Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Grilled Apples and Peaches, and Silverwood

Sometime this past summer we were having grilled cheese sandwiches with apple slices for lunch, and the kids wondered what the apple slices would taste like if they were toasted on the griddle.  We tried them, we loved them, and now we can't have grilled cheese sandwiches without the kids asking for grilled apples.  Today we tried some white peaches along with them, and they were super yummy.

We're just taking it easy today.  I take Fridays off from running, to rest up for my long run on Saturdays.  So today we slept in, had smoothies for breakfast, cleaned the school room to get it ready for school to start next week, then had lunch.  For the most part, the house has been quiet, which has been really nice.  Alyssa's been in her room reading, and the boys have been doing various activities that involve couch cushions, which they had to put away before lunch.

Brian got Rebecca when she woke up from her nap, then he fell asleep with her.

Brian has Fridays off from work, so he's home today as well.  I'm very thankful for that right now.  With our busy fall schedule, combined with evening meetings and visits for church that he has to go to, we're not going to see much of him for a while, so I'm glad that we get to see him on Fridays.  I also feel blessed that we'' be able to at least eat dinner together as a family each evening.  Some days are going to need crock pot meals, so they'll be ready the minute we walk in the door so we can eat and kick Brian out the door, but even if dinner might be rushed, we will at least be together.

Brian also took Wednesday off so we could use Alyssa and Ethan's Silverwood tickets they earned through a reading program at school.  We wanted to go on a Wednesday to avoid the weekend crowds, but it turns out that Spokane's schools haven't started yet, so everyone was there trying to get their last fill of summer.  It wasn't too crowded, though, and we had fun.

We did a few of the rides, but then spent the rest of the time in the water park.  The kids loved the wave pool, and they ended up loving the slides.  Ethan and I were the first to give the slides a try, and when we reached the top of the platform, Ethan said, "This is high.  I'm not so sure about this," and wanted to go back down.  After a few minutes of watching everyone else go down the slides, he said he'd give them a try.  By the time we reached the bottom, even before our inner tube hit the water in the pool, he yelled, "Let's do it again!"  Becca slept on Brian's lap for most of the afternoon, then we took turns playing with her while the others went on the slides.

Tilt-a-Whirl

Alyssa, Marcus, Brian, and Ethan.  They came off this ride soaking wet.

Alyssa, with a new friend, Ava.  This ride needed two people, and they both needed a partner.  They ended up spending quite a bit of time together throughout the day.