Vacation

What's not to love about vacation?  Rest, no working, time together, fun activities, good food...
We spent a week in Wisconsin at a farm house owned by the family I nannied for briefly after college.  It was quiet (oh so quiet!!), the weather was wonderful, and we enjoyed some time with good friends.
The farm was just minutes from Lake Geneva, so we enjoyed a day at the beach.

 Let's bury Daddy!

 Buried in the sand

The mammas... Katherine and I have been good friends for a long time.  Since before we were mammas :+)

Repair Shop

We opened a repair shop on our front porch the other day.  

Summer Outfit

On one less oppressively hot day in August (it was still 80 degrees), Jonathan came out wearing this outfit.  He commented that he was a little chilly... this is the result.

We got several smiles/interesting looks as we walked around the neighborhood.

Quick Stop

We stopped for a short visit to see my parents before we left for our vacation. 

Caleb told me today: "Gampie wikes me.  Gammie wikes me."

Birdhouses

We painted birdhouses.  The painting was up to the boys and I, but we called in Daddy to drill a hole in them for a hanging hook.  Thus far, the birds haven't been enthralled with our creations.  Possibly a bit too bright?  Birds or no birds... the painting was a whee of a time.

Boating Debute

After being in my hometown this summer and seeing a family of seven embark on a kayaking trip with children the ages of my children, we decided to take our inaugural "family boat ride".  It was a great success.  We had fun, no one ended up in the lake, and we enjoyed it enough to do it again with a kayak on vacation last week.

 The boys.

 The boys + the mamma

All about the paddles

Random Summer Fun

I do not have a love affair with the heat.  In fact, northern Minnesota or Wisconsin sound more appealing by the year.  Generally, I cannot complain, though.  I like change, I like colder weather, I like snow, I like most anything between twenty degrees and ninety degrees.  We spent a decent amount of time at the pool and at a local park this summer trying to beat the heat.  The park is in the shade with a water feature, and since we had countless 100 degree days it was a great outdoor play area.  

Jake and Josh joined us on several occasions for summer fun...

 The difference in the pool and the park are noticeable: the children leave the pool with only a slight smell of chlorine to show for it.  They leave the park with more mud that I thought possible.

 Can you say, mud?

 Caleb dumped a bucket with muddy water on Jake... nice.

The three mess monsters after a slight rinse job at the water fountain.  I took mine home and sprayed them off with the hose in the backyard before I let them into the house.  The socks were thrown away.