The End of Summer...

It is that time again...Time for many things:

1.) Time for me to get caught up once again on the blog.

2.) Time for school to start right as we have 90 degree weather and it is miserable.  *Note the AC in my building broke mid summer and won't be fixed until September 10th

3.)  It is time for the boys to start back at Bonnie's and the boys to start school twice a week for a couple hours at our church.  They are beyond excited!

4.)  Time to do any last thing we can with our last days together.

5.) Time for me to do a tiny happy dance that I survived the summer with the boys.  Yes - I did threaten a couple times to get a summer job and put them back at Bonnie's ALL SUMMER.

6.) Time to stop thinking of things to say and get to the pictures because that is all you care about anyway!

The boys and I (mostly I) were looking for some new things to do with our remaining time.  It was time to be a little creative when the boys were getting bored of our "same old" parks and activities.  On another blog I saw this really cool play ground at a school in Eau Claire.  I called Aunt Missy to see where it was and it was at the school she teaches at!  So we crashed one of her play dates to play ;)  Aunt Elly joined as she had a day off of work also!

 Such a neat space to have.  The barrier free space was designed for students of all needs and abilities to be able to play and enjoy themselves.  I would have to think ALL kiddos love it!

 One of the afternoons, we joined some friends to play on their bouncy-water slide-pool thingy.  First there was some fun with water balloons which the boys got a kick out of.  They kept slipping out of their hands when they went to throw them!

 We had two curious little boys... watching what the older boys were doing in the garage...  Hockey drills.

 How did Brigs get them changed and near the COLD water???? Suckers of course!

 Aiden still wasn't too sure about the slide part.  He isn't the first to go down any slides at the park either.  

 Once the over-head spraying water was turned off... the boys got a little more brave.

 Most days I was looking for exciting (exciting things for most 2 year olds) things to do... what can be more exciting than a bobcat, tractor, and mini-excavator in our yard?!?!?!  We are finally seeing an end to our landscaping (for this year) and I think this makes Adam VERY happy.  He needs to have his time back and not spent doing projects every night and weekend.  Jeff, a local landscaper and friend, helped Adam get the entire yard ready for grass seed, edged the entire house with rock, and helped prep for another retaining wall.
When the boys aren't so sure of things, they have started covering their eyes.  I think it is cute but also wonder where they learned it from.  Jeff was dumping some rock  and it was going to be loud.

All projects need a good supervisor.  I think Aiden would have been on Jeff's lap if he could have been!

 Bobcat and shovel in hand and ready to go!

 Jeff wasn't using his tractor... so guess who was trying to drive it?  "John Deer Heaven"

 We have grass growing, Adam is busy moving sprinklers, and we added a second tier to the wall... I will maybe get a "after" picture soon!

 I am not sure what the boys will do next summer when they aren't surrounded by dirt.  They will need a big sandbox!

 This little girl is ready for grass and all the projects to stop so she can get some cuddles on our laps... but that requires us to have the time to sit down.  ;)

 These two cocoons will not turn into butterflies... They are two little boys waking up in the morning and needing to stay in "their tent".  Daddy started this one.

 That is Ashton's morning face.

 We took advantage of Adam having his day off during the week and went to the Minnesota Zoo.  Trucks and Dirt have taken over this summer, but they still love animals too!  The penguins were fun to watch!

 The bears were a bit intimidating...

 Aiden didn't want to get too close...

 Our two little boys weren't as brave as the other two boys!

 They did get closer to the trout though. :)

 A cheetah.

 The tigers were further away... but I was OK with that.

 I think Aiden was OK with that too.  He was covering his eyes but wanted to peek as he was a bit nervous.  Too cute.

 If you ask the boys what animal was their favorite they would say, "The Giraffe!"  I think I would agree.  We didn't pay the 5 dollars to feed them and they still came in quite close.

 This is Ashton sitting on a rock...

 This is the entrance to the Dinosaur exhibit that we paid extra money for... the boys LOVE Dinosaurs... so I thought.  The do love them in books and on videos.

 This is Ashton sitting on a rock 30 feet away from the entrance - refusing to go in.  There was fog, loud music and life size dinosaurs ROARING, some even spitting water... he was terrified.  I didn't make him go any further as his eyes were watering and his little body was trembling! ;(

 Sad-scared face.  Pointing where he DOESN'T WANT TO GO!  We had to make light of the situation as we were waiting for Daddy and Aiden... 

 Aiden made it all the way through the exhibit with Daddy... until the very last Dinosaur was a T-Rex and scared the _____ right out of him.  Sad-scared face too.  

 We stopped in at the bird show.  The boys thought it was pretty cool.

 Daddy still working on his day off.

 We didn't bring swim stuff - but we still enjoyed the fountains at lunch time.

 We played a bit and headed home.  Such a busy morning yet so much to see!

There is no need to adjust your monitors or try to clean them...  the boys are that D.I.R.T.Y.   That is ketchup on Aiden's face.  we ate supper outside and he acted so surprised that I knew he went and took a bite of his hotdog "all by himself."

While Adam and I were doing yard work... Ashton was bonding with the dirt.

When the boys AND Daddy are that dirty, why not have fun and wrestle in the dirt?!?!

We had some company one of the nights and made s'mores.  Yummm...

Ashton just prefers the chocolate and marshmallows that aren't toasted.

Aunt Elly is now enjoying the last year of her 20's.  She used to think her birthday was to be a national holiday, but this year's celebration was a bit relaxed with pizza and cake at our house.  Two little boys may have been more excited than Aunt Elly for her birthday!

They got to help blow out the candles... score!

They also got to help open her present... Score!

A Purse?  No fun.

All ready to watch the movie of the day.  They fight over "John Deer Heaven" and "John Deer Earth Mover Action"...

Forced smile...

They would watch this all day if I let them.  The could care less about any other movie, cartoon, or PBS program.

The new thing that the boys are into are building tents, houses, and forts with all the throw pillows and couch cushions.

Three Amigos.

This is the most still I have seen these three sit since we met Finn.  Who would have known that a glass of water would do the trick?!?!  

Last Friday we met two favorite play dates at the Children's Museum.  It was so fun to watch Elise enjoy herself and play.  She could do so much more than just the last time we were there in July!  She tries so hard to keep up with the big kids.

Why is it that we have a train table at home that they don't really play with, but when we come here that is what they choose to do?  My chiropractic office also has a train table and Ashton begs to "go to the doctor" and play with the train.

Bob the Builder.

"Look mom, sames like us!"

We try the art projects for about 5-10 minutes maximum...

This is a scary sight --- in about 13 years!  Aiden driving the three through the bank.

Trouble.  ;)

On Saturday we were invited to ride on a hay wagon in the Downsville Days Parade.  Right up the boys' alley.  Tractors, parade, and CANDY!

I;m not sure if they understood that they needed to throw it to others.  Ashton was packing his pockets.

It was hot outside, but so much fun!  Thanks for the invite Remington!

The best group to throw candy to... Gramma and Grampa, Nana, Mikayla and Uncle Nate.

After the parade we walked down to the rest of the festivities... Downsville is a small town where I grew up.

Ashton chasing Aiden in his Mustang.  Was he speeding?

Free ice cream?  You bet!  Is it good? Yup!

The boys watching the pedal tractor pulls with Remington.

After the parade, Gramma and Grampa came over to spend some time with us.  They know the boys too well... their new favorite bedtime book that Gramma and Grampa brought is "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site."

 They LOVE it and we have read it every night since.

Another thing we have done every night since we took the boys to their first football game of the season?  Tackle each other and play football.  They Loved the game and it helps that Brigs is a water boy for the Mustangs and they keep quite the eye on him ;)  "Brigs doing? Brigs go?  I play football with Brigs?  When I get bigger?  Brigs doing?  Brigs go?"

The boys tackling Grampa.

This picture cracks me up... first of all it looks like a tornado went through, second of all Aiden looks dead in the bottom left corner.  I don't like saying that, but how else do you look at it?  *He was not hurt and is just fine.  ;)

Even though our Summer break is coming to a close, hopefully we still have many summer nights that we can still enjoy!  Log back in on Monday night for this weeks post.  We have had some four wheeler fun and preschool orientation...

Stay cool in this 100 degree heat!
The A Team.