five things (and photos from Sunday evening)

1.  Last night I went outside after the kids were in bed to sweep up some weeds I'd left on the sidewalk.

My neighbor from across the street was outside,
she came over,
and we talked. 
We saw a gorgeous rainbow in the sunset-pink sky.  We talked all about our trip to California, and about her and her husband's trip to Palmyra.  We talked about sewing, about deals on home decor, about family history work, about the ward, everything.


She told me that she was concerned when we were in California 
because a white van came to our house and got into our garage.  She wanted to be sure I knew about it.  She said she was about to come over and find out what they were doing but then they left and she watched but they never came back.


It was my family. They stopped by to bring us groceries so we'd have food to eat when we got back from our trip.


I just love living in a place where people look out for each other.  

2. Also? We love living in a place where we can be outside during the summer without wanting to melt.  Our evenings usually end with playing "catch" (soccer) in the backyard, or a walk around the block.  

3.  I'm beginning to feel that I'm raising polar opposites of children. We went out to lunch yesterday with Kent and Teresa (she stopped by for a short stay in between visiting Kent's grandpa and seeing Denver and Bree graduate in Idaho).  
We went to Pantrucas, a Chilean restaurant.  


Ellie ate steak, tomatoes, avocadoes, part of a beef empanada, applesauce, and some of an authentic Chilean corn and olives and raisin casserole.


Nicholas ate french fries.


And that's how it usually goes.  Ellie eats everything (though she did turn down my tuna sandwich today), and Nicholas eats practically nothing.  Baby-led weaning is the way to go. I'm never going back to pureed babyfood.  

4. Nicholas is hilarious.  He's invented a superhero.  
Baserman.  He spends a good portion of the day telling us all about the things that baserman can do.  He draws pictures of Baserman (at least that's what he says the squiggles are), he wraps blankets around his head and says he's dressed like Baserman, he runs across the room and jumps and says it's what Baserman does. 
I love having a boy.  
We spend a lot of time driving cars on the lines in my living room rug, playing catch and soccer, racing around the driveway, and just plain running.  And he laughs like there is no joy more pure than just running around the backyard.

5. The house.  I only have one box (inside) left to unpack.  I still have endless organizing and cute-ifying to do, but things are coming together. Our to-do list, however, feels, well, like to-do lists do.  Infinitely long and overwhelming.  
My sister is coming to stay with us next week. We are going to pay her to work for us for a week, and I couldn't be more excited.  I'm making big big plans to get some things done around here while I have a live-in babysitter.  
And of course, Kent and I are going to be going on as many dates as possible.