Bringing In the Summer with Style

We don't have to go on vacation to play, play, play.  The kids have been out of school for one week and we have done some serous playing.  In one week we have:
Gone swimming at the pool twice
Gone swimming, kayaking, and paddle boating at the reservoir
Gone hiking twice
Roasted hotdogs and marsh mellows over a fire twice
Celebrated Johnny's birthday
Andy learned to ride a two wheeler
We slept at a beautiful cabin (home) near my moms house for two nights
We've played with Cousins - a lot!
We went to an extended family reunion
The boys went fishing and camping
We went of 4-wheelers
We helped my mom clean out boxes
And probably a few more things that I can't think of because it is late on a Sunday night and I'm tired. With all of this there has still been time to hang out and chill and for Cara to say a few hundred times, "there's nothing to do."  With all of this playing I think it is time to buckle down and work on the chore charts I have so dutifully created for the summer.

I didn't take pictures of everything, but I have a few pictures, and I'll let them do most of the talking.
Caleb sometimes reassures us that he is a scout and that he can handle things like fires.

Sometimes I forget that we live so close to hiking trails.  We don't take advantage of them as often as we should.

Andy loves riding his bike.  He has balancing on his two wheeled balance bike for a while, but he now officially rides the two wheeler and it is fun to watch his confidence.  Because of the balance bike he never even fell.  Once he decided to ride he did it all on his own and just figured it out in a short time. Caleb was encouraging him and telling him that he would get money or treats if he would do it.

Johnny's first birthday was on the 4th.  He is such a perfect baby! Someone tells me almost every time we go out how cute his is and that "he could be the Gerber baby." Seriously I get told that 3+ times every week.  I think it is his chubby cheeks and cute smile.  He is cute, but I mostly love his sweet, easy going personality.  

We went swimming on John's birthday.  He is a very happy one year old!

My family spent a lot of time together this week because my sister Cathie came from Alaska with her five children.  The cousins love playing together.  This was a first time for Lena and Johnny to play.  They almost drowned each other with the splashing, but Aunt Connie was there to referee.

Cathie gave John the best one-year-old birthday present ever, a box of tissue.  He dutifully sat and pulled out each and every tissue, without stopping, until the entire box was empty.  Colter showed him what to do.

He celebrated a little as he got started.

And then he just went to work! He loved it!

 With the Coombs we hiked up to the Willow Flat Spring.  That was one of my dad's favorite hikes.

The tradition of the Romer family party was started by my Grandma Romer 30+ years ago.  Over the years it has evolved, but the tradition of getting together the second Saturday of June has held strong.  It is fun for these second and third cousins to get to know each other.

It is amazing how time flies.  When I was little Grandma always got the kids matching shirts and we took age group pictures.  It feels like just yesterday.

The girls always have fun and bond so quickly.  Cara and Emi were inseparable for the past week as were Caleb and Colter.  The three girls in this picture did all three get hurt a little at the family reunion.  Cara got hit by a rock that was intended to be thrown into the pond.  Emi skinned the back of her foot on a rock.  Believe it or not, Kedzie got bit by a snake.  Getting injured is a sign of having fun, right?

This is the beautiful back yard of my dear cousin Diana.  Doesn't it look like a little piece of heaven.

I love it when the Coombs family comes to visit.  I just wished they lived closer.  As we drove away on Saturday night I asked Josh how much he would have to make to move to Alaska.  Unfortunately we don't want to live there, and the money is too good for them to leave, but I sure love the time we spend together!