Summer Fun

As I sit here in relative silence (the boys are napping, the air conditioner is blowing), I realized that it has been well over a month since my last post. I'm seeing a pattern in my writing and no matter how much I try to write at least once a week, life/children/other projects get the better of me and my blog gathers dust (you know that the internet is a very dusty place, right?).  Currently, my project is to pack up our apartment for our move at the end of August. What? you didn't know we were thinking on moving? Yeah, that happened between the last post and this one. Let me catch you up on the other goings on in our family as I intently ignore the nail holes in the walls that need to get filled.

My parents came up for a weekend visit at the beginning of July...

 ..so we HAD to take them out to Lacamas lake for a hike.

 It was the first time we've gone out there too, but we loved it and plan to go out again sometime. Hmm...picnic ideas are now swirling in my head.

Since it was Fourth of July, we set off some fireworks with the boys. The snakes were SO cool!

The boys were eagerly anticipating the bigger fireworks.

 So Daddy set off the strip of pop rockets.

 First came excitement as the fuse burned up...

... then came the terror as the loud explosions started!

The terror wore off with a good nights rest, and silliness commenced.

It was also Elijah's half birthday (Yes, we celebrate half birthdays. Yes, I do think it is weird). He asked for a Jupiter cake.

 That looks like Jupiter, right?

 We also picked up some cherries and canned them.

 

 

After waiting a little over a week for the terror to die down, Tim and I took the boys back to Tim's parents house to set off the rest of the fireworks. Excitement abounded once again.

Beniah was brave enough to hold a sparkler this time.

 Isaac just wanted to sleep.

Tim set off one of the smaller fountains that we bought, thinking that it was tame enough for the boys.

 Nope.

 

 

 

Oh well! At least there is always the exciting snakes we can turn to.

We've had a busy summer already with plans for an even busier time in August. Let's see who I can rope into helping us move...

And Time Flies By!

This evening as the boys and I were getting ready to head out to our Bible study, Beniah looked at me and said, "Mama, you know the group that meets at church tonight? (Do you mean the youth group?) Yeah. I want to go to youth group."   I am a little humored by this because I remember feeling like it was going to take forever for winter to be over, for summer to come, to turn 13, etc.  Now, I am noticing how quickly life is flying by (although, I do still find myself thinking "when will diapers end!")  This past month and a half has been very busy.

Elijah turned 3 and had two parties.
The first one was with the Luse family at Pietro's Pizza in Salem. The kids had a blast eating at their own table and playing all sorts of arcade games.

 

 Grandma had a blast cuddling the baby while the rest of us followed the older kids around.

The second party was the next day on Elijah's birthday. The Whittakers came over to play, eat some pizza and cupcakes, give some gifts, and (of course) play Mario Kart.

 He has is own sense of style!

 Isaac just slept through the whole party.

 But with the ending of the birthday parties, came the leaving of the cousins.

 

 

 And time marches on and with it comes new firsts.

Fist time that Isaac slept in the cradle that his Mama, Grandpa, and (I believe) his Great Grandpa slept in.

Isaac's first smile captured by my camera (there was one taken a couple days before this one, but it was on his Grandma's camera).

First recreation of a Daddy's baby picture.

 

 He looks amazingly like Tim did at this age.

First walk.

We also traveled and had fun in the snow, but those are stories for another post (especially since it is past my bedtime and the middle of the night feedings will be here before I know it). Just know that month was filled with love.

Lots and lots of love.

 

 And with a dash of charm and cuteness!