How hot is it?!

It's HOT!

Well, actually today isn't really that hot.

But it sure has been hot!!

And just how hot is "hot"?!

Hot enough to melt little jars with crayons?

Maybe....

After 24 hours in the sun Vivian and Rolli are holding up their sun-melted crayon candles.

The idea was to melt our crayon candles in the sun 

and then be rewarded with our own little colorful candles.

Unfortunetly, this mix of crayons didn't burn.

By the time we got the 3rd candle lit the first one had already burned out. 

I'm guessing that we should have used just one brand of crayons 

instead of the mixture from our broken coloring supply.  

Oh' well.  The kids still had fun!

Summer days with Daddy

We love having this guy home!

Silly-face Vivian, Cuddle-bee Rolli and Daddy :)

And we do our best to take advantage of the hot summer days with Daddy.

Marshall and his lil' man cooling off.

Three hot bodies wading in the perfectly refreshing water.

Vivian and Rollin 'catching' baby fish with Marshall.

It makes me smile to watch these 3 together :)

Exploring and playing under the sun.

Bella.

Our first baby.

Moved to last place.

Poor girl doesn't go to the river often enough.

She was in doggy heaven.

Swimming, playing fetch and digging up rocks from the river bottom.

This day just reinforced Bella's love for Marshall.

Me (and Colter) and Vivian.

Relaxing in the shade,

enjoying a snack,

and watching the river rafters go by.

Rolli and Daddy.

One perfect, lazy, summer day!

Hair and Scissors

They told me they where playing "Doctor".

And they where.

I thought "Wow, they are being so good this morning while I get ready."

Why would I ever think that when silence is all I hear?

Apparently Vivian's Doctor also cuts & styles hair.

She sat perfectly still for her brother while he "pretended" to cut those lovely locks.

Unfortunately or fortunately I had just made hair appointments for both kids.

Then I opened my big mouth and told them that they'd get haircuts next week.

To top it off I also left the scissors on the counter.

Vivian's quiet haircut might just be my fault :(

Now the professional gets a turn :)

This little fashionista wasn't nearly as patient and still the second time around.

Rollin got his ears lowered too :)

And he even got a rinse off in the grown-up sink.

Vivian's new hair style!

Light and easy in the summer heat.

Freshly styled and ready to model.

No more bedhead!

Vivian has agreed to tell Rollin "No thank you." next time he offers to cut her hair.

However, I love this new, unplanned, hair style on Viv.

Playground Masters

I love taking Rolli and Vivian to the park.

Here is just one reason...

Playground Masters

These two are so independent, coordinated and strong.

They pretty much own any playground we go to.

:)

Thomas the Tank Train

Rollin, Vivian and I got to spend a short weekend in the Seattle area visiting Grammie Kathy 

aaaannd

riding on Thomas the Tank Train!!

It was a packed, hot summer weekend.

We went to the beach in Ballard, 

had a slumber party with their cousin Miles,

visited the Salmon Festival market 

and the kids got to ride on a city bus for the first time!

Then we where off to visit Thomas and Friends!

Here comes Thomas!

Miles, Rolli and Vivian 

excited to be riding Thomas!

...even though it was like a "green house" in the passenger car.

The train ride took us by Snoqualmie Falls (and back).

Our 3 lil' Thomas passengers waving at the small crowd as we tooted by.

Thanks to Aunt Lindsey for the invitation and Grammie Kathy for the memorabilia shirts :)

Thomas was a bit more English and a tad less exciting than I had expected.

But Rolli and Vivian didn't know any difference and they talked the WHOLE way home.

...then slept in till 9 the next morning!

Now my lucky kids have ridden in a 

car,

boat, 

plane,

pony cart,

bus 

and train.

What's next?!

Beet Ravioli

Beets, beets and always more beets.

I seem to over plant beets every year!

Fortunately I love their earthy root flavor :)

One of my favorite beet recipes is ravioli.

Rollin and Vivian also find Beet Ravioli with Poppy Seed Butter quit delectable.

fine taste, poor manners

We'll just have to work on our table manners ;)

evening hike

After Kinderfest but before fireworks we went for a lovely evening hike.

Vivian, Rolli and our dog pack of friends hiking up towards Saddlerock.

The was the farthest and happiest that Vivian has hiked yet!

Me, Rolli, Vivian and Becky.

Wild Indian Vivian and Becky.

Becky was kind enough to spend her 4th of July with us

 packing a sugar high Viv half way up Saddlerock.

Rollin, Vivian and Bella.

A good hike and they still have energy to climb a tree!

Rollin

Michelle, Becky with Vivian and the dogs 

watching a few random neighborhood fireworks as we head down the hill.

We ended our 4th of July with a few of our own fireworks and icecream :)

And two very tired kiddos.

Kinderfest!

We had a fun packed, sugar filled, busy 4th of July that ended with fireworks and ice cream!

Thanks to Amy's parents for being involved in the community and letting us know about Kinderfest!

Kinderfest was a free event in Leavenworth for kids.

Perfect for a sunny, summer holiday!

Amy with her brother and sister-in-law who where passing out popcorn to the hungry crowd.

Cindy (Amy's mom) and her helper saved the last 2 balloons for my two hot heads.

Rich (Amy's dad) and Amy.

Rich was passing out the most deliciously pink cotton candy to little hands. 

Lunch!

Can you believe this?!

Yes, Rolli and Viv skipped lunch and got snow cones, cotton candy and balloons instead.

It was a PARTY!

Rolli absolutely loved the cotton candy!

A sticky lunch calls for a rinse off on the slip-n-slide.

Rolli and Viv in line for the slip-n-slide.

"Yaaaa, Yaay!!"

Vivian getting her face painted.

A Be-A-utiful butterfly.

Rolli getting a fire cracker painted on his face.

Happy 4th of July!!

Thanks to Kinderfest and all it's volunteers for the fun afternoon!

Cucumber smiles!

We love our garden!

It makes us smile :)

Literally...

Marshall

Vivian

Rollin

Nothing like discovering a huge harvest of sweet little cucumbers to make us happy!

Especially when one just happens to be in the shape of a smile.

"Cucumber, why do you make us so silly?!"

Just a little side note,

I'm so very thankful that that handsome man with a mustache was able to come home 

and laugh in the garden with his family.