Camping at Palisades

This last week we went camping with my good friend, Kristi, and her family. It was so very fun! Palisades is gorgeous and the Big Elk Creek Campground is a great place to camp. My kids absolutely love camping. When we mention we are going they start packing immediately. And I don't blame them. There's not many things better than yummy Dutch Oven cooking, getting dirty, no baths, roasting marshmallows, melting sticks and plastic forks in the fire, bubble-gum blowing contests, games in the camper, canoe rides, fishing in the lake, riding bikes, staying up late talking around the fire, chasing mice with flashlights (ew!), being out in nature, and spending time with family and friends. It's all so fun. The kids got along super, were only apart when they were sleeping, and had a really great time together. And it's one of my favorite things to catch up with dear old friends. Thanks so much Kristi and Terry! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again next summer!

Joy of a Summer Evening

We made chocolate chip cookies yesterday and then last night we went on a family bike ride to give some to Kyler and Lexi's 1st Grade teacher, Mrs. Granato. She and her husband were out working in their garden and the kids loved seeing her.

When we got home Porter turned on the sprinkler and he and Lexi jumped in the freezing cold water on the trampoline in their clothes. They were squealing and laughing so loud! Nothing like trying to delay bedtime as long as possible!





They were freezing in their wet clothes! It gets pretty cold when the sun goes down so they finally hurried in the house for a warm bath.
Dave, Kyler and Brenner got on the 4-wheeler (Brenner calls it "Daddy's Wheedeh") and Kyler was feeling pretty lucky because he got to drive it around the field.
Before we came inside Brenner jumped for a minute. He loves the trampoline. His cute smile says it all.
Oh the joy of a warm summer night!

Cousins

One of the greatest things about summertime is all the fun family get-togethers. Last weekend we gathered at Dave's parent's house and roasted marshmallows and Dave's mom invited Kyler and Lexi to sleep over with some cousins. It was so super fun for them! They played like crazy running around outside and then stayed up until midnight, the girls giggling and the boys playing the DS in uncle Brett's camper. They loved every minute! Porter got to sleep over at my mom and dad's so he wasn't in these pictures. And Brenner always seems to find the marshmallow bag whenever the s'mores are out! It's so great to have family.

Bubbles

As I was cleaning out cupboards we found a huge gallon jug of bubbles we must have had and forgotten about for a few years. The kids were excited and ran right outside to blow, blow, blow.




Then Kyler remembered last summer when we got out the colanders. Have any of you ever tried that? Dip them in a bowl of suds and spin away. It makes hundreds of bubbles! Very fun. And it makes the kids dizzy. Worth quite the laugh on a summer day!

Dandelions

I love fields of dandelions (not in my yard). They make me laugh. They're so jolly and bright and cheerful. A few days ago the kids and I walked down the road and reveled in all the yellow.
An afternoon thunderstorm rolled in while the kids were picking fistfuls of dandelions but we had enough time to make one dandelion crown for Lexi.

S'Mores and Fun

Dave's parents have such a great yard, the kids had a great time last week playing in the creek, feeding the horses through the fence and roasting marshmallows with cousins for s'mores. It couldn't get any better!