The fair

The fair is always a summer favorite.  We go one time to experience the animals, food, rides, and heat.  It is always so so so hot.  This year mommy braved it by herself.  Hadley and Oliver were unsure about the animals.  I love them.  The goats....Can we get a goat?  Hadley loves the facepaint.  Oliver loves the balloons.  And the rides are always fun.  Hadley was tall enough to do the slide by herself.  I could bumper car it and Oliver stuck with mommy.

Cows...notice how our faces are not bright red and our hair isn't soaked with sweat.  This was the beginning of our fair journey.

 Oliver can't read the sign that says "I bite."  He'll learn one day.

 The chicken picture...with the trash can in the back every year.

 See Oliver wants a goat too.

 Found a tractor named after him.

 And the rides.

 

11

Reagan turned 11 this summer.  11...that's 77 in dog years.  She is an old dog but so young at heart.  I love her and she is the perfect family dog.  I started researching dogs because I want a puppy.  Not to replace Reagan but because I wasn't around for the puppy years...and puppies are cute. 

We made her a cake.  She loved it and certainly deserved it.

Finishing up lake season...

 Well...We love the lake.  I don't think I have to tell you twice.  All of us...and these days it is hard to find something all five of us really enjoy (six if you include Reagan).  But the lake is it.  Hady loves to swim.  Oliver loves to play and be outside.  I love to do water sports.  Mommy loves to see everyone happy.  Daddy loves to relax.  Reagan loves to wade in the water and cool off.  These first few pictures are from 4th of July.  It was a little cloudy and even cool but we still enjoyed the lake. 

 Oliver got out his water table since he couldn't convince anyone else to go in the water.  Well Reagan would go in but she isn't a certified lifeguard.

 And a few of my favorite 'fireworks'.

 And now wakeboarding...my watersport of choice this summer.  I am getting close to jumping.  Some of the pictures may show me getting a little air.  I hit the water pretty hard once this summer and may wait till next summer to try my big air move again.

 Hady and Oliver love early morning boat rides to watch me wakeboard....sometimes.

 Padddling.

 Grandpa's new lake toy.

 Friends make lake time better.

 Really, his favorite spot.

Another year in Duck, NC

We went to Duck, NC again this year for the big family vacation.  It is always fun.  It is always noisy.  It is always exciting.  This year we stayed really close to the beach which cut down on our walks and scooter rides but meant more beach time.  We also had a slide at the pool.  It was fun.  Our days went something like this...get up, hang with cousins, have breakfast, go to the beach, come back to house for a little swim and some lunch, a little afternoon rest out of the sun, more swimming, maybe a little more beaching, play with cousins, dinner, crab hunting, and then bed.  Something new we did this year was drive a little up the coast to see wild horses on the beach.  It was so cool to see horses right there on the beach, right by the beach houses, even in the garage.  We saw a miniature horse fight.  And we zoomed up the beach in the back of a truck.  How cool, right?

All smiles.

 Everyone's favorite Ali.

 A little baseball on the beach.

 Crabs in a bucket.

 An attempt at a pic of the three amigos.

  I love the beach.

 Oliver loves the beach.  But probably loves Florida beaches a little more (less waves.)

 Hady could live at the beach.

 Swimming...have no fear this was before the shark attacks.

 2/3 not bad.

 We love Liam.

 Everyone's favorite Noah.

 Watching the waves from a distance.

 Told you the pool and slide were super fun.