Cousin Visit and Fourth of July

 Michael was on call this week, and we had a full week with Jack, Oliver, and Finn here with us. Cousin time in the summer is so fun!

We went to Spring Park splash pad the first day, and the free lunch truck happened to come by. That is a very appreciated and easy way to feed 7 little boys lunch! We also went on bike rides and did a lot of fort building and backyard playing.

On Wednesday we decorated our driveway into an Under the Sea theme because my neighbor and I planned a chalk fest for the neighborhood. Everyone was out decorating Wednesday and then the night of the 3rd, everyone walked around looking at each other's driveway. It was really nice to have two nights in a row of everyone outside and playing. Summer nights are really just so great, and I love the feeling of bedtime getting later without any stress about that.

Katie's family went home Thursday night and Friday we had a great Fourth. We had a pancake breakfast at the church, went to the parade with the Schmidts and Wilsons, had some downtime during the day, then had a barbecue at the Schmidts house. Michael was on Oral Surgery and Trauma call this year so we didn't risk firework watching. It would have been miserable trying to take two cars to any of the spots or ending up being there without him if he got called out.

Saturday was Parker's baptism and the weekend was full of a lot of prep for Pam's family and prep for our Utah trip. We don't have a lot of empty days this summer but they're full of good things!

Cousins are here!
We are ready for that 7-boy life for a few days!

The cousins loved our bike ride through the jungle.

Library park for lunch and playing

CSU had a booth up at the park to teach kids about brain science.

Lunch from the free lunch truck.
I am obsessed with Fort Collins.

Neighborhood chalk fest!
My neighbor and I planned a night of everyone decorating their driveways and then looking at each other's work the night before the fourth. It turned out so fun.

Downtown parade

What's better than kids at a Fourth of July parade? So happy.

Parade fun with friends.

Fourth of July barbecue with the Schmidts and Wilsons

Parker's Baptism!

We've loved our neighborhood swimming pool this summer.

He's content.

This dude loves the pool,
just not swimming lessons :)

Date night with the Dimonds -- sushi and pinball.

He loves his Kitty so much.

The neighborhood crew is such a cute bunch of kids.

A cherry pie entirely with cherries from our tree!
They're sour, so this was perfect.