Summer

This is an excellent summer. It's almost Labor Day. Even though it isn't astronomically correct, it sort of feels like the end of summer because a lot of outdoor pools, water parks, and splash pads will be closing. 

Although the weather is still nice, and we still have time to do fun things, let's recap some awesome things we've been up to this summer: 

Splash Pads
Pools
Parks
Bike Rides
Backyard water table
Sandbox
Veggie garden
BBQ
Puddle jumping
Ropes Course
Paddle boarding
Canoeing
Kayaking
Water skiing
Tubing
Jet skiing
Zoo
Hammocks
Playgrounds
Scenic ski lift
Smoker
Camping
Yard work
Family get-togethers
Game nights
Popsicles
Crate Stacking
House Projects

And it's not even over yet!

I Should Be A Toy Tester

I bought a new farm-themed toy for our toddler and removed it from the packaging during nap time. It was then that I pressed the main sound-making button. It proceeded to accost me with a rowdy banjo hoe-down with poor sound quality and high volume, accompanied by alternating sounds of chickens, cows, and horses. 

The song blasted my ears for FIFTEEN seconds! There was no way to shorten it or stop the noise once the button was touched. That was the only sound that particular button would make. 

I immediately removed the batteries.

 

I'm so glad I chose to open it during the nap. She wasn't aware that it should make noise, and she will never know the difference. 

We Do Like Bubbles

The KonMari Method orders the decluttering process by categories of items. If you've watched any part of the show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, you'll know that they proceed in a certain order. Each person gathers all of the clothes they own into a pile to sort through, making a decision about each piece before moving on to the next category: books. I think the reason behind this style is that looking at each category alone helps them focus and take inventory.

I was sorting through a toy cabinet, and I kept finding bottles of bubbles. I went on a mission to find and gather all of the bubbles in the house. I was surprised at how many containers I found - some large, some small, some used, some still in pristine packaging. We have a toddler here. As a result, I guess we keep buying and receiving - but ultimately hoarding - bubbles. 

From now on, I'm making a point to use bubbles faster than we obtain them.

But this is not all, oh no this is not all.

Date Story

Something we enjoy as a couple - although honestly it's been a while since we've done it - is dressing up extra fancy to go on a date. Our idea of fancy dressing usually consists of costume jewelry and other gaudy apparel, usually found at a thrift store. We enjoy it the most when we go on a fancy dress-up date to a place that is not notoriously fancy. Example of places we've gone dressed to the nines: high school play performance, Zupas, dollar movie theater. 

This makes a fun and cheap date. Part of the fun is people calling us "sir" and "ma'am" (which is not that common in our part of the USA), the confused looks by other customers, and the assumption that we're going to Prom (we've been asked any time of the year). 

One time, our ostentatious dress paid off. 

We went on a date one Friday evening. Of course, we rummaged through our dress up clothes and found some glorious attire:  I wore a blue sparkly dress, white gloves, large blue clip-on earrings, and a wide, obviously fake diamond necklace. Aaron wore a black French cuff shirt with classy cuff links, a silver vest, a blue tie, and shiny black tuxedo shoes. 

We went to Red Robin for dinner (because we had a coupon). We drew some attention as we made our way to our table. We ordered our food - keeping on the cheaper side of things. We ordered the smaller, less fancy burgers and ordered water to drink. We had a great time, ate delicious bottomless fries, and generally enjoyed each other's company. When we finished, Aaron asked for our check. 

That is when the waitress said that an anonymous customer had paid for our meal!

We immediately scanned the room for familiar faces. We saw no one we knew. Who would be so generous? Was it a personal friend or an amused stranger? 

 We never found out which customer covered our tab. We will probably never know.