Summer Cousin Fun

What fun would summer be if you didn't get to hang out with your cousins??  Laura and the boys got to come see our house before school started back up and we had to take full advantage of our new community's amenities.  The boys loved the playground (which I always thought was ridiculous and weird because it's very odd and quirky...and not at all friendly for little ones, but the big boys thought it was great)!  We enjoyed a couple of hikes before it was too blisteringly hot.  They even found a tree to climb.  We chased frogs, caught minnows, hunted grasshoppers, and picked sunflowers.

Everyone would have a little quiet time with movies, devices, or naps.  Then it was round two!  It was so hot that we had to nix any additional outdoor activities except for the pool.  It was hard to get a picture, but Laura managed to snap a super cute one...and everyone was actually looking!  Reid is such a follower that we'd had a long talk before getting in the water about how he can't swim independently quite yet (although he insisted he could) and since I have to be right next to Carter, Reid had to stay on the steps or wear the puddle jumper.  In one ear and out the other, I guess, because it wasn't five minutes before he took off after Alex (who can swim independently) and scared himself to death.  Needless to say, he had to wear the hated puddle jumper the rest of our time at the pool, no matter how much he complained.

We somehow managed to squish everyone into the car for trips to other places.  I loved this picture of all of them!

Evenings were full of playing outside, scarfing down some dinner (Carter loved eating with all the big boys), showers/baths, and storytime.  Then we adults looked forward to some yummy meals or take out, since Papa John's is still the only place that delivers here.  In usual sleepover fashion, it takes some separating and warnings of "go to sleep!" before any boys would snooze.  It was wonderful and a teensy bit sad that Ben shared Laura's room.  It means he's getting older, but how wonderful that he wanted to read for hours before going to sleep.  And let's face it...he'd never be able to read with Reid and Alex ganging up on him, lol!!

We snuck in a very quick trip down to Laura's house, too, or Reid wouldn't have ever let me hear the end of it.  He got to join them on their last day of VBS at their church.  I was a little bit surprised that he was so timid about going into the classroom and hope he hasn't inherited my social anxiety!  He ended up loving it, of course.  That day allowed Laura, Carter, and me to make my first trip to Torchy's Tacos...mmm!  Oddly enough, we ran into a friend's wife who had just returned from living in France for several years.  Her son and Carter are just a few days apart.  Small world!

It was a short, but fun trip.  I happened to check on the boys one night and managed to snap a picture of this cuteness...Alex was reading to Reid.  It's amazing that they're all growing up so much.

But the funniest thing?  Carter couldn't get enough of Casey's cage.  I literally couldn't keep him out of it!  Poor Casey was probably super excited to get rid of us so she could have it all to herself again.

I'm so glad my sister is state side and that we can enjoy time with our boys.  There's never a dull moment with four of them!  And how wonderful to spend time with her.  God knew what He was doing when he created the sibling bond :)