Stephanie's Visit/Memorial Day Weekend

Chris's sister, Stephanie, was able to take a long weekend and come visit.  We were super excited to see her!

She got in Friday afternoon.  That night we took advantage of date night babysitting and went to The Safe House, a super secret (unless you have the internet:) restaurant requiring a secret password to get in.

  Otherwise you have to do funny things (like pretend you are a squirrel) and the other patrons can watch you via close circuit television.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and when it came time to leave Stephanie punched in the code to unlock the hidden door.

We came out in the alley. We were super spies! (I know because the waitress told us so;)

Stephanie has many talents that I admire and well, let's be honest, envy. One of those is an ease and facility with children.  Put her in a room with any child, any age, and within 5 minutes that child will think she is greatest thing since sliced bread.  If I hadn't seen it time and again I wouldn't believe it.  She is a kid whisperer!

She whispered to my children successfully this trip.

Saturday we went to the Jelly Belly warehouse.  I am really racking up the visit!  I think this was my 6th time. 
Hey!  It's free!  With free Jelly Bellies at the end!

It was Chris' first time, though. 

Can't even make it to the car before we stopped to open those Jelly Bellies.

Sunday was church and a day full of Bishoping, as usual. It seems to me that when people visit and see Chris sitting on the stand it sinks in a little more for them and me that he really is the bishop.  I see the mantle sitting more easily as the months go by and he seems more bishop-ee to me. How that works, I don't know.

Monday was Memorial Day and we decided to go to the Greendale Memorial Day parade.  It is the least attended parade of the year and after going I know why.  We probably won't be making that a priority next year.  (And if they need any tips to up attendance I would be happy to share!  Just one word: candy!)

We picked a spot close to Jaycee Park so the kids could play until the parade started.  Works like a charm!

Sage really loves slides.  She seems a little more precocious than the boys were at this age.

The boys have loved this manual excavator since we discovered it a couple of years ago.

After the parade we headed home for a pleasant, if slightly hot, day spent playing outside.

I don't remember what the original argument was but it was solved by a lot holes being drilled into used yogurt containers.  Turned into hours of entertainment-my favorite kind of solution!

Does it get cuter than this? 

I love this one too!

Monday afternoon Chris and Stephanie took a trip up to Sprecher's for a brewery tour and all you can drink gourmet soda tasting.

And then on Monday evening we went to launch rockets, just before bedtime.  It was going to be a quick excursion. 

But the batteries in the igniter were dead so Chris says he will run home and get more.  We were close but it was pretty much bedtime and looked like rain.

He runs off and Stephanie and I are sitting on a hill with the kids when the clouds blew in.  And when I say blew in, I mean BLEW IN.  (We are in the mid-west, you understand!)

After a harrowing trip to some far off trees for a bathroom break we make it back to the top of the hill.  We wondered if we would still be there by the time Chris came back.  Luckily, he made it back, we launched a couple of rockets and we made it to the van before the rain let loose!

We had to say goodbye to Stephanie the next morning.  We had the best time with her and were sad to see her go but looked forward to seeing her again in August!