated Mike all day long starting with a 

yummy big breakfast made by Molly! 

We are so lucky he is ours!!!

Bear wanted to thank him too and get in on the love! 

He gave him a card this year and gift as well.

Summer Days . . .

I love this view of all the swimsuits drying on the back deck . . . 

Kona Ice Truck in Apple Valley!

Waiting for friends in her swimsuit in the back of the truck - 

Lots of Bear snuggles . . .

Summer flowers starting to bloom - 

And Kate's raspberries!

Grandma Pat sent 4th of July lights - Bear wanted to test them out.

Popsicles with good friends . . . 

Just because he's so cute . . .

Kate went to volleyball camp with some friends from school at St. James High School - 

Future 3rd Grade Volleyballers at Cure' of Ars!

I'm loving my early morning sunrise walks through 

Meadowbrook with Bear while the girls are still asleep . . .

He loves a good sunrise too!

Family Dinner on the Plaza and window shopping . . . 

Kate spotted our friend's book!

And a trip to the Candy Shop for dessert!

We let Bear run through the sprinklers for the first time! 

He LOVED it!

And was so tired after - the girls wrapped him in a blanket with a pillow - 

25 Years since BC!

 

It's been 25 years since we graduated from Benedictine and Gretchen and I drove up for the day to celebrate the milestone! I cannot believe it's been 25 years and that we've been friends for 29 years!!

The campus was BEAUTIFUL!

Was wonderful to run into some familiar faces - 

This is Kelly Vowels - dear friend during the college years and beyond!

This is Kurt Pressler - he and I were in Student Government together and I have not seen him since he graduated - he was a year ahead of me! He is now a minister in Texas and does awesome work! 

Made my day to catch up with him!

 

Gretchen and I had a nice walk around the campus - 

it is even more beautiful than when we were there!

And we found our freshman year dorm room and went inside! SO many wonderful memories and friendships formed in that dorm!

 

Our First Week of Summer in Pictures . . .

We are getting into our Summer Groove this week! 

Molly started rehearsals for the Summer Musical she is in this year - 

The garden is abundant!

Even the caterpillars think so . . .

We went to the pool and loved the slides!

We took Bear to the Leawood Dog Park, which he LOVES!

We met friends at the pool . . . 

Molly and I snuck away to get a pedicure together . . .

The girls had their annual well child visits with their Doctor.

I started taking early morning walks with Bear before the girls are up - it's nice and cool out and we love the sunrise views from Meadowbrook Park! 

We grilled out a lot . . .

The girls were asked by our neighbors to dog, cat and plant sit for them while they are in Florida for a week - so they made a chart to keep track of their duties.