Pioneer Picnic

This year for our Branch pioneer activity, we got to enjoy the day at a family's in our Branch's land. We started the day out with horseback riding, shooting guns, visiting and playing with friends. The family that hosted everyone does amazing dutch oven cooking and was nice enough to cook for everyone. We had dutch oven chicken and for the brave, mutton, along with lots of yummy salads and desserts. It was a fun day to spend with friends and it was actually not a million degrees or crazy humid outside making for the perfect day!

It's that time again!

Time for funnel cakes, 4-H animals, rides, country music concerts...in other words...it's fair time! Last night we went to the neighboring county's fair (Christian does a lot of work with farmers there) for some yummy food, carnival rides and a demolition derby. The derby was actually pretty good for a little fair. Travis loved every minute of the crashing cars and kept saying "go, cars, go!" After the derby, the boys rode a couple of rides and we found ourselves a funnel cake (my favorite) and headed home! It was a fun night despite the heat!!

Checking out the animals

Trying to cool down with a snowcone...they were so hot!

Getting ready to watch the derby.

Carson wanted to take a picture of Travis and I. He did a pretty good job.

Travis wearing the ear protectors. They didn't last long on his head, but he looked so cute because they squished his little cheeks forward!

Riding the rides!

A sad little Travy because he couldn't ride the ride with his brohter!

Today, it was forecasted to get up to 104, and mother nature didn't let us down! It was 104 on the thermometer in our car!! Luckily, we were able to keep ourselves cool by going to a nearby lake and play around. The boys had TONS of fun playing at the beach and enjoying the water.

Having some lunch before we went out to play.

Playing on the tube!

Playing at the beach!

Our Water Bug!

Carson finally finished up his swimming lessons this week. He LOVED every minute of them! He has always loved water and is now starting to get the hang of the actual swimming part of it. Travis would have loved to join his brother, but was too little. He had a melt down the first couple of days when he didn't get to get in the water with his brother but really enjoyed watching his brother swim.

Blowing bubbles!

Carson's "muscles"

Longing to be in the pool with his brother!

Playing the last few minutes of of lessons

Our past week!

Our Fourth of July this year was pretty relaxed. Since it was on a Sunday, we decided to just have some friends over for a bbq. After some yummy food, the kids did some smoke bombs, snakes and snaps for fun! What's sad, is we didn't even stay up late enough to watch the city firework display...lame, I know!! But, it was fun to spend time with friends!!

Enjoying some snaps!

Lighting snakes. Travis still talks about the "nakes"!

Christian being a bad example and holding a smoke bomb in his hand!

Travis and his friend riding on the "wheeler" as he calls it!

Happy Fourth of July!!

As for the rest of the week, we had playgroup out our house this year for our 3rd annual pool party! We filled the pool, put the slide in it, popped waterballoons, and ran through the sprinkler, and ate pizza. Even though it wasn't overly warm outside, the kids still played in the water! Carson and Travis were so excited to have friends come and party at our house!

Today, the boys and I went on a picnic with some friends. We took all the left over crusts from our pizzas that we made yesterday and feed the geese that live at the park.

Yikes that's a lot of geese!!