Today was a very busy day for everyone.  I probably had the most relaxing day at work!  🙂  The day started off with Sarah’s flute lesson.  Angela took the kids to play at a park while waiting for Sarah to finish up.  Kirstyn, Zach, and Ben had a great time and enjoyed a beautiful, not-too-hot morning.  It’s always hard to get the kids back in the car after playing at the park!

Kirstyn-Ben-Playground Zach-Playground

After Sarah’s flute lessons, Angela took Brittany to track practice from 10-12.  She is doing wonderfully well and is learning a lot.  She’s almost finished with her track club and has her final track meet this coming Thursday.  Today she got a personal best in the shot put!

Angie Gaul picked up Sarah, Brittany, and Carmen and for the entire afternoon, they played.  The older girls (Sarah, Carmen, Taylor, and Marta) went to lunch at Noodles and Company, while the younger ones (Brittany and Lexi) went to Chipotle.  They shopped in downtown Naperville much of the afternoon (didn’t buy much but candy) and then they went and did paddle boats on the Naperville River Walk.  (pictures coming)  They had a great time!

Paddle-Boat-Naperville

The Gaul’s brought the girls back home and then Sarah and Carmen were off again with Mrs. Gaul, Taylor, and Marta to an author dinner.  Angie Gaul works for a bookstore and often, they have authors come and visit and have dinners with them.  Sarah very much enjoyed the activity as I think Carmen did as well (at least she said she did).  🙂

While the older girls were gone, we ate dinner and got the boys to bed.  Angela pulled up her first harvest from our garden today…  beautiful radishes!  She was very happy!  Although our garden area, is very small, it is doing well and much is growing (radishes, tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.)

Angela-Radishes

When the girls came back home, Sarah invited Taylor, Lexi, and Marta over and we spent the evening together.  Every Monday night, we spend as a family having what we call Family Home Evening.  This is a fun but also spiritual time where we sing together, pray together, and one of the members of the family teaches us about a selected topic.  Tonight we watched a video of the life of Christ and his work in Jerusalem and then his visit to the Americas after his death.  We talked about how the Bible and the Book of Mormon both testify of Him.

After reading scriptures and having family prayers together, we all played a VERY HILLARIOUS game of Apples to Apples!  🙂  We were laughing very hard!  You sometimes take for granted the English language until you have to explain something like “leaf blower,” “touchy-feely,” or “Graceland” to folks who’s command of the English language is limited.  Carmen would translate a bunch for Marta, but it was still funny trying to explain all of these new words they had never seen before.   We had a great time and all went to bed very tired.