Monday the kids didn’t get to visit a park on the way home. Instead they played outside after they got here. Chances are we’re in the last summer-like week of the year. If we’re lucky we’ll get another, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Gideon picked Handy Manny for our after dinner show.
Cecilia had me read her Olivia and then wanted Heather to read her The Sailor Dog.
Gideon wanted both of us to read him The Sailor Dog. Not sure what that was about…

Tuesday I got home pretty late due to a Costco stop, but the Heather and the kids were a little later due to stopping at a park. After baths Cecilia decided they should watch Handy Manny.
Cecilia continued her love of the Richard Scarry book. I read her polite elephant and she told me that Heather read to her from that book as well.
Gideon asked me for Duck on a bike and then had Heather read him Bobcat Bootcamp.

Wednesday was Cecilia’s second dance day. She is definitely liking it. Heather watched this week to get an idea what they are up to. When I asked what she did in dance class she told me she did “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, smash the pancake.” Gideon picked Jake and the Neverland Pirates tonight.
Gideon has a new book from school. This is a “level 4” book telling the story of Star Wars episodes 1-3. He had Heather start it and I continued it. My guess is that it’ll take us another night or two to finish, and that he will have no other story until it’s done.
Cecilia had me read her the Pirate Fairy book. It came as part of a package from Target where we got the Pirate Fairy movie and book together. I’m not sure what Heather read her before that.

Thursday I messed up on getting dinner ready. I forgot to get the crockpot meal cooking. My backup was burgers/hot dogs fries and salad. This didn’t work so well as Heather and the kids had to come straight home for a little girl who had her first accident in a long time. Of course, she was mad at her mom so Dad had to help her which became Heather making dinner. Annoying, but such is life. When the evening of drama was done Cecilia started with Handy Manny, but agreed on Doc McStuffins when I told her there were no new Handy Mannys.
After the show we had Gideon practice his “Share and Tell” talk with us before stories. First the kids and I pretended to be his class while Heather showed him what to do, then he switched with Heather and presented to us. He did great and I look forward to hearing how it went for him. We continued the Star Wars book after that and it may well finish Friday.
Cecilia had me read her Ollie and ? camping adventure. I’m not sure what Heather read her as I was reading to Gideon at the time.

Friday was date night for Heather and I so I’m not sure what went down. I know they left the Huisinga’s at a time which suggests the didn’t watch a show there. I also know that Rio was in the van for the drive up and that we told Renee how to start it for them for the drive back. For any more details Renee would have to comment, filling in the blanks.

Saturday we went to two separate regional parks with massive play structures. We brought a bit of a picnic lunch so we would be able to pull it off. The kids had a blast but we did have to cut our stay a little short at the second one. The desired outcome of wearing them down was successful, maybe too successful. Gideon was so tired he fought going to church. He did pick Jake and the Neverland Pirates for a show though.
After the show Cecilia continued her current fascination with the Richard Scarry collection book for both Heather and I. The weird part was that she went and got Dr Suess from Gideon’s room first.
Gideon got to finish his Star Wars book. Even in his exhaustion he was pretty excited about that. It doesn’t go back and get replaced until Wednesday. It’ll be interesting to see what he chooses in the meantime.

Sunday is another day that we worked hard to use what is likely the last bit of summer we have coming to us this year. We hit an apple orchard for Honeycrisps followed by Taylor’s Falls. This was a good day that was almost ruined by me remembering a homemade ice cream parlor that wasn’t actually there on the way home. Luckily we made it to another option in a timely enough fashion. Our evening routine winded down with Cecilia and Gideon both picking Handy Manny for a show. (We started early and watched two so Heather could get ready for the week while I ran to get some stuff from the store.)
Cecilia continued her fascination with Richard Scarry.
Gideon started with asking Heather to read the Star Wars book again. Heather instead convinced him to get it in his backpack before so he wouldn’t forget when library day came. I’m not sure what she read him instead, but I read him two stories from his old story bible.