July Update - Part 1

July 4th - cuddling on the hammock watching the fireworks

enjoying the sparklers

Hanging out at Lake Merwin on the weekend with good friends (so good they even watched Ascha while they sent us out on the lake in their sailboat! Thanks!)

Camping on the north side of Mt. Adams

It was beautiful but very buggy, and of course, I left all our bug repellant at home on the counter! We managed to survive the mosquitoes and have a good time anyway. We swam and even got to have a German Brown Trout for part of our dinner. We hiked around with Jeremy the next day while he scouted out potential elk hunting country. (Ah-ha! The real purpose of our family camping trip is revealed! :-)

"Good things come to those who wait"

The boys have wanted a ride-on ever since they saw one at the neighbor's house. We've always flatly refused, but they had sold some of their old toys at a garage sale a few days before we found this used yellow Corvette. The boys were able to buy it with their own money and they absolutely love it!

Our first parade! None of the kids had ever been to a "real parade" before. They are now big fans.

The same festival that brought the parade also brought a carnival to town. The boys rode a kiddie roller coaster. Taylor loved it, but Aric was upset because I wasn't riding it with him, so he pouted through the whole ride. It made for a pretty funny picture.