One month to a funner summer

I haven't been posting much lately. We've been really trying to soak up this summer and so my internet time is limited to shopping for flip-flops and watching Jimmy Fallon #Hashtags. It is so hard to summarize the glorious month of July in one post, but I'll do my best.

Boys on the beach

Seriously, kid, stop eating sand.

Canoeing Lacamas Lake on date night

Splashing around in the Washougal River

So much sidewalk chalk--homemade, I might add.

Isn't this dog Alex drew great?

Picking blueberries on Sauvie Island

Snacking in the tent

The blues

Swimming in Hood River with this cool dude

Just hanging in the yard with my sweet boy

Hey, I did some work this month. Check out the organized tools in the barn!

Blackberries. This kid is a pro! He only pick the ripe ones and he eats every one he picks!

Sharing berries with his buddy Karl.

I can't wait for August!

I love a parade

At the coast last weekend we watched a great little 4th of July parade go by. It was Ole's first parade and his first time trying candy--what a happy kid! I'll spare you most of the photos because for some reason I felt a need to photograph every single float and classic car, but here are a few:

I asked if they dress up the dog for other holidays. "No," she said, "just the 4th." "Christmas?" I asked. "Well, yes, Christmas too."

Waiting for the parade with Grandma and Grandpa.

The veterans' float followed by a member of Tokeland's awesome unicycle club.

A sleigh of dogs. I'm not sure what that random shoe is all about.

He watched intently.

The pirate ship

Cool kiddie barrel cart

His Mariners cap literally brimming with booty.

Keeping cool

Summer turned HOT this week, and with no end in sight, we are all about keeping cool outside. That means water! It started with the plastic pool and now we're getting creative: add a slide and a garden hose to make a water slide. He quickly figured out that he can slide much faster in the buff.

Alex showed him the fine art of running through the sprinkler.

And this one should be captioned, "I don't know," a familiar phrase around here these days. It cracks me up as it's always accompanied by a dramatic shoulder shrug.