4th of July!

A little late - I thought I had already posted about our super fun 4th of July, but apparently not!

We really did have a great day.  Lance played in a golf tournament that morning and the kids and I went with some friends out to Pegram for a parade, bounce houses, and yummy, but oh so unhealthy fair-type food (funnel cakes, corn dogs, chicken on a stick).  The kids racked up on candy thrown in the parade and are still selecting pieces to put in their backpacks each day at camp.  Katie was so proud of her 4th of July t-shirt that she made at camp (Tyler made a pillowcase so he couldn't wear his).

It was a gorgeous and not too hot day, so we spent longer than expected at the Pegram celebration and didn't make it to the pool for the 4th of July party, as intended.  We had our own backyard party though!  On the way home we stopped to pick up some low-key fireworks (sparklers, colored smoke bombs, pops, and snakes) and that afternoon Lance relented and let me get a blow-up pool.  Epic fail, since our sloped yard had no space for it anywhere and it wouldn't work.  We now have a giant baby pool (depth wise) in the yard, with water that needs to be drained already (the pump wouldn't work because it couldn't get tall enough), and that is killing the grass and is an eyesore.  I will say, though, that the kids do get it in some afternoons and like splashing around - they just would like it better if it was 3 feet deep!  We had a good time, despite the lame pool (or rather yard) - Lance was grilling and the kids were dancing fools!  I love watching Tyler dance!

We have just two weeks left of camp after this one - eek!  That means school is about to start!!!  I have been picking up shirts and shorts lately, and need to get shoes, supplies, and lunchboxes and then we'll be set.  We are actually going to the beach right before school starts (just for a long weekend) since there are no camps available and school doesn't start until Wednesday.  We decided to celebrate our anniversary (13 years) a little early and bring the kids along!  We thought about different trips - Vegas, Kings Island, a cruise - but for us nothing beats the beach and especially the beach where we got married - and we thought it would be good to get away one last time before the craziness begins.  We will have their birthday and Fall Break not too long after school starts, too, but this will be like our last hooray of the summer!  The first week of school will be kind of trying since the first day is a half day, they have no school on Thursday, and then do have school on Friday - but after the first week we have aftercare and they can sign up for school's out care, too so I won't complain, too much!

The kids are doing great swimming, although Tyler refuses to take the camp swim test (he has gotten it in his head that it is dangerous for some reason).  Katie did take it this week, but started doggie paddling halfway through (which is a no-no) so she didn't pass.  She plans to take it again next week and she should pass since she can swim the length of the pool by herself  nowadays.  Tyler is still firmly in dog paddle stage but getting better about holding his head up and they are both fish underwater and not afraid to jump in at all.  We should have another month of good pool weather and they don't close until Labor Day, so hopefully by the official end of summer we'll have two swimmers!