Summer Fun

Sheesh, I can't believe that it is July 7th already. The summer is flying by. The kids will be back in school before we know it, which I often think throughout the day as Hannah and Justin are having one of their numerous arguments, wouldn't be such a bad thing. But I really am not ready for summer to be over. We don't have any big summer plans--no epic road trips or trips to far off destinations planned--but we have had lots of summer fun. The weather has been quite warm lately, although we have cooled off the past few days to a very pleasant upper 60's/lower 70's. We did buy a new slightly larger kiddie pool. On one 90 degree day last week, we filled it up and without even giving it a chance to warm up at all, the kids dove in. Owen, especially, was ready to go, but after being in there awhile, he would get so cold that his lips were blue, but he would not want to get out. As soon as he did get out and get dry and warmed up, he would jump right back in.

After hearing that my dear friend, Annaliese, does a Camp Fun for a week with her kids, Hannah and Justin were insistent that we had our own Camp Fun, which included family movie nights and a backyard campout. Dale set up the big tent and Hannah and Justin moved a great deal of their bedrooms out there and slept out there all on their own for 2 nights. Either Dale or I slept on the couch just in case there were any middle of the night emergencies like large bugs. I can't believe they stayed out there on their own. I don't even think I ever managed to stay the whole night out in a tent with my siblings. There was usually a spider or something that would force me inside. Camp Fun the way Annaliese did it would also include crafts and things, but this mom was not that organized. Hannah and Justin seemed satisfied with the movie nights and campouts. Maybe next year, I'll actually try to put together something a little more organized and maybe even invite the cousins over. Maybe I can arrange something with my sisters where we trade off days. Are you reading this, Marcie and Sara?

We also have made a trip to the zoo, which made Owen very happy. He asks almost every day if we are going to the zoo. At the end of summer, the new lion exhibit will be open, so that will be very exciting to see.

Of course, the highlight of summer so far has been the 4th of July. During the day, we all went to see the new Pixar movie, "Up." I highly recommend it. It even kept Owen sitting pretty still in his seat the whole time. Later on, we went to Grandma Judi's like we have for quite a few years now. There weren't as many of us. Only Aunt Sara, Uncle Gary and Katelyn and Ashley were there for a while. The kids all went in Grandma's hot tub, which she had turned down so the kids could use it as a pool. I don't know what they like better on the 4th--the fireworks or Grandma's hot tub. Even better is watching all the fireworks from the hot tub like Hannah and Justin did. They can hardly stand to wait until it is dark enough to light fireworks. We did quite a few of them before it was dark like smoke bombs. The kids loved those things this year. Owen, however, was not excited in the least about the fireworks. He could not stand anything with even a slightly loud pop. He just freaked out and insisted we go home. He also was not happy that the helicopter fireworks that he so proudly chose at the fireworks stand were going to be blown up. He was very angry when we brought them home from the stand, and he could not bring them inside to play with them like all his other toys. We did manage to get him calmed down inside, and he would watch the pretties from the window. Grandma Judi stayed with him most of the night watching from inside. We quickly blew up our $75 worth of fireworks and then moved to the back deck to watch everyone else blow up way more than we spent. We also saw the show that Washougal put on and Corbett across the river. It really is the ideal location.

This is what happens when you light 3 smoke bombs at once.

Frightened on the Fourth!

My standard sparkler photos

Next up for the summer is a 2 night trip to the Oregon Coast to Newport this weekend. We are going to stay in our favorite place there, the Hallmark Inn, which is right on the water and go to the aquarium.