So Long Summer!

Now that it is starting to feel more like Fall, I feel like we can FINALLY say goodbye to summer! I looked through our pictures of the last few months and chose a few to remember the fun we had. It was fun to go to the park, especially now that Larisa can play on her own and mommy can enjoy watching and chatting with friends.

While we were off having fun, daddy stayed nice and cool at work. He didn't get a whole lot of down time, but is making up for that now.
We lived through a tornado (or what ever they classified it as...it was pretty destructive and scary!) in the early part of the summer. No, this is not our house. We were safe a mile or so north or this.
The kids and I had fun in Utah with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins galore! Larisa took a liking to Doby and gave her lots of love.
I traveled across the US (or close to it) with my kids. They were SOOOO good! This was a pit stop near Lake Powell. Entertainment really doesn't have to cost anything when there is dirt and open air!
We all had fun celebrating the 4th of July. Larisa discovered that fireworks are NoiSy!!! She preferred staying in the house to watch the excitement. I will always treasure her comment after we picked out "fire crackers" at a stand. She was so excited when we were driving home and asked if she could eat her cracker now. What a disappointment the loud, smokey "crackers" were!
Paden and Amelia had fun with friends and helping daddy set off the stuff they picked out. Mommy had to console Larisa and try to take pictures.
The rainy days and our trampoline were hits! I miss the smell of Utah storms, though. The sagebrush and hot dirt are so much better than the mildewy smells here in OK.
Paden was the star of his baseball team, if I do say so myself! He played catcher and did a great job!
Amelia gave t-ball a shot and was a trooper. She MUST be sweet because the bees were after her ALL the time! We tried to convince her that they wouldn't bother her...uh, we lied. She got stung while daddy was at her game and I was at Paden's. When Rich brought Amelia to me, she had another one on her shorts that stung me when I picked her up. After that day, I don't think Amelia was able to enjoy t-ball anymore! Poor thing!
Paden perfected his diving board skills and is such a FISH! We spent a lot of time at the pool this HOT summer!
Amelia turned six and got to have a short (thank you lightening) party with her friends at the pool. We had to compromise and at least try to make her cake a little girly. She got her snake- and I made it pink!
Amelia mastered swimming and was ALWAYS seen under water with her BIG, blue eyes staring up at you.

We had a GREAT summer and will miss it! Now that school is in and soccer, scouts, dance, PTO meetings, Rich's pilot lessons and YW occupy our entire weeks, I am enjoying the next season of life, but miss the SLOW pace and relaxation of summer.