Summer Time Fun ... part 2

July didn't want to be overshadowed by June, so our fun adventures continued. We enjoyed spending the 4th with some friends. The afternoon was spent at a park for a picnic lunch with one family. Then another family joined us for fireworks at a different park in the evening. The kids loved the fireworks. This time we sat on the other side of the street and were a little closer to the show ... but we also ended up with tiny balls of ash falling on us. Didn't know that happened! At times it seemed like (and sounded like) we were being rained on. I think we'll stick to the other side of the street next year. We still enjoyed the holiday. The boys also liked the sparklers and fireworks we set off at home. That seems to be a tradition now.

The next week we celebrated Grayson's birthday and the day after we went on our only vacation of the summer. We rented a cabin a few hours north in the Brainerd Lakes Area. It was a great 4 days. Lots of fishing, playing games, swimming and relaxing. The cabin we stayed in was perfect for what we were looking for and very reasonably priced. It had a playset for the boys, a deck with a grill and a huge yard to play bocce ball. We decided to go out to eat one of the nights and we ate at a place called Grizzly's. (That's why the boys are by that large Grizzly!) The boys ... especially Bryant ... love to go fishing, so we went several times. Each of them caught at least one fish. We really couldn't have asked for a better break.

We also spent many a day at one of the local parks/wading pools. The kids were always laying out to dry up this year. Most of the pictures with water are in the next collage, but we did spend a lot of time at the pools in July.

July was also the month for Tball. Bryant started practices in June and had games in July. Benjamin had his class "Little Sluggers" in July. I'll have another post with Tball pics later. Connor contined to get bigger and seems to enjoy going along for the ride, wherever that may be. He really is a good baby ... pretty easy going. He turned 3 months in July.

The month ended with Rehn's surgery on his knee. Not really a fun last week of July, but he was ready to get it fixed. He completely tore his ACL back in late February but with a baby on the way, we had decided to wait to have the surgery in the summer. He's still recovering, but in six months he should be back to normal. It's hard to run, climb, swim, etc. with a bad knee so we are grateful he was able to get it fixed.

I think that about covers July and this collage ... check back in for the report on August! (I'm tempted to do it now, but it's late and I'm exhausted, so it will have to be another day.)