2010 Summer Fun: 2nd Edition

More summer fun!  Eating outdoors and playing in the yard afterward is one of our favorite things about summer.  Popsicles, games of tag, water table fun, swinging babies and more.   We love it!  I love that eating outdoors means the floor under the highchairs doesn't need it's nightly scrub down.  The boys even use the bathroom outside, again saving me from another inevitable clean up!  Do I sound lazy or what?!  I hope you know that I'm not lazy...just TIRED.  It continues to be non-stop around here with swim lessons, soccer camp, pool parties, day trips, movies, play dates, Isotopes games and Tuesday nights in the park (separate blog about that some other day).  It is all exhausting, but like I said...SO MUCH FUN!

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Thomas participated in Camp Invention this year and loved it.  They had to bring a broken appliance of some sort, take it apart and use the parts to create something new.  Right up his alley!  This is a picture of Thomas wearing the hat we made for "crazy hat day".

Off to Durango again, this time for Thomas the Tank Engine's annual visit.  Met up with the Williams family and had fun romping around town and then making/eating s'mores up at the cabin.  Ooooh look at those sticky hands, Con!

We have a rooster!!!

Does everyone agree that this "chicken" is in fact a ROOSTER???  I have suspected this feathered friend was not what we thought (a hen) for a while, but no one would believe me!  Aggressive behavior, far bigger than the other chicks, growing a funny thing hanging down under the beak and on top of its head (I don't know the technical names), sprouting tail feathers, and the ultimate give a way...a little cock-a-doodle-doo in the morning. I am now convinced and I think the family is too.  Anyone want it or know anyone who wants it?  I told the kids from the beginning that we could not have a rooster.  Sorry Marsala (rooster) you will have to go!

Inependence Weekend Party!

Isotopes game and fireworks on Saturday, 4th of July parade in Corrales, swimming and lunch at Grandma's and BBQ with more fireworks at Grandpa Denis' on Sunday!  What a weekend.  It was so action packed that four out of five kids actually took naps on Sunday.  That is absolutely unheard of around here...usually it is just the two babies who sleep during the day.  All of the kids just loved the fireworks and really seemed to get in to the spirit of the day.  They even sang America The Beautiful with Grammy and Grandma Sallie before chowing down on the red white and blue cupcakes!

Not sure when 4th of July became a candy holiday....this is only about half of what the kids collected from the various floats.

Thomas rode on the Corrales Swim Team float this year.  The kids each had a super soaker to squirt out at the crowd.  For once, I was welcoming Thomas' antics with a water gun. "SHOOT ME PLEASE!"  It was really hot outside!

...and when it was all over we had some tuckered out little ones!

Saving the world...

Thomas and his buddies set out with Brian to save the world from certain destruction by a deadly virus!  These guys have great imaginations.  Thomas asked Brian if he would please take him and his friends on an "adventure" in the bosque.  Brian has a good imagination too (he is the KING of bedtime stories) and the boys came back talking about the virus that had been eradicated!  I know the boys think they are big bad virus fighters in the wilderness, but all I can say when I see these pictures is "oooooh they are sooo cute"!  Brian says he got quite an education on the excursion.  Bowen Williams is a dinosaur expert and Peter Murray knows a little bit about a lot and likes to talk (just like Thomas).   The boys also came back with tadpoles from the river.  Thomas' lasted only a few hours...better luck next time.  I love these little boys and I have high hopes that they will all grow up to really save the world in their own small (or BIG) ways.

2010 Summer Fun: 1st Edition

Pack up the duffel bags and we're off!  Spent Memorial Day weekend in Durango.  Best Durango trip in a while...the kids are able to do more and more each time we go.  This time we hiked and fished and four-wheeled.  There was also a trip to the fish hatchery in town (good call Aunt Anne)!  Connor was the most impressive on the hike...we make the poor little guy walk for about three hours on his three year old legs!  Thomas and Lauren scaled the mountain like they'd been hiking their whole lives and the babies seemed very happy riding along on mom and dad's backs (good workout for us).  We can't wait to do it all again!

Lauren turned out to be quite good a casting!  Thanks for stocking the lake Grandpa!