Summer Break Week 1

 Summer vacation has officially begun (actually if we want to get technical the first day was last Saturday, although you could also make the argument that since we always have weekends off the first day was really Monday.....) but anyhow, I was hoping to have a little extra blogging time on my hands. 

Turns out I was wrong.  Between baseball, trips into Marshalltown or Ames for supplies, working on projects (and I use the term working loosely), and the computer not being able to charge from the AC adapter it just hasn't worked out like I planned.  But here's what we've got so far:

 

Chickie at the first home game of the season, which we didn't actually get to watch thanks to the much needed rain that teased a cancellation a couple of times and then finally threw in some lightning to make things official.  Grandma and Grandpa Brown came out for that game and brought her a little gift- the pink bat and ball.  I swear this kid's going to know how to swing by the time she's 2, she's already nudging the ball with the bat.

One of our summer projects is refinishing our kitchen cabinets. I. HATE. THEM.  They are old and dated, but sturdy, and we just don't have the money for a whole kitchen renovation, so new paint and new cupboard doors and drawer fronts are the best we can do.  The whole deal wouldn't be so bad except that when you have a big kitchen that also means you have lots of cupboards.  Lots of cupboards = lots of cha-ching needed to do anything with the cupboards. 

 We were removing the hinges and doors manually when Jerod realized, "We have at least 3 power drills in this house."  Smart boy.

Playing by herself while mom and dad work- such a good girl.....most of the time ;)

 Thank goodness I organized my kitchen cupboards when I nested during my pregnancy with Cailyn, otherwise the door-less frames would be even sorrier to look at.

 Somebody we know is SO MOBILE and learning to climb up onto the furniture.  The glider is the first thing she figured out and she is now able to climb up onto the upstairs sofa with some persistence.  Augh!

Cailyn loves to play in water, whether it be watering the garden, in the tub, or just holding the hose while it drips so we got her a sprinkler beach ball and though she doesn't fully know how to enjoy it yet, she liked being sprayed by the water.  I predict there will be many more good times had with the beach ball sprinkler!