Sum Sum Summertime Summary

Summer is almost over already?  Sorry about the blog hiatus, but things have been crazy...So many stories, so much fun I can't begin to catch up so I will summarize mostly via pictures.  Here we go:

So, it is summer.  Oh what do we do in the summertime?  Go to the cabin.  A lot.  Here's why:

The BEACH.  We can pretend we are at the ocean, at least a little.   Cora likes the beach!

 Arden is a beach babe (stay away, boys!)

 Olive isn't allowed at the North Beach where we launch the waverunners, and she isn't allowed at the pool.  She isn't the biggest fan of summer at the cabin as a result.  However, she forgives us when we take her to the Garden City Beach and let her chase seagulls around in the water:

 When we get tired of the beach, we go to the pool!  Anything to tire these kids out so they fall quickly to sleep in their bunk beds in the basement.  Cannonball!

 Again, boys, stay away.  Far, far away.

Where is Dax you may ask?  He is a blurry blur and refuses to pose for pictures.  I promise he was here too.  Have I mentioned the view from the pool?

 In between pool trips, we hung out at home.  In June, it was over 100 degrees for a few days in a row, and we were stuck inside a little, especially while I would try (TRY being the key word) to get a little work done on my laptop.  Sometimes the kids got a little bored, which is okay, because it leads to creativity and imagination.  And messes.  But here is what the kids did with a roll of painters tape:

 They created athletic tape costumes.  Dax knows that those basketball guys like to put tape all over themselves for some mysterious purpose.  They make me laugh so hard when they aren't making me insane.

Okay, back to the lake.  Grandpa bought a big ol' kayak!

 We also make sandcastles!

 Cora stole my hat, but looks MUCH cuter in it than I do.

 We have to come back sometimes, and hit a baseball game or two.  We prefer Monday nights, since the tickets are only $5 AND they throw in a free hot dog.  Plus, wholesome leisure activities count as FHE.  What could be more wholesome on a summer night than a little AAA baseball?  Can't think of much.

We also escape the head sometimes by heading for the hills for a hike or two.  These cute little guys were up at Silver Lake up by Brighton way back in June.  They are all grown up by now, prolly:

 Ah, the -20 degree temperature swing is heavenly!

 Dax (see, here he is!  Blinking!)  MUST find himself a "hiking stick" whenever we go on a walk longer than half a mile that is anywhere near trees.

 Here is Arden at Donut Falls!

 More wildflowers.  Cora wanted me to take about 386 pictures of these, she called them "firework flowers."  They do look like fireworks!

Speakin' of which, it was the 4th of July in there somewhere.  Here is Dax and Grandpa at the fireworks:

 By the time the show started, Dax had relocated to Grandma's lap.  This boy is getting WAY TOO BIG to sit on anyone's lap, but don't tell him that.  He usually only tries to sit on someone's lap if there is a shortage of chairs, or if we are at church.  Don't ask me why church brings out the kid's inner 2-year-old.  Anyways, the fireworks were great!

 Then of course we hit the parade...as usual, we are just there for the CANDY!  Well, and America, of course.

 (but mostly the candy)

 We brought Olive to the parade this year.  She was NOT a fan of the firetruck sirens, and climbed herself through the side of my camp chair and into my lap where she stayed the WHOLE TIME despite the 1000 degree temps.  Poor doggie.  Lucky for me, my brother BJ was standing nearby with a big umbrella and cast a shadow so I didn't become a puddle on the pavement with a hairy black dog on my lap, who spent a lot of time with her head in my armpit.

After that, we of course went to a barbecue and ate lots of unhealthy but delicious food as is the tradition of our beloved homeland.  And...that is it for now, I will summarize more THIS week, I promise.  Until then, we will be making the most of our LAST WEEK of freedom from school and routine.