Addicted!!!

These kids are addicted. No kidding, 2-4 hours a day of this!

Karly is reading through the Harry Potter series for the third time now. Sometimes two books in one day. She's a huge Emma Watson fan and boasts of the talents of J K Rowling. She's made a list of the characters, their talents and studied them well. She is spending her own money to complete her hardback collection, she wants nothing to do with paperback. Book snob she is.

As for Kyle, we're researching winter ball for the boy and he's well versed now in visiting the neighbors to request his baseballs that bounced over the fence from the pitch back. We need to find Kyle a new friend who shares his passion as he's long worn out his Daddy. Kyle's first words when Kent comes home are asking him to play ball. Gilligan tries, but he's truly more of a hinderance than a help-eating the balls all the time.
Mama is amazed at the differences between the two kids and trying to help both lead balanced lives. But such passions are not easily parted with, even when reasoning asks of it.

More 4th Fun!

With so many community events canceled or overcrowded this year the Fourth of July came with creativity. Trying to mix things up from the past and celebrate in grand independent fashion.

The highlight of the evening? Picture scavenger hunt. Ann had taken pictures around the neighborhood and we sent the kids out with the goal of finding the item and taking a picture with it. To keep them safe and together, they had to have three of the four in the pic with the item. The fourth naturally had to take the pic. The kids had a blast! Figured them all out and they ran around the neighborhood expelling energy for a good hour and a little more! Definitely something we'll do again!
The joke hat. To light a sparkler, you had to tell jokes first.

Kyle hamming it up!
This year, having talked quite a bit lately with the kids about awareness of the economy, we decided not to purchase a great group of fireworks. "Like burning $$," we said. The kids were totally cool about it and I think the fun that we had with the few fireworks we did have proved creative and plenty of entertainment. No one felt like they missed out at all.

Karly and McKenna in their firework protection gear. Silly girls!
. This is a raft that Kyle and Owen built last year. A perfect launch pad.
After all the fireworks were exhausted, we told the kids they could swim in the clothes. They looked at us. Paused. And Kent pushed Karly in-which she loved. It was too funny and they had a great time swimming in their clothes, with the pool light on, way past bedtime. Spontaneous, casual and silly. Karly said it was the best 4th ever.

Independence Day

Probably one of my favorite holidays thanks to the food, vibrant colors, casual style and outdoor fun! Mind you of course that I love US history and relevance of the holiday and believe it is also something to be taken seriously as well. I am in awe of the passionate founding fathers, their families and those who fought for the cause of "America". I am afraid we take it all too often for granted. Celebrating Independence is a bandwagon I am happy to jump on even if it does just sell fireworks, hot dogs and fixin's for homemade ice cream!

Auntie Janell is fabulous to host Grandpa's birthday BBQ. Both kids spent some great time in the pool. Karly is always a fish. The water could be mountain cold and she'd be swimming. Kyle as usual thought the water was too cold to swim until he found...the trampoline. Suddenly his quest for thrill and sport brought his temperature to a reasonable level. After a few hot dogs, baked beans and good old watermelon, we san Grandpa Happy 73 years and retreated home for an afternoon nap before the evening festivities began.

What to do?

What does one do with a 108 degree day?

Ball Game Birthday

Kyle is clearly all about baseball these days, so a trip to the Rivercats game with a few friends was the perfect fit. Only problem? Mama didn't realize until afterwards that the date was Father's Day. So, we kinda missed out on the Father's Day celebrations and had a few extra crowds to deal with at the game, but these boys still had a great time. Great game. Rivercats won in the bottom of the ninth! After the game we came back to the house for cake and ice cream. The boys then enjoyed some Wii fun, dome hockey and a good old fashion game of hide and seek. A great day for a great kid!

Put Me In Coach!!!!!!!!!

This picture about sums it all up. If he gets it, it's his. 'Nough said.

Slippin & Slidin

Summer Saturdays and nothing but fun to be had! It's great to see how these kids have grown up together and remain so close even now. They used to play in the sandbox in nothing but diapers, now they put together a slip and slide all by themselves! Each one had an active part in the assembly and they managed to figure it out!