bike riders

The boys just got new bikes and helmets...and boy do they love to go fast! And yes they both picked out the reddish/pink helmets with hearts and birds!

Today we headed over to the elementary school down the street where they got to stretch out their legs and ride out on the open blacktop.

Mom was a bit nervous about having two boys on bikes and one mom for the trip to the school...but we rode all the way there and back with no mishaps and two very happy and tired boys!

muddy, muddier, muddiest

This started as a very respectable activity of painting with paint and brushes and paper taped to an easel under the shade of a tree...then there was paint all over hands and arms, then rolls of paper were laid out across the lawn and hand prints were done over and over, then it was clean up time. That is when the REAL fun began...with water and dirt.

They kept saying that they were wearing mud pants and shirts, and very happy with themselves! What happened to their real clothes?!

They were so very content to play in the mud, with no arguing or fighting, for well over 2 hours (they thought it was funny when the mud started to dry and crack when they moved). Put them in a room with a ton of toys and they will probably be fighting over something within the first 15 minutes!

markets and fairs

Now is the time of summer farmers markets and enjoying the bounty.
Here the boys and friend Jonah are enjoying a Saturday market with burritos made with hand made tortillas.

Summer is also time for county fairs! We just went to the Benton County fair.
We went primarily to watch...

...the tractor pull. Personally I thought it might be a bit more exciting, but the boys loved it.

We got to see all the animals, watch a costume parade of pygmy goats, watch a forestry demonstration of ax throwing, sawing, log rolling and poll climbing, and listen to a country music band. But the highlight was getting to sit on a brand new, orange tractor!

DC Trip - part 2

After a week in DC we headed over to Rehoboth Beach, DE for a week of fun in the sun!

We were with Grandpa Phil and Karen's 7-year old niece, Natalie, for the week. The boys dig older women!

The boys and us had so much fun playing in the surf and sand. They were so very happy that mom found some sand toys that included big dump trucks!

Grandpa Phil's sexy beach attire!

The only bummer was that the boys got sick and we ended up with an ambulance ride to the ER when Cole had a febrile seizure one night. A common (1 in 20 kids will have one) fever induced seizure that does not have any permanent side effects...but sure is scary to the parents!!
So we took it easy for a couple of days and lounged on the front porch listening to music.
Once everyone was feeling better we made sure to hit the board walk and all the fun rides!
The 'monster trucks' (what the boys called them) were their favorite.
We also made sure to hit the beach as much as possible to make huge volcanoes, tunnels, and castles.
We all liked playing in the waves and warm waters!!
Once the boys discovered how fun the boardwalk could be they wanted to go back every day!! Especially once they discovered all the treats you could buy and stuffed animals you could win!
Momma and her boys on a hot night in July.
The family. On the boardwalk at about 9pm...it was 89 degrees with about 100% humidity.
On our last night before returning home, Mom got to go out to a party with Grandpa Phil and Karen!
Once arriving in Portland, while waiting for our strollers, the boys were invited to sit in the pilot seats of our plane!! I kept saying 'don't touch anything' and the pilot kept saying things like 'why don't you grab hold of the steering wheel!'
Happy boys!!