Life, Love, Laughter: hot, Hot, HOT!

This weekend felt like Summer was in full force! With a forecast of 90+ degree temps Fri-Sun we made plans to hit the water and let me tell you it felt, GOOD!Saturday Dylan had a birthday party for his little buddy Wesley! So him and I headed over there for a early afternoon of non-stop kid fun! Allison asked if I would stick around and I was more than happy to do just that. The kids were SO good! The Owen's had their backyard set up perfect for a party! The kids found their own individual squirt guns and wasted no time filling them time and again, running around squirting each other. Even the girls weren't shy, running squirting whomever was in their path, it was hilarious! The also had a super fun bounce house for the kids with an inside basketball hoop and an outside slide. What a fun way to kick of the weekend!!

Group Birthday picture!!!! Many of them heading to Kindergarten with Dylan next year but a few of the ones just turning 5 this summer will stay back. Too cute!!

The kids were all so well behaved. It was hilarious because we could see the mannerisms they all learn at pre-school they also all do in unison when together. So when Wesley was opening his Birthday gifts, the person who the gift was from, got to go sit by him, then after he opened their gift the kids went on the rug and the other person got to sit by the birthday boy when their present was opened. They ALL did this on their own, it was super funny to watch and absolutely adorable!!!

Happy Birthday Wesley!

It was a HOT day and we were more than ready to hit the big pool for a fun afternoon in the water! After the birthday party we headed home to pick up Daddy and Danielle and we hit the pool! It took each of the kids no more than 2.2 minutes to adjust to the big pool, they were more than happy to be in the water with Brad and I, and the smiles were as wide as could be!

We had a very refreshing afternoon in the water and even stopped for a delightful ice cream snack on the way home! We love summertime fun!

Saturday we also stop to wish Brad's Grandma Holub a VERY Happy 83rd Birthday! We send her lots of love and wish her nothing but a year of good health and happiness. She is one of the very best Grandma's ever!!
Sunday we headed to Central Park in Center Junction Iowa for a family picnic with my Dad's extended side of the family. We arrived and our family had a pavilion rented right on the Lake and nice and close to the beach. My Dad was thankfully able to make it back for the day and we were very happy to see him! Dylan caught wind of the beach a few days ago by a conversation I was having with someone and he had his mind set that he was playing in the sand. 'Mom, we're gonna dig for some gold. We have to find the treasure chest at the beach Mom. Mom is their gonna be lots of gold in the sand at the beach?! I'm gonna find some. Mom we have to build huuuuggge sand castles at the beach Mom.' These were a few of the numerous word tracks Dylan had been feeding to us in the past few days. He was beyond excited to get his toes in the sand. I warned my Dad, and he was excited too, coming in his trunks and all ready for some water time with Dylan!

The afternoon started out great. Our family that was able to make it, arrived, and we had a good old fashioned English, Delay potluck/picnic! After lunch Dylan was patiently waiting for his chance at building a sand castle when Grandpa Kinney said he had a surprise first. Dylan waited and waited and before long Grandpa came back with....

3 life jackets which meant a rented paddle boat!!! Dylan was SO excited. Danielle was very content in her Daddy's arms so Brad sent Collin with Dad and Dylan, he gladly jumped up and off they went!

Dylan's very first Paddle Boat ride with Grandpa Kinney and cousin Collin!

My Dad and his Sister, my most favorite Aunt Ellie!

Soon after the boys and Morgan headed to the beach! Dylan was SOOO excited!!

Morgan, Collin, Dad and Brad all tried their best at making Dylan a sandcastle with a river going thru the two castles. It was pretty darn cute and it appeased Dylan's little heart! So super sweet to have him literally beaming from ear to ear. He has been begging for the beach for a couple years now.

Little peanut was such a trooper today. She was smiling and jabbering and just a happy camper!

Working up an after beach appetite! Time for a snack!

Our family picnic traditions with this side of the family go back all the way from when I can remember, I was a very little girl. We always rented out the Woodpecker Lodge at Pinicon Ridge Park and had Thanksgiving dinner together. It was a huge production with all of the families on my Grandma Kinney's side. The past 10 ish years or so the cousins got bigger and having families of their own and the tradition slowly fizzled away. Thanksgiving every since honestly doesn't seem quite the same. We have tried to start the traditions again whenever we can, and although this wasn't our traditional Thanksgiving picnic, it was a beautiful afternoon with extended family in a different location and it was very very nice. A tradition that we always did was to take an afternoon walk after our meal. We did this every year after Thanksgiving dinner and we did it today too! We walked down to an old Bow String Bridge that was built in 1873. Wow, this was seriously part of history that was pretty cool to see!

We also took a visit to the parks Conservation Center to see the animals they had. Dylan loved watching the turtles and seeing the big snakes. Very neat place for the kids to see natures habitat.

It was a beautiful day with family that came together to re-visit all of the memories we had made with each other over the years. There is no doubt my Grandparents were looking down today with a smile upon their face. It is times like these that we remember no matter how busy life gets, no matter how many miles come between us, it is always very important to never forget the love of your family! We definitely felt the love today.

Speaking of feeling the love....these little munchkins of ours continue to melt our hearts each week. I find myself capturing more and more of these moments and each time I have to stop, take a deep breath to soak up the moment... and realize how incredibly blesssed we are to have 2 of the most beautiful little miracles ever and 1 super sweet Angel protecting us all :-)