Sparklers, Slip n' Slide, Sunsets and Soaking Up Summer!

I'm going to say it.  We've been busy.  

Not busy doing homework, and laundry, and weeding out the garden.  Heavens, no.  What fun would that be?  I'd much prefer frequent donut runs for breakfast, afternoons at the splash pad, sunset hikes along the mountainside, dips in the pool, catching rays at the lake, building forts, family barbecues, nighttime sparklers and more sparklers, fireworks in the park, leisure days at the yacht club, frosted lemonade stops at Chick, and evening talks on the back deck swing.  

Summer is really something.  It's like a full-out marathon and a slow dance under the stars at the same time.  If I could bottle happiness in a jar, Summertime would be one of the main ingredients.  Right along with family and really good food, of course.  

Here are a ton of pictures from some of our most recent outings...

We had the chance to go to the fireworks at Weber High School with the Tanners.  Cord taught Gage how to throw a football.  I know I must be bias, but Gage is crazy good at it.  He points with his hand and throws it so straight.  It is so cute.  Oliver loved catching the ball.  In fact, he ran around the field and played with almost all of the balls in the park.  Good thing people are friendly and don't mind a little extra player joining in on their fun.  Lib and Natty made up a parade walk with Shaye.  They kicked and twirled around the track as we waited for the fireworks to start.   The fireworks display was great, but I enjoyed watching Oliver snuggle up on Cord the most.  

I am still really enjoying my blogging job for Get Away Today.  We have a lot of fun "working" on my posts.  One night, we got to do fireworks with glow sticks.  Everyone was willing to clock in for that assignment.  Glad I have such cute models.  

Last Friday, Cord and I took the kids to Classic Waterslides.  I haven't been there since I was a kid.  It was a real treat.  We stayed for five hours.  And the only reason I talked the kids into leaving when we did is because they were closed and we were the last ones there!  It was an interesting afternoon partly because the kids paired off different than they normally do.  Gage and Natalie were buddies and Libby took care of Ollie.  It was fun to see them interact in this way.  I am so lucky to have Libby as a big sister. She was so cute to help Oliver and to play on the little stuff with him when he got tired of the big slides.  Nat and Gage were maniacs.  They were squeezing in as many runs down the slides as they possibly could.  It was awesome.  I was proud of myself for getting in on the action!  I couldn't let the kids show me up.

Funny story!  Cord and I were sitting in some chairs eating pizza.  A girl (about 10) walked up to us and said, "Can I have some pizza?"  She was about to just grab it.  I told her, "My kids are still eating, do you want to come back later and see if there is any left?"  She got right in our faces and said in the craziest rude voice, "Well!  You're probably just crazy rude freaks anyway!"  And then she stomped off.  Cord and I were both like, "Are we being Punked?"

The Fourth of July is pretty awesome.  It ranks pretty high up on my favorite days of the year list.  We started our morning off with a beautiful small town parade.  I even got to ride on the float this time.  It was so hot!  I was a sweaty mess, but the kids didn't seem to mind.  I am pretty sure the girl's ate more candy than they threw to the crowd, but that's ok.  We have a great dance academy family.  I got to hop off the float for the second half of the parade and I sat with the boys.  Gage and Oliver are serious parade candy collectors.  I get all excited for them when they race to get the candy.  I love to see them fill their buckets!  Then, I get all mad when they actually eat the candy later.  I'm crazy.

After the parade, we came home and loaded up the car to spend the day at the yacht club with the Belnap Crew.  It is so beautiful up there by the water.  I sure enjoy being outside.  We had lunch and played on the slip n' slide.  The kids faces in these pictures seriously crack me up!  They were really getting into it.  We took our boats up and spent some time floating around the marina.  We all ate dinner in the clubhouse and then it was time to head to the fireworks show.  Cord and I decided our kids were WAY too worn out to go.  So, we headed home at around 9:00.  I felt kinda guilty for having them miss the fireworks, but they really were exhausted.  After the kids were asleep (like .02 seconds after they got in bed) Cord and I watched a bunch of fireworks across the valley from our living room window.  It was really pretty.

    

The kids all looked like ducks following Cord around in the water!

Sure do love this little group.

Sunday afternoon, we took a hike up on the mountain by the divide.  Cord rides his bike on this trail, but we haven't ever walked it.  The weather cooled down for us.  It was delightful.  We got to on of the peaks, and was able to watch the sun set over the bay.  It was beautiful.

We have an awesome neighborhood.  The kids play together every day!  They have been having fun with sidewalk chalk lately.  They make entire cities around the block.  They ride their bikes and fill up their tanks at the "gas station."  They build hotels and paint billboards.  It reminds me of when I was a kid.  I love it.

So, that is what we have been up to in a nutshell...or in a big giant crab shell.