Summer stuff and TONS of pictures!

  Let's start with 4th of July.   The day before, we went to pick up some fireworks and we let the kids do a few that night.  We had a pretty relaxed 4th.  We barbecued with my mom and Mike's mom and let the kids do more fireworks.   That night, we walked across the street to the kids' school and sat up chairs to watch a firework display that a lake nearby does every year.  

 

  

 Near the middle of July, the girls took a very special trip with Ma-Maw (Mike's mom) to Colorado.  Mike's sister's kids (Aliya, Dylan, and Daymon) were coming to Missouri for a visit, but first, flew into Denver to visit Mike's Aunt Rhonda.  Laney and Chloe drove to Colorado with Ma-Maw to pick them up from the airport and to stay a few days with Aunt Rhonda.  Her and her husband, Tim, have a huge ranch in the mountains or the valley or something (it's gorgeous...that's all I know) a few hours outside of Denver.  It's basically a child's dream home...horses, mountains, streams, mud, cabins, woods, etc.

Before I post the pics of that, I wanted to share this picture that Mike's mom took of the girls in front of this tree.  There is a story behind it...it's not just some random tree. :) When Mike and I were dating, I went to Colorado to visit him and his family.  We drove to the ranch, and while were there visiting family, he asked me to take a walk in the frigid cold.  Sidenote: I had the worst cold I have ever had in my life, and that was the LAST thing I wanted to do.  I agreed, though, and off we went.  We came to this beautiful field where there was just one lone tree standing out in the middle.  We walked up to it and I saw an arrow stuck in it, right before Mike told me to look closely at the arrow. When I turned back towards the tree, I saw a ring hanging from the arrow.  I turned back around and Mike was on his knee.  He asked me to be his wife and I (obviously) said "YES!"  So that's the significance of this tree.  And here we are, almost 13 years later.  Time goes so fast.

They all had a blast there!!!!

The kids with Aunt Rhonda

Laney is in heaven. 

The kids all got turns riding the horse.  Is that not the most beautiful backdrop ever?!?!

A creek, rocks, sticks and 2 dogs.  Can life get any better than that for kids?

Ma-Maw watchin over her babies. :)

Talon skipping rocks with the kids

The kids with Ma-Maw

Dylan riding

Daymon riding

Aliya riding

 

After a few awesome days in Colorado, Ma-Maw braved the drive back to Missouri with 5 kids in tow.  She said they all did really well!

Mike's other sister, Sheri, flew in a few days after they all got back from Colorado.  All the girls went to pick her up at the airport, while the boys stayed home and played video games. (of course.) :) 

We were so happy to be able to spend time with *almost* everyone. We missed you, Sheila and Jason!!! :( 

Mike, Sheri, and I put together a pretty awesome (if you ask me) treasure hunt/secret spy mission for the kids one day.  They LOVED it!!!

The girl team and the boy team...each reading their first clue.

The girls trying to find another clue :)

While they were here, we also went to Oceans of Fun, played TONS of games...and approximately 472 rounds of Mafia, stayed up late watching movies, got Sheri all caught up on Downton Abbey, and celebrated Chloe's birthday!

 

Ain't they purty?

The coolest kids EVER!!!

So, that, and a few more trips to the pool pretty much sums up our Summer.

This boy tans like nobody's business.  Even with layers and layers of sunscreen!

It was busy and fun, which is why I said in an earlier post, I don't feel so bad for them that they have to start school tomorrow.