Playing With the Kids

This has been a great week with the kids.  The only week this summer, when all five kids will be out of school--Tessa and Danielle are taking classes during summer session, and Adam is year-round, with a few weeks off at a time a couple times a year.  So this is THE week...the week after the girls' spring semester, but before their summer session, and in the middle of Adam's break.  So we decided to play.

We got Raging Waters season passes this summer.  We live 5 miles away, so the convenience is wonderful.  Southern Californians all know Raging Waters.  Everyone else has probably seen it featured in the 80's movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.  It's a water park with giant water slides, a wave pool, a slow-flowing river for water tubes, and several different water pools for younger kids.  We went Monday and yesterday, and I can see us living there this summer.  It has the perfect combination of relaxation, and physical activity, and when you're there with other moms, it's a great visit time while the kids play.

On Wednesday, the Kalin Kids went to Six Flags with their dad, his cousin, and his cousin's kids, while Danielle and I, along with Danielle's best friend Liz, went to Farrell's in Mission Viejo to celebrate my FAVORITE UNCLE TOM'S birthday with my Aunt Liz (no family nickname on my blog, thank you very much), sisters Misti and Lori, and their kids Brienna, Elijah, and Troy.  We used to go to Farrell's when we were kids, so it was a fun trip down memory lane, seeing the servers race The Zoo down the aisles, and listening to them later sing their own unique versions of Happy Birthday to the people celebrating their birthdays.  It's such a fun atmosphere made better in good company.  We had a blast!!!

When we were done at Farrell's, we drove down the coast to Oceanside to meet dear friends for dinner.  Jane Merriman is one of my Life Friends from Gretna, Nebraska.  She and her husband Joel, and their 2 youngest children, were in San Diego with Joel's business.  When we lived in Gretna, she and Joel had 3 kids...they now have 5.  It was so much fun getting to see and know those two "newer" little boys, and getting to spend some time with Joel and Jane.  It made me want more time with them!

Today we are spending some time in the house, trying to catch up on laundry, and cleaning.  We are expecting guests for dinner tonight, so we want to base out of home today so that we can be ready for them.

The downside of all of our play this week has been that there has been no time to write in my blog, and I have no lack of inspiration.  I keep reflecting on things I need to write, and I'm looking forward to getting to sit down and do just that.  But not today.

It's great to get to enjoy the simple things in life.