Our summer of fun continues. Last week, we bought Abby this booster seat. We're a little tired of the big high chair, and the booster also works well for travel, so I was happy to buy it last week. Aside from it's trial at home, it was perfect at a family gathering this weekend. Soon enough it will be in full use at home and we'll get rid of the high chair. But we have to buy a 5th Kitchen chair first. Our table only came with 4......long before we ever dreamed we'd have 5 in the family!

We were given tickets to a Brewer's game last week, so off we went to Miller Park on Thursday.
It was an afternoon game, so we packed a picnic lunch and "tailgated" in the parking lot before the game started. The girls got a kick out of watching other people with grills, tents, fancy food, special chairs, and even lawn games. We kept it pretty simple, but it was still fun to have a "car picnic."


We weren't really sure how long the game would be interesting for the members of our family. I'm not sure Abby made it through the first inning. She had to sit on our laps and found that too confining. Eventually she ended up on the ground at the end of our aisle, using empty drink bottles for toys. I had to just accept that she was going to be filthy dirty and gross in order to make her happy.

Katherine made it until the third inning before she asked if it was over. She was easily distracted by snacks and drinks. She kept waiting for Bernie Brewer to slide down his big yellow slide. It's all she wanted to see. Sadly there were no home runs, so she left disappointed.

Maggie actually did really well. Other than being hot (which we all were) she was very interested in the game, and willing to listen to me try to explain everything I could. She was sad when we had to leave int he 6th inning. She might end up going to another game this year, without her sisters?

I hadn't been to a baseball game in many years. I was flooded with memories of watching Cub games with my family. And, as I explained to Maggie what I could about the game, I couldn't help but hear the tune "Seeing My Father In Me" in my head. I don't remember Dad ever sitting me down and saying "this is this, and that is that" about baseball. But it was such a part of growing up, that, it turns out, I really learned a lot from him. And being at the game just brought it all back to me. I even figured out that a 'Balk' had been called when no one around me could understand what had happened. We all had a great day at the ballpark.
After the game, we went to a local appliance store to choose a new dishwasher. Our existing dishwasher was original to the house, making it at least 25 years old. We had it repaired once and the repairman referred to it as "Old Bessie." Thursday morning it stopped working. I needed a new one ASAP, so I called to find out who could get it to me the fastest. And we went to that store. BAD CHOICE! (more on that story later)

Moving on to Sunday, our annual family gathering in Salem, WI. This year, our gathering was extra special as we were celebrating Aunt Peggy's 50th Jubilee as a BVM. It wouldn't be a Geraghty Gathering without some music. Mom and Dad did the bulk of the work creating some special tunes for Aunt Peggy, and we all had fun singing to her; teasing a little, but caring a lot.


It was fun, as always, to be together with family. But especially to recognize the milestone with Aunt Peggy. (I have some memories from her 25th, which really just makes me feel old!) I wanted to teach Maggie and Katherine one of the songs, but first had to explain why we would be singing. When I told them that we were celebrating 50 years, they both got big eyes and Maggie said "Wow, that's even older than you are Mommy!" Thanks for that, Maggie!

I don't have any pictures for this story, but it's too funny to leave out. Yesterday afternoon, we were going to go out for dinner and to a members' event at the Zoo. Knowing that Chris would be home soon and ready to go, I went and found the girls upstairs playing some elaborate game of School or House or Store. It was a mess whatever it was. Knowing that they would whine if I simply said it was time to cleanup, I explained that Daddy would be home in 10 minutes, and told them that they should work "as a team" to clean up the room before Daddy got home. Then I went to Abby's room to get her ready.

I could hear Maggie and Katherine working, and was immediately struck with the fact that they hadn't whined. and it sounded like they were really cleaning up. As I listened, I laughed so hard I cried. They have clearly been watching too many musicals or something, because they took their job of cleaning up and starting with a cheer, "Team Work, We can do it" they then sang their way through cleaning up their room. It was truly one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. But, they got the room cleaned. And there was no whining! Perhaps living in a musical isn't so bad?

And finally, let's talk dishwashers. Meet 'Old Bessie.'
After much drama yesterday, when the new one was not delivered because the sales guy neglected to actually schedule the delivery when he made the sale as he told us he had done, we had a brand new, shiny, happy dishwasher installed today.
(She came from a different store, as I was not going to wait until Friday for store #1 to get its act together and make things right.) I think maybe we need a name for this one. Any suggestions?