The first few days of summer vacation

... have worn us out, we easily could say.

Let's run down what we all did.

Thursday:

Lincoln played with an ex-classmate - his third of the week! - and that was a 45-minute trek each way by train and foot. After that, Dad and the kids walked to a playground and a library in our old neighborhood. Then, on the way home, we went to Whole Foods to get fruit to make a salad for the Brownies Bridging ceremony and party in the evening.

What is a bridging ceremony, you ask? In short, kids moving from Daisies to Brownies or from Brownies to Juniors were officially released from one and welcomed to the other (although Levynn is staying right where she is); also, each kid was recognized for what she accomplished during the year. And then we ate and were merry.

Friday:

Levynn got straight As!

And, as we expected, she was very excited to find out. Mom and Levynn went to school to get the report card, but they didn't look at it until we all could see it together at home. It seems like a lot of buildup for grades, agreed, but Mom and Dad were confident of a big payoff.

We also went to the beach for the first time this season. We met several of Levynn's friends there.

Later in the afternoon, we grabbed an I-Go car and went to the north side for birthday shopping - for presents for other kids' parties this weekend and for items for our own kids' parties that are right around the corner.

Saturday

Dad volunteered at the Tribune's Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest such event in the Midwest (or so the Trib says).

Meanwhile, Mom and the kids went to the farmers' market for Club Sprouts and lunch and then stopped at Baskin-Robbins for ice cream.

Sunday

Simultaneous birthday parties!

Mom brought Levynn to American Girl for an old friend's party, and Dad took Lincoln to Garfield Park Conservatory for an ex-classmate's party.

There were animals to see and touch at the conservatory party - an armadillo, a boa, a bat, a chinchilla and others, like whatever this guy is.