Fun in the Sun

Welcome to Summer!

 

It isn't my favorite season, but we've had a pretty mild one so far, so the kids and I have been taking advantage of it.

 

For Independence Day, we went down to Salem and while there, saw the parade.  It was your typical small town parade, but since it included candy, the kids thought it was amazing.  I asked Andrew if he was having a good time, and he said, "Yeah, because this is AWESOME!"

 

Emmie also loved all the political bracelets, stickers, and necklaces.  :)

 

 We put the kids in their swimsuits the other day and turned on our sprinkler.  We got it a couple years ago in the gardening section for a couple dollars, and it works just as well as expensive ones.  Yippee!  The kids had a really good time.  Emily had trouble remembering the word "sprinklers" so called them "spwinkies" for awhile and then changed to "sprinkles."  I have to say, I didn't correct her because it was just adorable.

Clockwise from top left: Emily crying because her swimsuit got wet (she got over it eventually), Mike helping Charlie get used to the water, the kids finally all having fun in the water, and Andrew being Andrew.  :)

 

We had some crazy high winds and rain last night.  It hurt our garden, but hopefully nothing terrible.  It also broke some pretty big branches off the tree in the backyard.  We ended up playing with the branches for hours this morning.  The kids had an absolutely fantastic time.

Charlie did get stuck in the branches once or twice, but it was fun for everybody. :)

 

  Clockwise from top left: The branches, little cutie on a big branch, Emily and Night-Night, Charlie on a different branch, Andrew climbing, and all three on the same branch

 

I thought he looked so cute and little here.

 

Andrew started climbing around and said, "I'm climbing like a panda!"  He then decided to pretend to be a panda and eat 'bamboo.'  He later informed Mike that pandas like bamboo and yogurt.  You learn something new every day.  :)  He insisted on us calling him Panda and Emily went and collected sticks for him to eat.  Later he told me, "I pretended to be a panda, because that was so cute."  Agreed.

 

 We set up the sprinkler again while we were working in the garden.  The next thing we knew, the kids had abandoned the sprinkler because there was now a mud puddle.  And who wouldn't choose the mud puddle?  (Or pubbles, as Emily calls them.)  They had so much fun, and got SO messy.  It took a lot of work in the tub to get them squeaky clean again, but it was worth it to see them having so much fun.

 

 

I guess summer's not so bad after all.  :)