July 14

Clay started hanging the new lights

This is why we had to get new lights. This one is broken and the remaining blades drooped. 

I was spring-cleaning the living room. When I moved the couch, there was a bolt on the carpet. Clay came to the rescue, figured out where it went, and fixed it.

I rearranged the furniture. 

Grandpa Tim and LuLu tried to convert Elliott to being a Cubs fan. Although the Cardinals beating them 11-3 probably didn’t help their case.

Lucy went strawberry picking with Nonna and Grandpa Carroll. 

And Clay got to spend the morning playing 9 holes of golf and then going to jiu jitsu belt promotions. 

July 13

I steam-cleaned the family room carpet yesterday. The amount of sludge that came out of the carpet was GROSS.

Kat got her second (ever!!!) haircut in a salon. The first was when she was around 8 and we donated hair. This time she wanted “face framing layers” and I didn’t want to mess it up. She was nervous. Her hair looks fine (not much different, really). The important thing is that she is happy with it. Afterwards we went shopping for dorm stuff (bedding, storage, desk lamp, etc). We made a pretty good dent in the list.

Kat wanted to hang out with me and Clay last night, so we let her choose where to eat. She wanted Chuck-E-Cheese.

Grandpa Carroll took Lucy to Grandparent Bingo at the Senior Citizen Center. She won four times! This is her prize stash.

Lulu and Grandpa took Elliott to the Teen Glow at Sky Zone last night. 

July 12

Nonna and Lucy created a fairy garden in Nonna’s yard. Cute!

Elliott and Grandpa Tim went golfing. The kids have now swapped houses for the next few days. 

I invited Nora to the zoo. Uncle Clay decided to leave work early and join us.

10:45am. Sure we can have ice cream for “lunch”. We did eat chicken fingers and fries later for “dessert”.

Ride the camel? Absolutely! Don’t tell my kids (I have never paid for them to do this). Being an aunt is fun!!!

She really buddied up to Uncle Clay. He got lots of hugs and hand holding. He hated it. Not!

After asking us 5,000,001 times if we were almost to the water park, we finally arrived! It was sooo hot outside. She spent a long time playing in the water.

She enjoyed the lorikeets and they enjoyed her

When we walked up to this ball floating on water at the entrance/exit she declared that it was her favorite part of the zoo! Silly girl.

Clay and I went to dinner and then went to Menards and got some new light fixtures for the house. 

July 11

Nonna, Elliott, and Lucy took the train to Chicago for the day. Overall a great day, minus the train stopping twice on the way home (once to get fixed and the second time for hitting a deer). They didn’t get home until almost midnight CST.

After eating Giordanos (the best pizza), they headed to the Sears Tower (some call it the Willis Tower. We know better). 

They also went indoor rock climbing

Clay and I went to the golf course. He golfed. I watched/walked. It was actually pretty nice. I got some exercise, enjoyed the nature, and laughed when he threw tantrums over bad hits. 

July 10

Lucy painted pottery with Lulu

Elliott sent me this pic from the Humane Society of a “parrot cat”

Kat and I grabbed lunch after running errands. 

My Facebook memory from 6 years ago. Lucy volunteered to help me clean out the fridge. I could have used her help last night. I managed to clean out the fridge, clean out the pantry and trash closet, and wipe down the kitchen cabinets.

July 9

We received Kat’s group graduation photo yesterday. 

Elliott, Nonna, and Grandpa Carroll visited an arcade museum and also stayed the night in an attached Airbnb. 

This dog doesn’t know what to do without his kids at home. He follows me, whining constantly. He’s almost 100% deaf so I don’t think he hears himself whine. 

I finished getting the dining rooms cabinets organized/cleaned out and then got most of the kitchen cabinets organized also. I also washed all our bed linens and cleaned both bathrooms. My goal while Elliott and Lucy are gone is to get a lot of my spring (summer?) cleaning done. I also helped Clay with yard work last night by cleaning up sticks and spreading the fertilizer while he mowed and weed eated. Don’t be too impressed. I also spent a fair amount of time watching TV and reading. 

My goal today is to clean out the pantry, trash closet, and refrigerator, and to wipe down all of the cabinets. Kitchens get gross quickly. I am hoping that by typing this out I will hold myself accountable!!!

July 8

Elliott, Nonna, Grandpa Tim, and Grandpa Carroll went to a baseball game. Elliott was randomly selected from the crowd to do the dizzy bat race-he won! 

 

July 7

I got home yesterday and started organizing the cabinets. Elliott and Lucy will be in IL for the next 10 days and my goal is to get the house cleaned and organized while they are gone.

Lulu took Lucy to get her nails done while Elliott went golfing with Grandpa.

They went to Malibu Jacks last night