It's summer!

Nothing says summer like your very own football helmet..... made of watermelon!

 

Happy Fourth of July

It just doesn't feel like the Fourth of July until we head up to Ohio to spend the day with family and friends!  So even though it was pouring rain, the basement was flooding, and I had a massive headache, we shoved towels along the baseboards downstairs to sop up what rain water we could, I took some Excedrin, loaded up the car, and we headed out.

 

When we pulled up to the house and saw the mailbox with Great Dane figures on top the kids began to get excited.  As we waited for the gate to open the excitement got a bit louder, and as we drove around the pond and saw a favorite cousin standing in the rain, waving with one hand, and holding a fishing pole in the other, the excitement reached new heights.   

 

Within minutes of our arrival, Kermit was outside in the rain fishing with his cousin.  After catching (and releasing) several fish, he came inside for a snack and politely requested (begged) to go swimming in the pond.  I think he was excited when I said yes!

 

 

 

That excitement didn't last long.  As much as he LOVES swimming in a pool, I think the pond intimidated him a bit.  Dani finally convinced him to lounge with her for a bit.  Kermit still wasn't sold.

 

 

All of the older boys were loving the big yellow raft, and Kermit desperately wanted to hang out with them.   He was brave and jumped on.  It sure looks like he is having fun...

 

 

Even as the older boys were using the raft as a springboard into the pond, Kermit stayed right in the middle.

 

 

Who's steering this thing?  They ran right into the island in the middle of the pond!  Still Kermit couldn't be moved from his designated spot in the middle of the raft.  No worries, his cousin will get in the water to get them back on course.

 

 

 

Wait a minute...  What do we have here?  Kermit in the water?  And is that a smile I see?

 

It took him awhile, but in the end Kermit loved the pond as much as he loves the pool.  Adding to the excitement was the rain.  It rained the whole time the kids were swimming.  I think it's safe to say that most of the adults were hoping for a distant rumble of thunder, so we could abandon lifeguard duty to go inside where it was dry!  No such luck, but the kids had a blast, so getting a little wet was totally worth it! 

 

 

After getting everyone dried out, we had dinner.  Any meal at a family gathering is quite a feast and this year didn't disappoint.  All three of the kids ate great, and as soon as they were finished it was out to the front yard for more fun with cousins.  First up, balloons!  Froggie was determined to blow one up by himself.

 

Kermit had a little help with his.

 

 

These boys love each other and they love to wrestle.

 

 

 

Then someone brought out the bubbles and Froggie was a very happy boy!

 

 

It all started out innocently enough.  A four year old boy happily blowing bubbles.

 

 

Enter a fun uncle...

 

 

And the next thing you know, your child has learned how to eat the bubbles he blows!

 

Going in for the kill!

 

 

Got it!  Yummy...

 

 

Fireworks, anyone?  Let's begin with sparklers, shall we?  Felicity and Kermit really enjoyed this portion of the evening while I was inside with Froggie.  Too much smoke for the little guy.  We did however go outside to watch all the grown up boys play with the big boy firecrackers!  They put on quite a show.

 

When I was growing up I loved our fourth of July celebrations with family.  One of my favorite things was watching Don do magic tricks.  I would politely ask (beg) for him to do trick after trick and spend the whole time trying to figure out how he did it.  I was pretty much giddy when he pulled out some magic tricks and I watched all three of my children watch him intently with looks of astonishment on their faces.  Priceless!  It was a great day filled with lots of laughter and love.  So glad we made the trip.  Happy Fourth of July