Fun in the Sun

The heat in Tri-Cities felt glorious.
I loved every minute of it.
So did the kids.
The morning of the 4th,  the kids played in mom's backyard while Mom and I prepared the food that we were contributing to the family meal later in the day.
The kids had fun...doing slip 'n slide....







And stalking



unsuspecting



beach balls.



And playing water hopscotch.



Along with just running around, being a kid, in general.



Mom has done a lot of work in her back yard in the last year.  She extended the patio, had the pergola put in to make an outdoor living room, and most recently she had some stone paths put in along with a little sitting area for the kids under the hydrangea tree, and under the bench in (what I will always think of as) Dad's garden.  I helped plant a lot of it after Dad's last set of bypasses.  And I spent a lot of time out there with him as he'd tend to it and remark about it's growth.  Mom does a really nice job keeping it up and adding to it.  I couldn't help but to think this weekend that Dad would be so pleased with how it all looked.  I'm sure he'd be proud of Mom and how well she has managed to not only take care of everything, but even continue to improve everything.  She really has done a great job.



As I was rushing around finishing up gathering what we needed to head out, I noticed the boys with their favorite animals snuggled up in Dad's chair together as they waited.

They are two peas in a pod.



I snapped this photo as we were heading out to go to meet up with the family for the 4th of July celebration.  In an attempt to hurry things along, Dan was helping Matthew with his shoes.  Which isn't something that is done often anymore.  I snapped a photo because it was just a moment of Dan being a Dad...one of those little things that happens all the time but as the kids become more independent I just find sweetness in these little acts.

Up next is our family 4th of July celebration.

I just took so many photos that day, it is easier to break up the post. :)