Weekend Fun

When we have a free afternoon, Cora asks to have Jake and Char over to play. Last Friday, Violet's friend Caitlyn was planning to come, too, but she got sick and wasn't able to make it.

We had pizza at our little park - like the good old days when the girls were preschoolers - and were surprised to be joined by an egret!

Violet and I sneaked closer to film the egret's encounter with a squirrel on a tree, as the squirrel yelled at it.

Then we were shocked to watch the egret reach for and gobble down a lizard, legs and tail hanging from its beak. It was a real-life nature show right next to the community pool.

Then we cooled off in the pool. It was another 90-plus-degree day, and the water felt fabulous. Violet and I also spent time in the hot tub, watching the egret through the fence lizard-hunting. It ate at least three more while we watched.

I love this pic of Cora and Jake.

The kids watched the first Iron Man movie - Jake hadn't seen it and it's Cora's favorite. Cora loves Iron Man. She has Iron Man stickers on her main school accordion folder, and she'd put them on her water bottle if it weren't for the dishwasher.

That night, we met up with Grandma and Grandpa at Menchie's for a belated birthday celebration for my mom. Cora played around near the fishpond while we finished our dessert, and then she and Violet played at the play area. I sense the need to soak up the days/months/years(?) left that Cora will be wanting to play at play areas. (sniff!)

On Saturday morning, Stace took Cora to her early morning football game, and Violet and I left a bit later.

As I locked and shut the door, I realized too late that I hadn't grabbed my keys! We had food, coffee, water, reading material and my purse (money and phone), but no keys. Instead of football, we ended up having a lovely morning walk to Granary Square, where Violet got a drink.

On Saturday evening, we went to a party at our friend Liz's house, for her birthday and her son Christopher's birthday. A good time was had by all.

And on Sunday, we had Kelly and Yass over for dinner and a movie - summer is over, but our dinner and 80s movie nights live on. We enjoyed a Michael Caine comedy about Sherlock Holmes.

Here, the kids (and a couple of parents) are watching funny YouTube videos. That's a frequent activity for the girls, who don't really miss not having cable.