The Play's the Thing

We have never played so hard as when Vincent spent the weekend with us! As you can tell from these pics, everyone gets in on the fun.

Vincent is a pro at peek-a-boo. Jenny loved it!

Playin' is messy work, isn't it Jen?

Katy and Vincent loved racing to the park.





"When is it my turn, Ed?"


Vincent has never looked more Peter Panish than when he was flying through the air on his tummy!





Vincent was a real trooper. Almost everything at our house is pink and has hearts on it.

Riding the trike is one of his faves!

It's hard to see, but Vincent spent quite a bit of time just rolling down the big hill in our backyard.

We had as much fun having Vincent as he had being at our house. Thanks for trusting us with your precious little one!

Mommy's Super Happy Birthday

Mommy had a very special birthday this year. Our little friend Vincent was staying with us for the weekend so everything was extra fun.

After a yummy McDonald's breakfast delivered by Daddy, Mommy got extra help with opening her gifts.





The fam at Shogun for Mommy's birthday dinner.

Jacob, Taylor and Katy enjoying the onion soup.









We'd say, "Look at the fire, Vincent! Is that how Mom and Dad cook?"









He preferred to just close his eyes and concentrate on his Sprite. Honestly, sitting just a foot or two from giant flames with a big group of people (most of whom he didn't even know), he probably thought Mommy was the devil and we went to Hell for her birthday dinner. He was doing his very best to be a good sport!



Cool leftovers.

As the ice cream arrives, all is forgiven. Mommy even got a little hug from Vincent!

All birthday girls like ice cream!

Photographic proof that Katy is actually the World's Messiest Child. (She's adorable though, isn't she?)

Each night, Vincent's mommy and daddy would call and hear about his exciting day: the things he had seen, the foods he had tried, etc. On Shogun night, the only thing he really wanted to tell them about was the FIRE!!

Makin' Waves

Uncle Ellis and Aunt Kathy invited the fam over to swim in their neighborhood pool last weekend when it was nice and steamy outside. The water was HEAVENLY! At first, Jenny preferred to lounge for awhile...



but she eventually got into the swim of things.



Monica, Jessica, Michelle, & Josh.



Jenny loved hanging out with Uncle Ellis and cousin Jessica.




Ready?
Set?
Splash!



Mommy, Captain Jenny, Daddy and First Mate Katy.

Commotion

Our little Jenny is growing up really fast. At seven months old, she has two bottom choppers, says "Mama" frequently, and is able to crawl all over the house. This video captured her first successful manuever and the end of what little free time Mommy and Daddy had left!

Fourthtastic Family Fun

We usually go to the lake every Fourth of July and shoot fireworks, but this year the place where we light them is under about four feet of water. So instead of trying a floating fireworks display, we invited several family members over for a fun, old fashioned Fourth of July cookout. We had a BLAST. See for yourself.

Jenny kept cool crawling around inside visiting with Grandma Rose.


Grill Master Ed whipped up dinner.



We caught this guy trying to steal Bonsai trees from our backyard.



Jenny wonders, "What kind of puppy is THIS?"


Nanny and The Three Amigos: Heath, Taylor and Jacob.







Daddy made cool ping pong cannons. Put a firecracker in one end, a ping pong in the other. Ready, aim, FIRE!





Katy was our own personal firework display announcer. She would announce whose turn it was to light: It's Jacob's turn! or It's Daddy's turn! After a little while, it began to lightning outside and she loudly announced, "It's lightning's turn!"








Big and little kids lighting fireworks.


After a few big fireworks, Katy decided that Grandma Rose's lap was a safer place to be.

It was a lot of fun listening to Papa tell stories about past Fourth of July celebrations. He used to take gun powder and draw a design on the garage floor (a Dallas Cowboys star or the year, etc.) and then let his little girl (aka Mommy) light it on fire and watch it burn. What a cool dad!


The finale was a little number called "The Destroyer." I wonder if we'll ever be able to talk Daddy into buying some BIG fireworks?

Hope your Fourth of July was a happy and safe one as well!