July 2016

For some reason I love the 4th of July!  We celebrated this year with fireworks in Slater on the 3rd, a parade on the 4th, and meals with friends.

This guy got the candy thing figured
out pretty quick...no surprise!

Slater 4th of July parade with Alisa and the Warricks

Alisa teaching Jesse about skunks :)

...waiting for the vulture to come back so they can watch it eat
the dead opossum on the road. Great morning entertainment! (*gag*)

Cow Appreciation Day

Dress like a cow and get free supper...why not?

...especially when Dad's getting home late!
(Note: if Jesse ends up with a mascot phobia, it all
started with the Chick-fil-A cow!)

The boys really got into their outfits after I explained the plan.
The two best parts in my mind were their cute little tails,
and their mud boots, which was a late-entry idea from Jack.

Cleaning beets from the garden

Jack needed some concrete poured, so he recruited some help.

 Grandma & Grandpa's 65th Wedding Anniversary
What an awesome weekend!  I told someone it was like a great wedding
of family or a close friend that you spend the next few days reliving. :)

Carousel at Union Park
This was one of the stops on the tour of Grandma's old stomping grounds
in East Des Moines.  It was awesome to get to see bits of her growing up years!

We got to host Karen & Tom and Jamie's family.
It was so fun to have these kids together.  They
warmed up quickly and had a great time playing together!

Lame show of pictures for such a great weekend...I was too busy "being there"! :)

COUSIN WEEKEND!

Darren and Melissa and the kids came up for the weekend--we were thankful they came Thursday so we got more time!  The kids had fun just playing at home, but we also got up to Ledges State Park and enjoyed some of Polk City's Four Seasons Festival with the parade and festivities on the square.

I can't remember, but I assume Ryan
was probably trying to calm things down before bed!

Creek walk at Ledges followed by Hickory Park...of course!

Cousins and Buddies

We spent a weekend in the Omaha area visiting two different family friends,
followed by a trip to the Zoo.

College buddies with the next generation of boys

COUSIN DAY!

Jana's came for the day.  We spent the morning at the Natural Playscape, Bird Blind and playground at Jester Park.  The afternoon was spent back at our house with some napping, but mostly playing. 

Picnic lunch at Jester.

Turtle program with Silas
at the Saylorville Visitor Center