Pets

Coop decided to use his own money to buy a pet fish:

He named it Takiza (the name of a siamese fighting fish in the Shark Wars series of books he reads):

Jenny helping us knock down a castle:

For the first time since we've had her, Jenny shed her skin in one big snake-shaped chunk.  Too cool!

Alan took Coop to a "cold blooded expo" in Overland Park this past weekend.  Coop got to hold all kinds of snakes and turtles and whatnot.  Thankfully, he only came home with a gummy alligator.

Legos!

Coop had fun putting together a small lego set while I used the "time lapse video" feature on my phone:

Back to school!

Cooper's first day of third grade!!

He's been wearing cowboy boots all summer, but decided he wanted tennis shoes so he could run faster at school.  He had to take a few laps around the store (including a jump!) to test them out:

Coop and Alan got settled into their new place.  The door in this picture leads to Coop's bedroom.  Above it is the loft, which apparently will be a library / play room eventually.  For now, it makes the perfect place to hide during a nerf gun war:

I ordered a new bed for Coop at this house.  He and Gus and Eleanor had a fun time playing around it:

Back to KS...

On the way back to Kansas, the boys stopped at Castle Rock:

And then went to Lyons for a few rounds of frisbee golf with mom and dad:

Coop spent a few days in Lyons, including many hours at the pool:

And ice cream at Dairyland:

And legos:

Fun Park!

The boys went to a Fun Park at Breckenridge.  They rode this ski lift up to the top of an alpine slide:

Alan ran into Kevin, a friend from grade school, at the fun park:

Continental Divide (with Danni, Alan's friend from grad school):

Playing life-sized Jenga:

Somewhere along a road in CO.  They were expecting the boys!

Boys' Trip to CO!

Alan and Coop headed off for a week in Colorado at the end of summer.  Coop does Legos in the truck:

First stop: Salina Wild Animal park for a family reunion:

Jenny and Jill:

Eventually, the boys landed in Keystone to stay with some friends.  More Legos:

And sleep....

My latest adventures

I turned 40!!

I traveled to Denver for a few days to meet my new nephew Baby Syl:

With The Girls (Carmen and Kelly) and the Little Girls (Vada and Zoey):

The Girls and I spent one evening at a painting (and wine drinking) studio:

Finished!  (And yes, I wore the baby the entire time!)

Coop's latest adventures

A snake necklace:

 Sparring at karate (with actual, newly-acquired sparring gear):

Coop did yeoman's work sorting through the contents of his desk, which move to Alan's new house:

He and I set up this new loft bed for him here:

He was pleased.  I was exhausted!

Auction

Alan's Grandma Margaret has moved into a nursing home, and so a few weekends ago, they auctioned off her house and personal items.

Coop and Alan with Alan's dad and two uncles:

I bought this for Coop.  It's Alan's grandfather's pipe ashtray.  I told Coop he could never, never get rid of it, and that he was to tell people that it belonged to his great-grandfather.  "Who smoked.  But I don't."  Well, yes.... but you can use it for loose change or keys or something....

We stopped to see Grandma Margaret on the way home.  She's doing really well and lit up when Coop entered the room:

Games!

Coop and I have been getting into board games.  Battleship:

Mancala:

Trivial Pursuit:

And then Coop helped our friend Eleanor with some legos:

4th of July

Alan was out of town for the 4th of July weekend, so Coop and I had a playdate with his friend Madeline and her sister Genevieve:

We opted for ice cream for supper.  Only ice cream.  Because nothing says Independence like eating crap for supper!

We had time to watch a quick movie before heading to the Baldwin fireworks display: