Recreation

We spent Independence Day with the Jimenezes and Heather. After eating our meal outside, Hiram fell asleep on a picnic blanket. Spencer kept him company and we dutifully watched the shade from inside to make sure Hiram didn't get burned.

Socks on hard floors are rough.

Our fireworks got rained out and it was raining so hard that we didn't even want to leave the house. After waiting 45 minutes for it to let up, we gave up and went home anyway. It was around 10. But while we waited for the rain, Thora gave us a concert on Hailey's guitar.

More bunny yoga. She's gripping my toe with her claws.

We finally had a chance for Thora to go on her second big girl date! She had to wait a while because she wanted Shad to take her ice skating. She had never been before, but knew she wanted to do it after hearing the rest of us talk about it. They saw the Zamboni!

Super happy and showing off her skates.

After skating to her heart's content, they went to Costco and ate all the samples.

Another Home Depot build...fishing boxes. Samson's skill with glue is getting better. He loves using the glue every time. Thora's mood is improving...she doesn't fuss about building or wearing an apron anymore and she's happy to show her work off to the employees for approval. Dancy does well with her nails when I get them started for her. Katie...I don't even know where she's at with her skill development because I never have to help her, but maybe she gets help from Shad. This time Tommy had trouble with a nail going crooked while he was nailing it. He tried to correct the direction, but that didn't work. He had also hit his fingers a few times trying to get nails in. Then he was struggling to get the nail out and it even bent and that's when I looked up and saw him tearing up in frustration. I told him he's allowed to get help too. We want him to do as much as he can on his own, but to ask for help when he needs it. I also told him that we don't care how well the projects get done, what's important is learning new things about building. So this time he learned that the plyers on the table are for holding the nails so you don't have to use your fingers, especially for the short nails! 

Aaaaaand Home Depot had huge orchids on sale for $10! This would be $25 anywhere! I was going to grab a white one that had even more blossoms, but then the girls got excited over this pink/purple one. I like it, too. Just hate those bright dyed ones I see at Sprouts!

And then we spontaneously stopped at the flea market and I tripped out at how it was just like China...except no one ran after me haggling down prices when I walked away after looking at something. "I don't even want it! I was just looking at it. No, not even for 20 yuan when you have it marked at 100. I just don't want it! Bu yao!"

Blinged out hair clips

Lots of cheap plastic and character umbrellas

I bought a bag just like these in China!

Oversized plastic bags that can carry everything? Check.

And all that was before we even got to the Asian section.

Katie's impression of a dragon.

Tea party hats!

Another spontaneity: That afternoon after Home Depot and the flea market, we got word that Shad's cousin Aimme was driving through from Texas and was meeting up with the Denver family for breakfast Sunday morning. We decided to go spend the night at my mom's house so we could see them, too.

Bedtime snacks at Grandma's house are a favorite.

Katie and Tommy both had sleepovers the week of the 4th of July. The exhaustion was evident.

Thora is very musically inclined, so it shouldn't surprise me that she developed the ability to snap so young, but it still astounds me. That's a tricky skill, but she was so determined to get it because I snap all the time to music.

Samson wanted to show off his snapping, too.