A full and fun week.

What a wild week last week was. I feel like Im finally catching up (and its the following Friday!).

Sully and Anna were in Kindercamp together and had an absolute blast. Every day when we picked them up or dropped them off, the instructors would rave about how they share their lunches, sit together, play together and take care of one another. How heart warming. Sully is mostly a timid boy, so its great for him to have a buddy (especially his cousin) around. I know that when he feels safe he is much more himself. Greta and I enjoyed our one on one time together. I can't believe how easy it is to manage one child. She is so sweet and giggly. I crave her sweet little voice. She is talking so much and it melts my heart. She refers to Sully as "Ayah" and it drives him nuts. She will say "Hi Ayah!" and he responds with, "I'm NOT Ayah, I'm Yully!" (we are still working on some speech things ;)). Its hilarious. They are so insanely busy, but so adorable at the same time.

Immediately after Kindercamp we hit the road to Okoboji for the weekend. Dave, Matthew, Lauren, and Cassandra had planned to run the Okoboji 10k several months ago and as the weekend approached, Maggie and Jeff decided to go a day early and invited the kids and I along (Dave and I and the kids were going to stay at the Oliver cabin). Dave came after work on Friday and the race was on Saturday morning. We had a great time boating, swimming, napping, eating, going to Arnold's Park, and just spending time together. We hosted a pasta feed for the racers on Friday and a BBQ for the group on Saturday evening. Jeff and his brother Joe also ran the race. It was a hot day and everyone finished and did great. Way to go! And thanks to the Olivers for a memorable weekend, we feel so lucky, xoxox.

We were tired and happy to get home on Sunday. I was in major need of some down time. I am approaching my 27th week of pregnancy and boy do I feel it. Between really hot days, two busy kids and this construction project, we are nonstop. On a very good note, I had recently had an OB appointment and the baby is measuring right on, and its heart rate was 146. I am so grateful for an uneventful pregnancy.

BK fun with the Oliver kids. 

Camp fun with Anna. 

Full hands at Arnold's Park. 

The kids on the roller coaster,
it may have been too soon for Greta. 

Maybe a more appropriate ride. 

Dave and the kids after the race.
Sully was a really good sport about the photo ;).

Prerace photo of the group. 

Sully, Maggie, and Anna.

First class view. 

Sweet Sully and his amazing cowlicks. 

Boat fun = boat nap.

Story time.

The kids feeling for the baby. 

St. Louis and Montana

Dave and I both had trips we were hoping to go on this summer before the baby is born and as we were looking at free weekends, it became apparent that we were running out of time. After some brainstorming, we decided it would be best if we went at the same time and each took a child. I took Sully and he took Greta. This worked best as Greta is still in a crib and has a very predictable sleep schedule while Sully is in his big boy bed and has a hard time staying put at night when he would rather be up playing and being silly with whoever is around. Plus, Stacy's kids are toddler/school age and she has a neighborhood full of fun children and constant playing. It was a no brainer, really.

Dave and Greta took us to the airport and it was the sweetest thing saying goodbye. Sully and Greta gave each other a hug and a kiss and it melted my heart. Dave and I both had tears in our eyes watching them interact. When we were gone, Sully asked a couple of times to "go visit daddy" which is what we do most evenings while he is on call. Facetime and phone calls sufficed and we were so happy to reconnect at the airport in Sioux Falls (even if Dave hadn't given Greta a bath since they left Sioux Falls four days earlier!!).

We had lots of fun with the kids. Sully played loads of t-ball, launched a million rockets, went for jeep rides, played basketball, and got to see the monkeys at the zoo. Life is chaotic with four kids ages 6 and under (and a pregnancy), but we took the challenges in stride and were able to keep it pretty light hearted during stressful times as each of us were doing all that we could and that was just enough. It was great to be together, we love our trips to St. Louis.

In the end, it all worked great. Plus, it was fun for each of us to get one on one time with the kids.

Dave and Greta in Montana.  

She is as mischievous as she looks. 

Merry-go-round fun. 

Travel buddies. 

Three year olds unite. Backpack buddies. 

Monkeys with the monkeys. 

The grocery store was enough of an outing for one day ;).

Liz and Matt tie the knot.

The final Connelly got married on the 4th of July and it was a weekend full of celebrations. Liz ironically married a man, Matt, that Maggie and I went to junior high and high school with. He is funny and kind and caring, exactly what Liz deserves.

The celebrations started on Thursday with pedicures followed by a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Friday evening. Saturday was a full day with hair and make up followed by photos at the Arboretum, a garden/park just east of town where they got married. It was a beautiful setting for the ceremony. It was a hot and sticky day, just right for July in South Dakota. Liz had each of her siblings and their families proceed down the aisle before their maid of honor/best and then her. It was a great way to incorporate us and to give the kids a special roll in her day.

The reception was a picnic themed dinner at a near by facility which overlooked a cornfield and Sioux Falls. There was a great patio which was a nice spot to get away from the action (and noise) and take in the fireworks going on all around us. To top the night off, Liz and Matt had lined up their own fireworks show. It was a great way to end the evening, Sully and Greta loved it (although Greta fell asleep mid firework). The kids had a blast dancing and being silly together. It was a great celebration.

The weekend wrapped up with a brunch at my parents' house on Sunday morning. Maggie and I became my mom's worker bees, which was fun. It was a great way to reconnect on a slower pace and to say goodbye to the family and friends who traveled to be a part of the weekend.

We are so happy for Liz, her excitement for life is so apparent. She has a spring in her a step and pep in her voice. Cheers to many years of love and fun for Matt and Liz!

Munce family photo before the festivities. 

Matt and Liz and the flower girls. 

Grandkids.
Capri, Greta, Owen, Isaac, Anna, Sophia, Sully and Hudson. 

Connelly family photo.  

The original seven. 

Wedding time. 

Sully thought he was making them explode. 

Greta succumbs to sleep. 

DMB in Des Moines.

Maggie proposed a trip for old time's sake to Des Moines for a DMB concert several months ago. In my college years and shortly after I was more than a Dave Matthews Band fan, I was a fanatic. I saw many concerts, did all of the research on the band and all of that stuff. Somewhere along the line, the passion faded. I still sing along when a song comes on the radio and feel somewhat nostalgic about them, but they no longer have that hold on me.

When Maggie suggested the idea, I wasn't pregnant, although that was in my plan. Because of that and the fact that it was a midweek concert and knowing how impossible Dave's schedule is to work with, I was iffy on wether or not it would work out. To my pleasant surprise, it all came together, pretty nicely as a matter of fact.

We left on a Tuesday morning and arrived in time to freshen up at Sonia and Brad's. The four of us grabbed a bite to eat with Maggie's brother in law Joe before heading to the concert. I wasn't as much fun as my nonpregnant self, but I had a great time. Mag had a good enough time for the both of us and tolerated my sober self, encouraging me to take a seat whenever possible. We hit the road early on Wednesday morning and made it home by early afternoon.

Thanks Mag for the quick get away, I think I needed it more than I realized!

Maggie, Sonia and I before the concert. 

Maggie and I during the concert. 

Back in Sioux Falls, foot zerberts. 

Getting settled, Father's Day and a tacky party.

We moved home! What a relief.  Although our current situation is less than ideal, we are managing just fine. We moved into the attic, which is more or less a one bedroom apartment minus the kitchen. We are improvising with a dorm fridge, mini microwave and a toaster, which works great for breakfast. We generally do the other meals on the go, which can be a bit challenging given Greta's energy level, but we make due. Nap time is hit or miss as there is a lot of commotion going on below us, but when compared to the train at the rental house, it is really not too bad. Bed time is early, for all of us. We are sharing one room (a queen blow up mattress, a twin mattress, and a pack and play), so it seems to work best to lay down at the same time in order to facilitate a decent sleeping environment for the kids. We are basically camping, going on our 11th night in a row. Im hopeful that this week will bring lots of progress and good work and that we may be able to move down to our bedrooms by the end of the week. Sully and Greta will share Greta's room as his room needs to be 'caught up' since it was functioning as a storage room up until last week.

Playdoh fun.  

Bedroom/playroom. 

Kitchen/living room.

Attic hallway. 

Attic powder room. 

Father's Day was mellow. Dave had a funky call schedule so came home around 8am and had to go back to work at 3pm. We made the most of it and went for brunch and for a short drive before quite time for the kids. We gave him his annual gift of a mug made my the kids at the pottery place. He loved it, he always does. The kids and I went to a BBQ to celebrated my dad later in the evening. They had a blast playing with Isaac and Anna, they always do. Im so lucky to have a great dad in my life and grateful for Dave's roll in both my life and the kids' life. We hit the jackpot.

Dad with the daughters. 

Maggie giving the Munce kids their first taste of golf. 

Park fun. 

Father's Day brunch. 

And finally, the tacky party. We have been looking forward to this event for some time. Liz and Matt had a co bachelor/bachelorette party which consisted of pizza at Tomacellis, beverages at the Upper Cut, and Cosmic Bowling at Eastway Bowl. A few tacky establishments to host a party. Many people came in the appropriate attire and we had a blast. The wedding countdown in officially on!

Tacky party fun. 

Liz and Matt and their ceiling tile.  

The Connelly family.

Tacky fun. 

Construction progress and life in general.

We are making noticeable house progress, which feels amazing. Last week was a bit stressful as both the designer and contractor were on vacation, but we pulled through and things kept moving. Then on Sunday we learned our renal house has been rented out to another guest on Thursday evening, so our move out date jumped two days. The landlord assured me that if we wanted to come back on Friday for the night, we were welcome (HAHA). Moving once is enough at this point in my life, let alone two more times. The attic is getting carpeted today, the tiler has laid tiles in two bathrooms and is in the process of finishing the third. The goal is to get me a shower by our move in date and a toilet other than the port a potty (HAHA again). The roof tiles are being removed today and will be replaced after the paper beneath is replaced. Just as they were starting to put down new paper, a completely unplanned and unforcasted sprinkle started (isn't it ironic?). We had originally been promised a functional but not finished kitchen, but we wont even have a kitchen floor by this weekend (thank goodness for dorm appliances we have borrowed from friends with college aged kids). I am optimistic that once we move in, we will see remarkable progress each day and life will gradually feel more normal. I am stressed out and so excited at the same time. I want to be home so bad, but I wanted the house to be closer when we moved home. I was talking to a friend over the weekend and she was talking me through my stress and said, "if I were you, I'd either be a huge b!t<h all of the time, or else I'd constantly be crying." It was in that single validating line that I realized where all of these tears and impatience has come from. I am experiencing emotions I didn't know I was capable of. And then I'm reminded of the response my dad gave to me when this all started "just remember, Suzie, these are all things your brought upon yourself." I laugh to myself through gritted teeth. I cannot believe we are so far in. I know looking back I will be so grateful, as what has been completed looks perfect, Dave and I get lost in our excitement. I just wish we chose to do it when the kids were older or maybe when I wasn't pregnant.

The kids are busy, but so sweet. Today Sully locked Greta in to one of the bedrooms at the rental with my phone in there with her. We didn't have tools at the house because we are in the process of moving. I was panicked and she was hysterical. It was awful to see her little fingers reach under the door while I scrambled to figure something out. Fortunately, all was resolved (with the help of a dismantled fork) and I made a swift exit as soon as Dave got home. I was desperate for some alone time. Sully is in Vacation Bible School this week and he is so sweet. He packs his puppy backpack and his robot lunch box and then cries when I drop him off. Last night he came home with a handmade picture of what is supposed to be baby Jesus in the manger and when Dave pointed to the baby and asked him it's name, he replied, 'thats baby GG,' seriously, melt my heart.

Fortunately the house headache is temporary, and the kids are permanent :).

Tubby time with sweet Greta. 

Flowers to detract from the constructions mess. 

Refinishing the floors in the master bedroom.

New tile in the upstairs laundry/former master bath. 

Looking in to the new master bath, this used to be the
master bedroom closet. Refinished floors and new tile. 

Standing in the new master bath.
New walk in closet to the left.
Recessed lighting throughout.

Ready for VBS!

So excited about his chalk drawing during VBS. 

Mmmmm! Dilly bars.  

Removing tiles (in the rain!). They stopped shortly after this photo. 

"Look at mama and say 'MONEY PIT!'."