Fireworks, Harry Potter, and tons of free food

Oh man. Getting this far behind is not good. Really not good. But instead of blabbing about that or blabbing about anything really, I need to get some things posted before my sieve of a brain loses them forever. I know lots are gone already, but I'll do my best.

In July we saw more fireworks than we saw in our entire three years in Canada combined. For about a week before and three weeks after the Fourth of July, random citizens in our neighborhood put up pretty respectable displays pretty much every night. The kids especially enjoyed leaving their curtains open late (super-late, actually, since we're on the far west side of the eastern time zone and our city converted a few years back--after holding out for decades--to using "daylight savings" time in the summer to my annoyance) to watch some of the festivities. On the Fourth, we considered a trip down to Cincinnati to enjoy Red, White, and Blue Ash, which we loved every year that we lived there, but decided against it since we had another trip to Cinci planned for August anyway. So then we went up to Aaron's university for the fireworks display, and had fun sitting amid the scads of college students on the hillside. And I have to say, I like the students there. They were as good-natured and undrunken as BYU students, I think!

There were more fireworks a few days later when we had to attend the Harry Potter themed Tin-Caps baseball game. Thought the Tin Caps lost badly (they have an outstanding record and have hit several home runs the other times we've seen them, so apparently Voldemort was on the loose), the game was lots of fun, and the kids earned some compliments on their costumes--I'm glad those costumes have gotten some use since I paid too much for them last Halloween! Afterward we enjoyed another round of fireworks that culminated in a display of what looked like wands shooting off spells--very cool.

Around the middle of the month, Aaron headed out of town to direct the choirs at the International Music Camp on the border between Manitoba and North Dakota. While he was having fun there (he really loved it and hopes he will be invited again), I--for some indiscernable reason possibly related to the fact that we don't actually have paychecks coming in over the summer--made it my mission in life to feed us almost exclusively on free food. This worked out beautifully, because on one of the nights the greatly anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: part 2 premiered. Although (much to my chagrin) I couldn't very well go to the movie without Aaron, it didn't stop us all from participating in fabulous premiere events at the mall that evening. We put all those Harry Potter costumes to use once again, scoring free chicken sandwiches (for anyone dressing like a Harry Potter character) for all of us from Chick-fil-A! Then we wandered over to the movie theater plaza, where they were conducting a costume contest. Holy moly were there ever some fantastic costumes on parade! Emerson was picked as the best Harry Potter, although he didn't make it into the top 3 costumes who got prizes, which was too bad since obviously our motives were primarily getting free stuff (I'm kidding! mostly). The next day (though we didn't find out about it until weeks and weeks later when a friend gave us a copy she had saved) we were all in the newspaper, and Emerson even got an extra big shot of just him! Fame! It really was a super-fun night, made even better when we saw a sign on the new Panda Express opening across the street, saying that they were giving out free food all day the next day . . . . So at around 3 the next day (when I thought traffic would be thinnest), we all showed up and waited in line for 45 minutes for some Chinese food. They gave us 2 entrees and 1 side of take-out food each for all five of us! Plus soda, which the kids all loved because we practically never have soda. Obviously that kept us fed for like three days. We also spent time at some of the events for the 3 Rivers Festival downtown, where we attended a fun scavenger activity followed by a bunch of blow-up carnival rides at the Botanical Gardens (also $.50 hotdogs!), and a cookie decorating contest (oh hey, more free food there!). Probably I squeezed in too many things, but it was lots easier than trying to keep everybody entertained at home. Besides all that, I managed to get the deck painted and finish the rough draft of the book I'm working on. I totally miss Aaron when he's gone. But man alive am I ever productive!

Alright, I probably could keep going right here, but eventually I'll get pictures added in, and that will just complicate things. So I'm going to go ahead and post this and pretend like I did it in July. And if you happen to check back, there's always a chance that you'll find pictures . . . if I ever figure out a solution to the fact that all our photos are on the computer downstairs and all my photo editing stuff (which I mostly just use for cropping, but still, that's an important function!) is on the computer upstairs, and I'm actually writing all of this on my netbook. Sometimes technology makes things easier. Sometimes not so much!

Summertime photos

In a grand run-up to the Fourth of July, we attended a pretty spectacular barbeque and fireworks party thrown by a friend who owns a big splash of property just outside of town.  The kids had the time of their lives running through the grass, jumping on the trampoline (which led to the loss of one of Emerson's front teeth), catching frogs, and riding four wheelers.  But the best part of the night was when the awesome fireworks show was complemented (and possibly upstaged) by an almost supernatural lightning show.  Between that and all the fireflies, it was a pretty twinkly night.

A festival up at Aaron's university had some great activities for the kids, inculding a chance to try out all the instruments.  It's now on our list to get Theo playing trumpet, and some of the other kids playing violin one of these days.  When we have more money, apparently, because music lessons are expensive!

Then Aaron went out of town, and we had fun!  I promise it's his terrible timing, not me celebrating his absence!  The Three Rivers festival took place in his absence, and to keep us all from wrecking the house, I took everyone to as many activities as I could each day.  This is the kids at a big activity they held at the Botanical Gardens, with crafts and activities including a ride on a giant bouncy slide.  So.  That was a hit, obviously.

One of my favorites was the cookie contest held at a local baking store.  Addy's was pretty impressive--I thought she might win (she didn't).  Emerson's was a pile of as many toppings as he could fit.  He likes the food, that one.

My favorite might have been the Harry Potter movie debut (which sadly we couldn't even see until Aaron got back, because a) movies cost way too much to take everyone, b) it was at midnight, and c)Aaron would have killed me if I went without him, even though he hasn't read the books.  Instead, there were a bunch of activities held at the mall the afternoon before the premiere, so we attended all of those (including the free dinner if you wore a Harry Potter costume), and ended up with our faces splashed all over the newspaper the next day.  Well, we do love Harry Potter.

Which leads me to the Harry Potter baseball game, played by the TinCaps, that happened the next week.  Luckily Aaron made it for that one, though sadly the TinCaps lost--practically their only loss of the season.  Apparently the Death Eaters were in the house.

And . . . a trip to King's Island in Cincinnati rounded out our mostly local "staycation" this summer.  Theo and Aaron had the guts to try out the super-high Diamondback roller coaster, all but the little kids got to ride The Beast, which is apparently the longest wooden roller coaster in the world.  It was really fun!  We split the rest of our time between a few thrill rides that the big kids were tall enough to go on, and the ever-enchanting kiddie world.  It was probably the highlight of the summer for the kids, not quite as much for Aaron and I, who could stand to skip the pricetag next year. 

Haha, here's an update of the picture we took at the King's Island drinking fountains two years ago.  Our kids have grown!  Sera couldn't even reach it last time.  Also, they apparently repainted (see the picture at the bottom of the blog).

And finally, the week before school started, we got to attend the American Idol concert out in Columbus with the older kids.  It was a super-fun night that I hope those kids will always remember.  What an amazing journey for those contestants, from average Joe to lighting up the stage in a production like that!  Theo and Addy were hilarious throughout the night, teasing each other about which contestants the other "liked."  Oh, what joys we have in store for us!