Summer Fun

It really is great to wake up each morning in the summer knowing that the sun will be out.

Instead of asking, is it going to rain today?  The boys ask "how hot is it going to be?"

It hit 105 degrees yesterday and has been in the upper 90's all week.

Our days pretty much consist of rotating from one park to the next.

Not such a bad way to spend the summer.

We were more then excited when our friends from Kent, the Ballard's, called one afternoon to say they were driving through and could we meet them for a quick lunch break.

It was so much fun to see Spencer and Kelsey and how big they are getting! 

Ryan wasn't so sure he remembered our good friends, but a few french fries and he warmed right up!

It made my day to get to see Paige and catch-up on life, even if it was just a quick visit.

We are so glad they called to get together. 

Tate and Blake took golf lessons.

We are surrounded by golf courses here in Liberty Lake.

Five weeks, lessons once a week for an hour and a half.

Best money spent all summer.

It gave me a chance to run errands with just one happy helper, and the boys had a good time learning some golf basics. 

When the weather started getting really hot, lessons were a little harder.

Tate would say it was "hot and heavy!"  Heavy because they have to carry their golf bags around.

Guess that's part of the game to get used to!

They got to ride in a golf cart and win prizes, so I know they enjoyed it. 

We went berry picking.

I remember my mom always getting excited about picking blueberries, huckleberries, and strawberries.

I don't think us kids really liked it.

But, now that I'm a mom, I was totally excited to get out to the local farm to pick strawberries.

The boys...not so excited.

They started out happy to help, but then it got hot and they were tired and thirsty. 

I picked as fast as I could before the whining got too out of hand.

The strawberries were delicious.

The boys were happy to have some fresh berries to eat, freezer jam and berries for smoothies.

I dragged them back out a couple more times for more strawberries and raspberries.

I made some more freezer jam and experimented with a new Strawberry Sweet Roll recipe.

Turned out pretty good if you ask me:) 

The boys have enjoyed the Saturday craft morning at Home Depot with John.

This last month they made these bug catchers.

They spent the afternoon digging up bugs in the dirt and trying to keep the ants and worms alive in their new homes. 

Pavilion Park plays movies in the park Saturday nights.

The movies don't start until it gets dark which is about 9pm, way past bedtime for these boys.

That's why just Tate got to go for a special mommy-Tate date to see Frozen.

The other boys enjoyed going to bed on time and not being grumpy the next day. 

We have gone through large quantities of waterballoons and Popsicles all in the name of trying to stay cool!