Out of State Guests and Sprinkler Fun

I've been pretty busy this week. Besides teaching summer school in the mornings, my friend Gardenmom and her son came to visit us from Iowa. We had lots of fun, and Nick absolutely loved having another little boy around. He got so excited when they arrived. The first day we mostly hung around the house and let the kids play in the sprinkler.

Gardenmom has been my friend for nearly thirteen years now. We met when I helped her move into her dorm room at NIU back in '97, when she was a freshman and I was a sophomore. Ahh, those were the days.  : ) We had so much fun in college, and whenever we can visit, it's always a great time. It's only the best kind of friend who will stick with you through all of the madness (of men, and children, and jobs, and, well, life) that happens between 19 and 32. The boys sprayed us a few times with the sprinkler, so that's why this next picture is weird.

Nick loved having a friend to play with. He's been kind of bored with me lately because, well, I'm too old to be a quality playmate. Even though Gardenmom's son is seven, he was the perfect entertainment for Nick. He has more than enough energy to chase Nick down--way more than me, that's for sure.