More Fourth of July

Here are a few more pictures from our family Fourth of July:
Zoe, Zane, and Jensen have some yummy homemade ice cream!Smokebombs away!

MacKenzie makes some Snakes

Zoe and her little bud Zane :)

Thatcher and Brody like the swings

Fourth of July

We were lucky enough to have family here to celebrate the Fourth of July with us. The first fireworks we did were smokebombs. We made LOTS of smoke! The kids loved all the different colors and the smoky smell. The kids also did some charcoal Snakes. When evening came we set up the spectator area and let the dads and the bigger kids do the show. The smaller kids looked on from a safe distance. It was a little loud for Brody so we put some earmuffs on him. We also got some neat glasses with the fireworks that made the fireworks look extra sparkly and like a kaleidascope.

Quad Squad

We had so much fun with all the cousins visiting this summer. One of the favorite activities was riding the quads. I think Belle was the most die hard rider, with MacKenzie and Darcey runners up. They would all take turns together with the bigger kids making sure all the smaller kids had rides. With Belle's influence they even formed a Pit Stop area where they would pull in to get gas and have the tires checked etc. Then of course lunch had to be served out by the action, hence the Pit Stop Cafe. I think they must have all combined to put some serious miles on those quads during those few weeks in July!

Ocean Shores with cousins

We made a quick trip to Ocean Shores while some of the cousins were here in July. They had fun playing in the sand and splashing in the waves. Carson, Maddox, and Hayden loved the waves and did a little skim boarding. We also got to see deer up close and personal as they came right up to the windows of the house we stayed at. Also, I had to include the picture of Hayden that I took when he wasn't looking. He just looked like he was posing for a swimsuit ad! He's such a cute beach boy :)

Hayden's 5th grade banner

I forgot to post this at the end of the school year, but here is the 5th grade banner for Hayden's school that our very own Grandma Gwen brilliantly made. It turned out so awesome! All the kids and teachers just loved it! Each 5th grader has their name on their own book on the shelf and the teacher's names are on the apples. Gwen spent hours making each book unique. After the 5th grade moving up assembly lots of the kids had their pictures taken pointing to their book (like Hayden is doing). Now the banner will hang in the main hall of the school forever!

Seattle Science Center

One of our favorite things to do in Seattle is go to the Science Center. So far this summer we have gone twice, once by ourselves and once with our cousins Wade and Elle. It was tons of fun! Zoe & Carson were both brave enough to hold a giant cockroach (ugh!) and Hayden, Madeline, and I were brave enough (and tall enough) to ride the High Bike which was pretty creepy. It's safe but it doesn't feel like it! Dallas did it too but Erin & Grandma Gwen started getting queasy just watching from a distance!

watermelon cookies

Ahhh, another cute treat! Aren't these perfect for August? I think so! (Thanks Erin for the inspiration) And they taste as good as they look :)