Summer continued...

It has been a busy summer so far.  Several small trips and family gatherings with the kids.  July 4th with food, fireworks, family, and friends was fun.  The night before we watched the fireworks and then went to a pancake breakfast the next morning.  The night of the 4th we were with some extended family setting off fireworks.

Watching fireworks together and making faces for the camera.

Not sure how he expects to ride a bike like this!

We did our first trip to Hogle Zoo as a family.  It was a long day and the kids had a blast with cousins and one set of grandparents.  To make that day even busier we went to dinner and then to the pool in the evening.  It was a very long but fun day!

Off to the zoo!

What are you looking at dad?

I said what are you looking at?

Lots of cousins!

Hi dad!

What do I do?

The bird show was great!

They all have personality!

My parents had a reunion and as usual we spend a day at the lake and then did our giant slip-n-slide.  It was a very long week but good to relax a bit and be around family.
 

Fun on the water slide!

More fun... 

Even more fun... 

Make my day!

Becca is the life of the party!

James hanging out with his best bud.

Girls cousins are nice too!

 

James really likes to climb now.

The next week life got interesting when Becca ran into the back of James on her bike.  This was a couple of days after James wrecked on his bike and tried to take a chunk out of his chin.  Becca did a face plant in the road and knocked out two teeth.  I had thought it was just one tooth but a few days later after the swelling had gone down I realized there were actually two teeth missing.  Fortunately kids heal quickly and she is doing great now.  For about a day and a half she didn't talk or eat much.  I had to give her water with a syringe, the same way I would give her ibuprofen.

The walking wounded.

The 24th of July (Pioneer Day) was spent at the local parade, then a lunch with some other single parent friends.  In the evening we went to the park for a fun and games, a movie, and fireworks.  The kids got to shoot at cones with a fire-hose and play some other games.  We didn't get to bed until 11:00 PM but it was worth it, we all had a lot of fun.

Where's the candy guys?

Popcorn, cotton candy, movie, and fireworks!

Jame flew over this but Becca was a little more cautious after her recent bike wreck.

More recently was the family reunion on Karen's side.  We drove down and spent time catching up with them.  Again the kids stayed up very late (midnight) but luckily we were driving a bit the next day in the afternoon so they got naps!

They slept for about an hour on the way to the family reunion.

Traveling home, we made a three hour drive without needing to stop once!

James is definitely a boy!

I am still working on new traditions and continuing old traditions with my kids.  There are times when I feel like it's everything I can do to get through the day in front of me.  Maybe that's a good thing since when I think about the future too much, or the past, I get a little overwhelmed.  Living life in the moment is a good thing right now.


Braden