Check

One thing on our summer To Do list is ditching the training wheels on Megan's bike.  Mark that one as a check

The boys roller bladed while I ran/walked along her side this morning.  I had to use a bit of tough love, as she wanted to rest every 5 revolutions of her pedals.    She'd get quite mad anytime I would let go of her.  It took a bit, but she did it!  The deal has been when she can ride 100' by herself we would get Dilly Bars (that's how we celebrated when the boys ditched the training wheels).
We had several 'so close' moments prior to her success in the video.  She would stop pedaling just when she would balance.  She told me she stopped because I wasn't cheering or encouraging her enough.  That is why I am laying the praise on a bit thick in the video!

Cook Farm

Saturday evening, we all gathered at Jerry and Ione's farm (where Tom and his family now live).  The kids and I were debating whether or not to head to the farm after our time at the lake.  We were pretty tired from the day before at the lake, as well as all the fun of fireworks and birthday activities the previous days.  We were getting ready to decide our plans when Jonathan heard that KFC was catering the meal at the farm.  To quote Jonathan: "That's a game changer".  So, we headed to the farm.

 A few of the great grandchildren of Bob and Irene Cook.

 Jonathan holding Karter, who is a week older than Kayla.  Karter made the trip up from Texas for the reunion.

 Eric and Camden

 My Mom and her siblings and sibling in laws.  My Dad is the only one missing in this pic.  Counting my grandparents' years of marriage, there are 441 years of marriage in the Bob Cook Family.

Eric found this crushed egg shell by the playset.  He asked me to smell it, telling me it smelled like poop and rotten eggs.  Um, no thank you.

Megan and Janaya.  Janaya is one year older than Megan.  They are good buddies.  Wish Texas was closer.

 Megan did not want a kiss from Uncle Whitey

 Marlene had lots of fun yard games for the kids to play

I asked the kids who they had the most fun playing with at the reunion.  Their answer was Carter and Kylie...the cousins that live in Bismarck that we rarely see.  We all agree we need to get together more frequently!

 Just missing Don in this picture!

The Cousins and some spouses

Maesse cabin

The extended Cook Family met at Todd and Shelly's cabin last week to celebrate Jerry and Ione's 50th anniversary.  The kids immediately went into the lake when we arrived at the cabin.  Jonathan came out of the water a few times to play kickball.  Megan left the water a few times to play with Kayla or the Barbies she brought.  Eric only came out for supper.

 Jonathan and his cousin Sam chilling out

 Eric loved the tubes!

 Megan and Kayla.  Kayla got to dip her feet in the water a little bit

 The boys and the 2 Samuels went 'tubing' behind the paddle boat.  The tubers kept giving the paddlers the 'go faster' sign.....

 Janaya splashing in to hte water

 Sunset

 Megan and Courtney watching for fish

A rare moment when Amy wasn't making Kayla cry

We stayed with Grandma Miller at the Cormorant Inn that night.  The kids immediately laid down on their beds!  All that lake time wore them out.

The 4th

The 4th of July is our favorite holiday as a family, which means it's really the only holiday Don likes and gets excited for.  We have our 4th of July traditions down to a T.  I don't even have to make 'to do' lists....we are that good at it.
We started our day, as always, at the Mandan parade.  We parked in pretty much the same spot I always park in.  We set up our chairs on Main Street between 2nd and 3rd Ave NW on the south side of the street (as always), and we were joined by the Flemmer/Jorgenson/Helm families (as always).  New to our group this year was Jess and Huxley (hey...we aren't so stuck on tradition that we can't let others join us!).  We were missing the Miller side of the family this year, just like last year....something that was not unnoticed by the boys.
After the parade festivities, we gathered back at our house for swimming, food, and fireworks.  It was the first time the Flemmers joined us for post-parade festivities.  We had the boys' b-day cake a day late with our supper.   Our 4th tradition is to grill pizzas for supper.  We also typically have cocktail meatballs during fireworks, but I was too tired to make em this year, plus, we were all still stuffed from supper.  Jonathan may have cried a bit when I told him I wasn't making them.

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 Sno cone cupcakes.  Thanks Pinterest.

 The Loot.  So fun to live in a town where we can light off fireworks!

 Jonathan and Eric teaching the young Flemmer girls how to play with explosives

 We lit off the parachutes in the lot behind our house.  Our trees have gotten too big to do this in our backyard

 BFFs

 Dual Roman candles.

 Megan is comforting the girls.  Their tears are fake and dramatic

Huxley watched the fireworks from a distance.  He was a bit scared.  

 This is Huxley's first year seeing fireworks (2011).  He must feel safe at the stop of our steps

Megan keeping Huxley safe.  Love this pic.  I can still hear his "oooooohhhhhh" when I look at this picture.

What Would Aunt Amy Do????

This morning, as we do every year on July 3, Megan and I went to the Art in the Park.  July 3 is probably my favorite day of the year.  I have only missed the Art in the Park 2 times since moving to Bis/Man in '97.  Once when I went to Lake Melissa with Missy and Brian, and the other was when I had the boys.
Megan gets a $5 budget when she and I go through the booths.  She usually buys a beaded bracelet/necklace set.  She brings her own purse.  It's a big deal.
One of the booths was selling matching girl/doll dresses.  They were pretty cute.  The dresses were sundresses, that I am sure I could make myself (although mine wouldn't be as good).  They were beyond Megan's $5 budget.
I asked myself what Aunt Amy would do, if she and Megan were together....

I think I made the right choice

Eleven

The boys were just a wee bit excited for their birthday.  They were up at 5:30.  They were awake prior to that, they just did not leave their room until 5:30.   Their gifts were already waiting for them.

 Jonathan opened his gift first.  He got a long sleeve Miami Heat shirt, and a full zip heat hooded sweatshirt.  He likes the Heat.

 Eric's gift was nearly as tall as he was.  His sensei said it would take 2 rolls of wrapping paper....I thought it would take more than that, so I just slapped a bow on it.

 It was quite challenging for him to open

 Now he can practice all of his krav maga moves at home!

 Someone always wants to play in the empty box

 Red is a good color for Jonathan, especially when he is all sun kissed.

 After lunch, we took the kids to Leapin' Lizards.  It's a play area with a bunch of inflatables set up.  There is also foosbal and air hockey.  Notice the Heat jersey?""

 Megan cruising through one of the inflatable obstacle courses

 Eric, still excited over getting his Wave Master earlier in the day, continues to practice his palm strikes.

 Don surprises Megan as she comes down the slide.

 After Leapin' Lizards, we went to DQ.  Surprisingly, Jonathan could not finish his Earthquake Brownie thingie.  Not surprisingly, Eric had no trouble downing his Chocolate Covered Cherry Waffle Bowl Sundae.

This is the boys' birthday supper. They were yummy.  My boys are carnivores!