A bit sentimental...

I feel like I have neglected my blog a bit this summer.  I guess we have just been so busy taking advantage of the pool and the last summer before the boys start school (insert sad face or happy face here depending on the day)!  Anyway, we have one more beach trip planned and a few more playdates and outings before the end of August.  I can't believe we are only weeks away from the end of summer and maybe weeks away from leaving behind this miserable heat!  The last few days have been really great with the boys.  It is almost like they understand that school is right around the corner and their play time together is limited (that breaks my heart more than anything).  I have only had to get between then once or twice to break up the fist fights (yes, that is a good week around here).  And, they have done really well considering how much time we have had to spend indoors together.  They have built an entire community with Legos and have mastered the Wii. I am also proud to report that Logan has earned the "green band" and Luke has earned the "yellow band" at the Y which allows them to swim in the big pool and go down the slides!  For the first time in 6 years, I sat down on the lounge chair and watched my kids swim and hop from one slide to the next.  It was a strange feeling, like I was going to get into trouble for not actually being in the pool.  It makes the weekly trips to swim lessons for the last year and a half sooo worth it!  I willingly admit that it made my heart jump and break all at once knowing that they did not need me in that moment.  Of course it is what Lyndon and I have worked for all this time.  I guess it is just difficult realizing that I have gone from doing EVERYTHING for two small humans (including wiping butts, not something I will miss) to doing very little, though now it has been replaced with buying, preparing and cleaning up food items...constantly! We have made huge strides since this time last summer when Luke was potty training and Logan was in a cast from his toe to his thigh! So, needless to say, I am a bit tender right now, but I could not be more proud of my little guys.
Enough of the sad talk. I will give you what you really want...pictures!

Shrinkie Dinks! 

Part of the Lego city!

Happy Birthday to Daddy!

Helping blow out the candle on Daddy's birthday brownie!  He did not want a party or anything special (party pooper), but the boys insisted on the candle and singing. I will do another post soon for Lyndon's top 25!

The boys and I joined our friends for a little time peach pickin'!  They were gorgeous!

Just as we did with the apples and strawberries, I had to watch what Luke picked.  He picked several that actually had worms coming out of the top.

You can probably see the green and yellow bands the boys are wearing.  They wear them constantly even when we are nowhere near the pool.

Not really sure what is going on here.  Luke took this pic.  I think Logan is showing our sweet friend how to throw rocks behind her.  Sorry for that, Lori! 

And when I say that Logan has mastered everything on the Wii, I mean everything!

Namaste.

Good Friends!

To add to our summer fun, we have had some very good friends come through!  Robby rode down on his motorcycle which the boys fell in love with...I explained that they can have one when they turn 40.  I figure I will be over it by then.  In the meantime, he let them help clean it, and they got to sit on it for a photo op!

Thanks, Robby, for taking on the boys and letting them drive you crazy for a bit!  We enjoyed having you!

We also welcomed Nick and Sophia from Indiana!

It was not long after this pic was taken that I decided to turn in for the night...I will remember next time to log off my Facebook page!

Nick and Sophia were gracious enough to invite us to take a road trip to Charleston, SC with them.  They found a great beach there last year and wanted to return.  We had a wonderful time until the ride home when Luke decided to show his age.  Sometimes being 3 and really tired is just tough.  I am pretty sure we won't be invited to go along next year.

The group worked hard on a castle.

TA-DAH!

Sophia was just a great sport the entire week. The boys followed her around like puppies and basically drove her crazy.  And, even after the horrible card ride home, the boys wearing her out and letting them bury her, she still volunteered to babysit for us so we could go out for dinner.  A big thanks to Sophia for being such a trooper! 

We enjoyed all of our visitors this summer and look forward to seeing you all again! 

Summer with the fam!

Continuing with our summer fun we welcomed one very important guest, big sister Kalyn!  We had a week of pool time, movies and just goofing off before we headed to Texas to visit Nana and Papa!

I included this pic because Luke took it...he was very proud of it!

I love this picture of Lyndon and Kalyn! 

On to Texas!

Logan and Papa were inseparable.  I am not sure Papa was prepared for this hard-working guy!  Logan was on his heels the entire week.  He even got to attend a Rotary Club meeting, and he got to go to Papa's office...he was in heaven!

Papa even let him work with some high-powered tools!

This is what Luke and Papa did when they hung out! 

Another favorite!

We also happened to be there when my dad turned the big 65!  His office had a nice little party for him. 

He does not usually dress like this, just for special occasions...

I loved they cupcake table!  I grew up hearing my dad punch numbers on a calculator just like that one.  I loved to watch him add stuff up on that machine because he never looked at it.  He would add long lists of numbers and never even look up from the paper.  It still baffles me!

What you see in this picture is my husband (aka my third child) and Logan in a water fight.  They are drenched along with the windows.  What you don't see (because I did not want to chance getting my camera wet) is my mom and dad below them trying to defend themselves with another water hose.  Lyndon started it, and that should not surprise anyone.  The problem is that he started it off by hosing down my mom...not a smart move!

 

Logan is right there in the middle with his own defense.

Poor Bubba was just an innocent bystander! 

The boys also decided that they needed to build their own lean-to.  Here we are in the beginning stages...

...and the final product!  Looks pretty safe, huh?

The real treat was hanging out on Papa's boat and swimming in the lake! 

Captain Papa

Queen Nana

Uncle Don and his pipe (the boys are fascinated with the pipe)

Grandma Belle!

Post-swim snack and pre-fireworks!

It may be difficult to see, but there are hundreds of boats out on the water!  This is the annual fireworks show on the lake, and it is impressive! I took some pics, but they don't really do it justice.

AND, we finally lost those two teeth on the bottom!  The Tooth Fairy came through and left a few dollars!

Your face is going to stick like that! 

I have been getting this look a lot lately especially when he is not happy with me!

Here is hoping you had a great 4th of July and are enjoying your summer!! More summer fun to report soon!