Summer Fun!

Get ready for a lot of pictures!! I have been taking way too many this summer and there are so many blogs I want to do, but I just can't keep up! So, I decided I would throw a whole bunch into one post and then it will hopefully be easier to catch up on the other blogs I want to do, too (like Domino's Farm, Cub Scout Camp, etc....stay tuned for those blogs coming soon!)

I can't believe how fast the summer is going by and boy are we keeping busy!! We generally do at least one activity a day, play outside in our yard a lot, and all stay up late and sleep in each morning (Camden usually sleeps till 8 or 8:30 and Brett until 9 or 10!). Although sometimes I feel like I am going to lose my mind with two high energy boys, we sure do have fun!

Brett and Anya are two peas in pod and spend lots of time together. One day they decided to pick some veggies from our garden and make a salad together! They were so proud and it tasted good!

Silly boy!!!

I took my dad out to dinner for Father's Day and we had a great time together. It was so nice to be able to finish a sentence without interruptions...ha! Love you, dad!

Absolutely LOVE the Hydrangeas in our backyard! Always makes me think of Kyle's step mom, Karen, who passed away from ALS a few years ago. She had many and they were gorgeous!!

Brett had a fun afternoon at my parents house one day, learning to sew and tying flies (for Fly fishing) with my dad. So thankful they live so close by and are such a big part of our lives!

Brett reading to Camden.....melt my heart!! 

I took the boys to the Dexter Library one Friday to learn about different animals from the Howell Nature Center. Brett was mesmerized and even got called on to answer a question! Camden, on the other hand, was a crazy toddler who wanted to run around and interact with all the kids he was surrounded by! Thankfully, my purse helped entertain him for a short while....and I brought his stroller and snacks!

We loved the Bald Eagle!

Just a random moment after bath time :-) Playing in Brett's room with LEGOS was WAY more entertaining than getting pajamas put on!

Watching the big trucks down the street :-) 

One afternoon I took the boys to the pet store in Saline to check out the animals. Camden loved the mice....

..while Brett couldn't stop talking about the reptiles! He has been asking for a pet snake for a full year now, so I think we are finally going to give in later this summer. We may regret it later, but it is so important to Brett and I think this is a great opportunity to help teach him responsibility. Thankfully, I caught snakes all the time when I was a kid and they don't bother me at all......lets hope that doesn't change!

All bundled up after swimming at Sliver Lake! We love it there!

Selfie with my big boy at Inverness Inn after Silver Lake that day. 

These next couple pictures are for Grandma Mo who loves flowers and gardening....our beautiful flowering vine! Hopefully you can come see it in person soon!

When Brett was a toddler, Kyle made him his very own sandbox in our backyard....and now he is doing the same for Cam! Here is Camden playing in the big pile of sand after it was delivered. If we didn't have cars to get in and out, he would've been content to just keep it there!

Pure JOY! Love this age :-)

One evening I took Brett to our old neighbors house to play, and the kids had fun holding the baby bunny's who were nesting in their yard. Probably not the best idea, but I allowed it since everyone else was holding them. 

My sleeping angel after a busy summer morning. Love him so much!!!

Another afternoon of Legos! Camden lights up with excitement when Brett allows him in :-)

One afternoon I let the boys paint rocks in the backyard. It was messy, but easy to clean up with the hose nearby!

The boys LOVE splashing and keeping cool in the baby pool!

Matt and Amy were in town last weekend so we had lots of fun hanging out! Kyle and Brett were at Cub Scout camp Friday night, so it was much quieter at our house for dinner that evening! I made a yummy lemon chicken with olives and capers for dinner and then we just hung out on the porch all night. Pure bliss!

Then on Saturday night we all went over to my parents house for dinner. The big highlight was this awesome 3-D machine my brother had where you put these crazy big glasses on and would literally go into a virtual reality and feel like you were right there! There really is no way to describe how real and amazing it was without experiencing it first hand. These are the times I love that my brother is so tech savy!

Camden was captivated just watching it on T.V! 

Our neighbors were out of town the past couple weeks, so the boys and I took care of their chickens! Camden loved walking over to collect the fresh eggs each day and say hi to our feathered friends :-) I've made a ton of deviled eggs, a favorite summertime treat of mine, and they are so flavorful and delicious!! 

And lastly, a couple pictures of the boys looking for "E's" (aka ants). Watching them play together never gets old!

See, I told you I've been taking way too many pictures...ha! Among the crazy and stressful times, there are so many perfect moments that I can't help but capture on film :-)