Fun and the Fourth

Over the 4th of July holiday, the kiddos and I headed to the cottage.  The 4th was on a Wed this year, so I took Th and Fri off of work.  Scott stayed home because he had to teach on Thu, so the kids and I headed up Wednesday morning.  Jen, Kenz, and Dylan also headed up that morning and Grandma and Grappy were up there waiting for us.

First thing Owen did when we got up there was put on his life jacket!! Fishing was his top priority!

cousins!

Wed night we got pizza and headed out on the pontoon for a dinner cruise.  Worked out perfect, considering the power was out back in the  cottage!   

there was a huge storm and one of the chairs got blown into the water – so the main attraction one afternoon was watching grappy rescue it from the water! 

it was SO hot that week!!! over 100 degrees; and the power didn’t come on until later in the afternoon on Thursday! but we made the most of it and stayed cool in the water!

state park…

slip and slide!!

the dunes…

poor little girl…her little body doesn’t work well with a two piece, look at her little buns :)

one morning, owie was just so cozy wrapped up in this blanket! 

i think the mornings are always one of my favorite times at the cottage….not that i like getting up early, but the kids are so cuddly and and it just feels good to know the day is wide open in front of you and its fun to just not have any plans, but to just relax! 

all of the cousins cuddled up

syd hitting the lake with her pole

one day, just to get out of the heat, we went to the children’s museum.  so cute and the kids loved it!

Their favorite part, by far was the ‘grocery’ section. 

Papa came up for the weekend to join us and the boys caught lots of fish!

we had to go see the badger!

Check out the ‘stache’ on the statue!

On sunday, we went hiking at the state park!  the kiddos thought it was great fun to take the trail maps and pretend they were kites and they ran with them screaming down the trail. 

checking out some fish

what a fun mini-vacation.  it was a hot one, but we got to make lots of memories!

Mother’s Day, VBS, Birthday, Fun with Friends, etc….

So, as you’ve probably already noticed, I’m catching up on my blogging lately!

you’re in for a treat with this montage, it includes april – june ‘stuff’…enjoy!

a pinterest activity for the kids…i made colored rice for them to play in and it was a definite hit! they still ask to play with it every once in a while and it will keep them busy forever!

this pic just makes me smile!  my babies playing  the ‘com-piano’ (as owen calls it) – Tiffany and Mark had us over for dinner back in may-ish and these guys LOVED the piano!

Scott recently started teaching an adult ed CNC course a couple of nights a week, which he’s really enjoying!  he was joking one night after finding this tie in owen’s closet that he was all set to teach his first class!  :)  

these two LOVE bugs – they’re on the deck watching some ants! 

syd got upset about something and i just love this pic – so sad and sweet at the same time

all boy…

my little diva – with her jammies and crazy hair and her pearls

tulip time – my mom, scott, the kids and i went downtown and watched this steel drum band play – the kids LOVED it, owen was playing along with the stick from his corn dog

syd was all about the tulip time food, she loved her corn dog but also loved the fries that we got to share – she would keep sliding them across the table toward her and she basically licked the container clean.

mothers day, the kiddos made me breakfast in bed – toast with sprinkles, eggs, milk and rhododendrons and orchids from the yard.  so sweet 

we were fortunate enough to get a free playset from a friend of scott from work – we just had to haul it home.  the kids LOVE it!   

  owen’s long time buddy from daycare – lainey – had her fourth birthday at deanna’s playhouse.  the kiddos had a GREAT time together!! :)

my mom, travis, katy, scott, the kiddos and i went downtown for the thursday night street performers a while ago and we had to stop for a quick shot by the sign outside of 8th st grille – magician owen pulling travis the rabbit out of his hat! :)

running through the water  at the splash pad downtown.  owen LOVED it!!

first time to the beach in holland this year – we headed out after work one day and went to the state park.  we grabbed a pizza and ate there for dinner, then hit the water.  owen loved the water, but syd was happier just playing in the ‘dirt’

couldn’t resist this pic with her little buns!     

impromptu sprinkler fun in the back yard! 

owen and his goggles!!

 

lots of fun with water!

love this crazy little lady… 

and this little drummer boy! (watching his favorite video on you tube and playing along) 

tea party!

syd and go-retta fun in the kiddie pool!

taking a ‘nap’

henry love the goggles too!

push pops!

 

the kiddos also got a fun little play house this summer – thanks to aunt jen and uncle paul (and cousin kenz)!  they love hanging out in there – and pretend its a coffee shop – making ‘mocha choco-lattes’

 

crazy kiddos!!!

in june, owen got to go to VBS for the first time with his cousins!  this was an awesome experience for him – the theme was FLY and he still listens to the cd all.the.time.  our church does vbs during the day – so it was all thanks to grandma and aunt jen that he was able to go! thanks guys for the awesome experience for owen!! :) 

me and my babies!

papa and his babies!

and after all the fun that these warmer months have given us – these guys were tuckered out!! :)