Summer Fun

These last couple weeks have been filled with all sorts of fun, summer activities. I unfortunately had to work last weekend, but in-between work and sleeping, we did all sorts of fun things.

We went swimming at Terrace Park last weekend. Emma really enjoyed that, and we even had Elliott in the pool. He was happy enough to be sitting and splashing around in the water.

Emma has also had swimming lessons for the last two weeks. She had a really fun time with her lessons. She also gained some great confidence around the water. At the beginning of the class she would not jump into the pool or go down the slide. But now, she will jump in holding onto someone's hands and go down the slides multiple times. It was really cool to see her progress throughout the two weeks. And best news of all, she passed, and she can move up a level for next summer!!

There have been some gorgeous evenings lately, so we have taken advantage of that, and gone to parks and spent a lot of evenings outside playing. I definitely love summer time.

Today has been a pretty fun day so far. We started the day off by going to the Farmer's Market and doing some shopping. Then we let Emma play on the playground set while Elliott watched. We also went and walked around Falls Park. Emma enjoyed climbing on all the rocks and looking at the waterfalls.

We ate lunch at the Sand Bar Grill and Bar with Barb and now the kids are taking some much-needed naps. It was such a fun morning!

We also have plans to do some harvesting in our garden. We have snow peas, green peppers, and cilantro that is all ready to be picked. Our garden has been doing really good this year, we are excited to have some fresh veggies to eat.

Not sure what we have going on for the rest of the weekend, but I'm sure it will involve lots of family time :)

Swimming Lessons

Siblings

Popsicle Emma 

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Pool time 

Bike rides

Just having a bottle in the park 

Emma getting a ride from some random boy at the park

Swings!

Falls Park

A Kloeckl Gathering

This past weekend, we made a trip to Minnesota. My Grandpa, Roger Kloeckl, died last Thursday, and we buried him yesterday. My grandpa was 84 years old. He had been living in a Nursing Home for a couple years, and just became really sick, and they decided against aggressive treatment for him. He started Hospice on Wednesday, and died late Thursday night.

On Saturday, we continued on to my parent's house from Brookings. It was sort of a long drive. Emma didn't sleep at all, and Elliott only slept a little bit. And they were overtired and cranky from the busy day. We got to my parent's at about 8:00pm, and had a hard time settling the kids in for the night.

Sunday, we just enjoyed bumming at home and visiting and playing with the kids until it was time for Grandpa's wake from 4-8pm. It was tough to see Grandpa in the casket like that, and then to hug and talk to Grandma and all my aunts and uncles. It was really nice to see everyone and visit with them all. We have a big family on my mom's side, and we don't get the opportunity to see each other all that often. I enjoyed seeing most of my cousins, and all my aunts and uncles on that side. I also saw a lot of my family when they came to the visitation.

The kids handled the afternoon well. It was great we were in an air-conditioned building since it was 92 degrees out, and very, very humid. Elliott did very well until about 7:00pm when he got very crabby and restless. Emma ran around singing, and eating cookies. Pretty inappropriate behavior, but acceptable when you are three. We stayed until the end at 8:00pm, and then headed home to get the kids to bed.

Yesterday was a long day. It was very hot and humid again, and the church where Grandpa's funeral was had no air-conditioning. So, it was pretty dang miserable inside. Elliott was very crabby during the service, so after about 15 minutes, I had to take him out and we stayed outside where it was a little cooler, and there was a breeze. I felt bad for missing most of the service, but my kid screaming through the service isn't the best either.

We then went to the cemetery, and after that we had lunch in the very hot dining room. We couldn't wait to get outside. Once again, it was nice to visit and see all the family, but sad to say goodbye to Grandpa.

After some family pictures, we got on the road to make it home at a decent time. We drove from Gaylord back to Sioux Falls, so it was a little longer of a trip. Elliott slept some of the ride, Emma watched movies. Once we got back, we got settled and unpacked, and then played two slow-pitch softball games while Barb watched the kids.

John and I were so ready for bed once we got home. What a long, emotionally draining day. It was a nice little visit home to see everyone, but it was unfortunate the circumstances and sad to say a final goodbye to my Grandpa Roger.

Today has been a little bit of a catch-up day. Emma has swimming lessons all this week at 9:45 am. She loved it today, and couldn't stop talking about it. Both kiddos are at daycare right now while I catch up at home and enjoy some quiet time. It was a long, busy weekend and this momma needed a re-cooperating day. And I loved it :)

Elliott and Great-Grandpa Marlin

Shelby and Emma 

Family Photo

Grandma Mary and her children 

Cousins 

Grandma and her great-grandchildren 

Happy to be home and out of the car

Emma's swimming lessons 

Sutton Gathering 2015

Every summer, Matt and Elizabeth Sutton (and their 5 girls) head to South Dakota for a couple weeks to visit. This year they arrived July 5th, but the circumstances weren't exactly ideal. John's Grandma, Erma, died on July 1st, and we had her funeral on Monday, July 7th. Erma was 93 years old. She was a great lady, and a great Grandma, and it was sad to see her go.

The kids did pretty well throughout everything. Of course they were too young to understand what was happening, but they behaved well throughout the entire day. It was nice to see all the family and hang out with them for a couple days.

Once we were back home, we caught up on some things around the house. And, it was an absolutely beautiful day outside, so I brought Emma to the park to burn off some energy. Then she helped me go and get groceries.

This past weekend, we had the Sutton Family Gathering at the park in Brookings. Pretty much everyone on Barb's side of the family was there. It was a really fun day. Emma loved hanging out with all the little girls, she called them her "cousins". She has no idea what that word means, but thats what she called them. It was adorable. And they all played so well together.

They played on the playgrounds together, and then they all swam together in the Brookings Public Pool. Emma loved it all, and she was so bummed when we had to leave.

It was very nice to see everybody again, and it was a gorgeous day in the park.

Park Date

Trip to the zoo

Siblings

Cuties

All the great-grandchildren on the Sutton Side 

Emma Sandwich 

Fun with cousins 

Percy and his Great-Grandchildren 

Percy and his children 

Emma swimming

Fourth of July

Well, July is about half over (boo!) and here is my first post of the month. This month has been absolutely crazy. Aside from being just a crazy, busy summer, John and I both said goodbye to Grandparents over the last couple weeks. More on that later.

For the Fourth of July this year, we did something a little different. We started the day out by going to Lennox, for their Fourth of July parade. Jim and Barb came to watch the parade with us. The kids handled it pretty well. It was pretty warm, so Elliott was getting a little fussy by the end of it. Emma loved it! She had never been to a parade that threw candy, so she was super excited to run out and collect candy constantly. She squealed with delight every time she picked up some candy to put in her pail. She also ate about half of what she picked up :)

After the parade we went back home for lunch and some much-needed naps. By the time we all woke up, it was time to go to Marie and Todd's for the family get-together. Emma had a blast playing with Abby and Anna. They went swimming, ran around, and just genuinely had a good time. Elliott had fun playing in the grass, and sitting next to Juan Jr. They were pretty cute together.

Elliott was asleep by 7:30pm and down until we headed home. Emma was not a fan of the fireworks, or anything having to do with the Fourth of July. She was really scared of all the noise, and was much happier once we came back inside to watch the Fireworks and play with the toys.

In Tea, they are allowed to shoot off any type of Fireworks in town, so it was pretty intense. It got to be a pretty late night for us all, I don't think we were home until 11:00pm and then had two little kids to get to bed. It was a great Fouth, but we were all beat by the end of it!

The parade in Lennox

Cutest Boy in America

The Girls having an Icee

The Three Amigos 

Happy Fourth of July