June Delights

     The local homeschool group has a weekly temple trip during the day. Now that the kids are free, we joined them a few times. I took the boys to lunch afterward. This was their first time at First Watch. Devon really loved the seasonal drink: Purple Haze. I found the recipe, and the kids have decided it needs to be on our drink rotation.

    Several ladies commented on how good-looking the boys were. It was cute. While the boys were at FSY, I took Lizzy, and we went to Corner Cafe. It was nice and cozy. 

    I have an update on my bird nest battle. I was seeing some birds going up to the light, but I thought it was secure. Daniel checked, and lo and behold, this massive nest inside the box!

    While I was sad to destroy their hard work, I was more than happy to clean off the lamp. 

    Our summer fun continued with a trip to the climbing gym.

    Daniel and I went to see Mrs. Christie. I liked it. It was a bit like Julie and Julia, having a modern and not-so-modern element. I have been a fan of Agatha Christie for years and have had a fascination with her life for nearly as long. There were plenty of inside jokes and nods to her life. Daniel liked it even though he didn't have the history to help him out.  

We had Ron over for Father's Day. The kids were, predictably, a bit crazy. But it was nice catching up.

    This year was Devon's first time at FSY. He was not delighted by the prospect, but went anyway. I ended up driving 5 boys up, and Devon remarked that he felt he was going to an all-boys school. 

    They had a good time. Lizzy and I went to lunch at a local Thai restaurant. She demolished those edamame. I loved the Chicken Satay.

Summer isn't complete without playing in the water in the backyard!

This summer is really going fast, but I'm glad we are embracing it.

Lizzy Is an Adult?!?!

     Lizzy celebrated her 18th birthday. While the younger kids were at summer school, I took Lizzy and the older boys to lunch at V's. Lizzy's friend works there along with her mother, and Lizzy really likes it. Charles and I had the buffet, which was very nice, and Lizzy had her favorite Shrimp Fettuccine. Devon had spaghetti.

As it was a birthday meal, she was presented with a birthday cake.

    Later, the kids had a water fight, but then they went for head shots, so I put a stop to it. Kids, I tell ya! It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. 

    On her actual birthday, we went to Fort Osage to relive the past. We got caught in a downpour, but it only lasted half an hour, so we contented ourselves with sheltering under the few tents until the tempest abated and we could return to our activities.

The boys made magic potions.

    The final festivities included a lemon cake with some of our berries from the garden. Our berries are growing wonderfully. They really made the cake pop.

    

Happy Birthday, Lizzy!

A Little Lavender and Lace

     On the Saturday following our trip, I left for Heartford, KS, to visit a little lavender farm to take tea with the Jane Austen Society. It was a 2 hr drive, but I had never been out that way before; it was a nice drive. I finished listening to my book on the way there and back. 

   As part of the excursion, we were able to gather some lavender to take home.

    After a refreshing morning, I headed to Independence to celebrate Strawberry Days. The Vaile Mansion hosts a festival each summer, and I had wanted to tour the mansion since learning of its existence a few months back. Daniel, Teddy, and Lizzy went a little before me. I was nearly on the last tour of the day.

    A real Warden Box! I read all about them and how they allowed the English to smuggle tea plants from China. It was fun to see one in person. The dresses were amazing, and the chandeliers in the front parlors were intended for the White House, but President Garfield felt they were not grand enough, so Colonel Vaile snapped them up. The house was built in 1881 and was the very height of modernity. It had running water: hot and cold, flushing toilets, and a 48,000-gallon wine cellar!

This is a sewing machine. I had never seen one like it before.

   

     It was a fascinating home, and I loved all the little details. Next year, I hope to go earlier to get to see more of the festival; they were all packing up when I left the mansion. I bought a lace handkerchief, a necklace, and some cards from the gift shop. The lady running it was quite flustered as she was not used to the card reader, but she was very nice.