Having fun in the sun (with a gun) at Noah's Ark

I've been wanting to mention that every once in a while, when I go get Helena up from her nap or her night's sleep, she will have taken off her Raggedy Ann's pantaloons and apron and she will have put them on herself. It's funny, trust me. We finally moved her out of the crib into a toddler bed when we moved, and it is going fine, except for the fact that she wakes up significantly earlier, gets out of her bed, and comes to ours. Usually around 6:45, when she used to stay in the crib until around 8 :30.

What else is going on here? A couple of boxes still stashed here and there, but for the most part, we are unpacked. We can get both cars in the garage, but it is TIGHT. To take the trash out, I have to empty my body of all air and do a Cirque du Soleil move to keep from amputating my lower leg on the minivan license plate, but we can get both cars in there. Anyway, I even have shower curtains now, including a new one I got at Target that has birds on it: We have found the best library (sadly, it is not the closest library) and, after some initial anxiety, I have realized how to request books online (though, after requesting about 30, I discovered the limit was 10. Which elicited a minor profanity from moi). I think I might do a book post this week because it has been awhile and we have read some good ones lately. The big kids and I have been reading E.B. White's Trumpet of the Swan aloud at bedtime and we are all enjoying it. We have walked down to the pool 3 times and it's only a little stressful with three kids who can't really swim (because of the aforementioned Lack of Lessons). I'm hoping they'll learn by the end of the summer. Harper is pretty close, though, as with most things, her confidence exceeds her actual ability.

 We want to a Sugar Land Skeeters game: Sometimes, the suburbs have their own minor league baseball teams! For my non-American readers, a 'skeeter' is Texan for 'mosquito' and Helena was ENAMORED with the fleecy mascot and could not focus on the game until she had give him a big hug (while the husband shuddered and wished he could bathe her in Purell).

 Today we went to a local church which, for a sizable fee, will let you play on their Noah's Ark splashpad/swimming pool. The kids had a fantastic time. At one point, my little man friends Tram and Dex were talking to me and we made up a little rap that celebrated all the fun they were having with their (water) guns at Noah's Ark. They stared at me with dazed expressions, which made me realize that if you don't have a gangsta for a mama maybe the raps are a little startling. I'm pretty sure Mrs. Noah probably made up a similar little something to sing with Shem, Ham and Japheth.

The husband has been spending MUY tiempo on the yard. We still have the motor-less mower, but he bought a pretty fancy weed-eater to prove we are Legit. The grass seems to be doing well, and the free trees are working hard to someday make shade in the backyard. I am OVERJOYED to report that we seem to have ZERO roaches. We have had to deal with two extremely robust spiders in the house (and many small ones), some fire ants,  and the neighbors have been warning us about the fact that legions of MICE seem to disregard the fact that we have paved their paradise and put up our houses. That freaks me out less than roaches, which I realize is WEIRD. I don't invite mice, mind you, but at least they are mammalian.

Okay then.