So Much To Say

Where has the summer gone?!! It's corny and cliche but it needs to be said...this summer is FLYING by! There is so much to get caught up on, yet so much fun to be had (and so many kids to be entertained - all.day.long :) ) One day you might find a big ol' post of pictures from May to August, 'cause I'm not sure I'm gonna get caught up until school starts again.

For now, though, here's what we did this 4th of July:

We spent the week of the 4th in Utah. So Monday morning I opted out of the Riverdale 5K I was planning on. Mostly because (is this too vain?) I was going to be away from home the whole day and would've been stuck in my sweaty running clothes all day, oh yeah, and because I can't run the whole thing - I gotta take walk/jog rest breaks (I really am trying to be a good runner but, alas, so far it's not workin' for me the way I want!). Since Cameron didn't want to run it either (he was saving his strength for his 200 mile bike-packing trip the next day - a tale for another post), I talked my dad into running with me that morning around the neighborhood instead. Little did I know I'd be running a 5K anyway. My dad is hard core. But he is also merciful and let me jog/walk most of the time. A little something I love about my dad: I know he was dying to run but he stayed with me during my "rest" times and let me talk my head off about nothing and everything. He has a special way of listening that makes me feel like he really cares about what I'm saying - even when I'm sure he's got other things to think about. I told him I'd be able to run the whole way next time - so I didn't run with again that whole week! I'm working on it though, oh yes, yes I am.

Impossible to get 4 kids to sit still, smile, and look at the camera

Later in the day we met up with Cameron's family at his sister's house. It was fun. The kids played and played, in fact, I barely saw Landon and Austin; they were MIA with their cousins most of the time - and when they weren't, they were on the half pipe.

Shauntelle stole my camera and took a few shots. I'm still wondering if I was annoying her with all my picture taking and it was her way of showing me what it feels like to be on this side of the papparazzi. But I did get proof I was there too. Pictures of me are kind of rare these days:

I love that my kids are so lucky to have wonderful grandparents. I love LOVE that they can build relationships with my parents and grandparents and Cameron's parents. Isaac cracks me up in the picture with my dad...wish I knew what they were talking about!

After we left Shauntelle's we headed to my grandma's house. We tried an unsuccesful nap time. Then we met up with more of my family at my Aunt Benette's. Her kids are my cousins but they might as well be my kids' cousins. Her boys and mine get along like best friends. I love it. I didn't take one single picture. I was having too much fun stuffing my face with food and talking and relaxing while all 4 kids were entertained.

We stayed until almost dark. We decided to do our own little fireworks at my parents house so Cameron could get to bed a little earlier since he had to be on the road early the next day for his bike trip. Ella went to bed too. I let Landon have a sleep over with Colton at Benettes. It was weird not to have him with us for fireworks: I kept counting heads thinking how come there's only 2?! But I was happy that Ella was asleep and Landon was having fun with his {second} cousin.

I love this picture of Cameron and Austin watching the firework they lit together:

This 4th was great.

And the rest of the week was so fun too - boating, swimming (I was so happy that Shauntelle met us at the pool - and it was fun seeing one of my best high school friends there), visiting. I even got to go with my mom and Aunt Kim to the American Idol concert. (It was SO much fun {and SO SO loud - am I old to think that?!} I was cracking up at the people around me - all 30+ year old women; should've heard 'em when Stefano took his shirt off. ha ha :) It was seriously so awesome, though, to spend some time with my aunt and mom.)