Parade and Lemonade

Last weekend was Ice Cream Days, here in LeMars, Iowa - the Ice Cream Capital of the World.  Elizabeth was one of twelve finalists in a contest for the LeMars Chamber of Commerce brochure cover, and they decided to make the 12 finalists "Little Ambassadors".   They started off the year by riding the firetruck in the Ice Cream Days parade.  They have several other activities planned with other parades and holiday events.

Each child had to have an adult with them - so, lucky Mom.  We sat on fire hose in the hot sun.  Lizzie wasn't too hip on waving, so I had to help her out.

Some parade watchers.  :)  Erin, Erica, Anna (Erin's friend), and Emily

Here are 8 of the 12 kiddos in their reserved rest-of-the-parade-watching spots.

And what better place to have a lemonade stand on a hot Father's Day, than right on the 3rd green of the golf course.  Emily, Erica, and the neighbor kids Carter and Leah made $6 in about 30 minutes, before the clouds rolled in.

Here's an update to my previous blog entry...I checked in on the nest again...and there is a new egg!  Zeke goes crazy barking at this tree every minute he's outside - grr.

Sights from around our home

Four helicopters together are really loud.  One evening it sounded like we were being attacked, and we looked out our kitchen slider to see this overhead:  I don't know the correct military verbage...but we believe they were flying from one training facility to another.

One day last week it was REALLY foggy. I stood on our deck and took this:

I was playing with my (inexpensive point and shoot) camera settings...these are dying flowers leftover from the dance recital.  Our blinds are in the background, but they are blurred together - some fancy camera technique.  I haven't been able to figure out how to do it since,  lol.

I don't even remember what type of flower this is, but I buy one every year because I think they are so pretty and unique - and every year they die right away.  But this one has had plenty of sunlight and water - and it seems to be thriving.

And lastly our dog has seemed awfully interested in our little Crabapple tree at the corner of our house.  The girls informed me that there was a nest in the tree, so I went out to investigate and this is what we found.  It's actually pretty amazing for the size of this tree.  It's shorter than I am...and only about the diameter of a large beach ball.   

Petunias in our front flower boxes:

Our day lillies.  This is their 3rd year in bloom.  I'm not sure if you can see all the buds without enlarging the photo (by clicking on it), but there are literally HUNDREDS of buds on these plants.  I can't even fathom what they are going to look like in a few more days, it amazes me.

Myriad of videos from spring concerts and recitals

Emily's Piano Recital

Lizzie's Dance Recital She is second from the left

Erica's Ballet and Tap Recital pieces

She starts in the back middle

Emily's Ballet and Tap Recital pieces

She starts in the back middle

She starts in the front middle

Tumbling she starts at the far right, ends up doing the splits in front

Erin's Spring Concert, one song

Emily's Spring Concert, one song (they are wearing antennae, the bug picnic theme and all)

Elizabeth's Preschool year-end concert