Marshmallow Madness --July 4

Our July 4th was pretty low-key since we actually celebrated the night before. We did spend the afternoon making marshmallow shooters though. Everyone participated and had fun. Smooshy, melty marshmallows aren't easy to clean up, but it was worth the trouble.

We started with pvc pipe and a few T and elbow joints. We had plans I found online, and then modified them as we saw fit. This was super cheap to do!

We made measurements on the pipe, marked it off and started sawing.


I sawed a few and then Claire and Quinn took turns.



Michael cleaned up the edges before we started fitting them together.







These worked really well. Drop in a marshmallow and blow. They didn't wait until they got outside to start and once you nailed someone in the forehead and the look on their face is priceless, it becomes addicting.

I sent them outside and they quickly went through the stash of marshmallows.






We had lots of laughs! We'll definitely pull these out again!

Happy 4th of July!! (on the 3rd) and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This year, July 3rd is our official July 4th and birthday celebration extravaganza. Dinner first --burgers on the grill with lots of other yummy stuff, and then presents!

and the onlookers....



PopPop and Grandma Hilday

Quinn and Ella

Candles...

And then FIREWORKS!!

Some of us had better seats than others...

and this is me taking a picture of Brad---taking a picture.




A fun evening. It's always nice when we can all get together :)

Happy Birthday Michael!

So, Michael turned the big 3-9 on June 30th. Since we have a big part for all those late June birthdays---HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAD (28th) and MOM (29th)---we made a little something to celebrate the actual day since the party isn't for a few more days.

The initial idea was to make gourmet, yummy brownies, stack them up into a circular, pyramid type structure and then drizzle caramel sauce and white choc. chips and butterscotch chips all down and around.

Well, I screwed up the brownies. How hard is it to make brownies? Well, evidently, for me, VERY.

Claire calmed me down in my temper tantrum and constructed a brownie volcano that we iced and used the caramel sauce as the lava and threw in the chips.

It didn't last long, so it must have at least tasted ok.

Park Day!!

So, a nice cool front came through and the Monday after getting back from the beach I took Quinn and Teagan to the park. We chose Clearbrook park. It was pretty deserted. I would have figured people would have been out because it was cooler, but evidently not. We weren't there a long time, but we got to swing, and they played on the bars. We checked out the ducks and the caboose and then headed home.

Macy and Claire were being slugs, so I left them at home. Quinn and Teagan got to stop at Subway for lunch. Macy and Claire got sandwiches at home. Sometimes when Mom says get up we are going to the park, it pays to listen ;)

Once we got home, we tried a recipe for cornstarch clay. It was different, but kind of cool.
Here are some of Quinn's creations. Teagan made a dog bone for Berkeley. I thought we had a picture, but I don't have it.

I've Lost Track of the Days....

New plan...update when I can. There are too many things going on to try to do this everyday. I'm still catching up from the beach! So...I'm going to try to get the Beach done in this post, and then move on, back track a little and finally get to the present day.

Thanks to a very nice zoo employee who was close by, we have a nice family picture from the day.





Again, the children were told not to climb on the wild animals, but this docile tortoise seemed safe enough.
.




Hold on, Spider Monkey!



These were a big favorite of the kids. They were very entertaining too.




Macy. I just don't have any other words.



FINALLY!
Beach Pictures.
Well, we went to the beach several times, but I waited to take my camera until the last day. I don't like chancing getting sand in it.

First up: Mom and Dad.

Teagan's transformation into MerMan! Don't get it wrong, he'll most definitely correct you. Mer-MAN not MAID!!



See his six-pack abs?



Lots of digging. Favorite hobby? Digging up sand diggers and trying to get them in my bathing suit top. They like to see Mommy freak out. Evidently, it's hilarious. For me? Not so much...


Riding the waves in (Claire).





I love Claire's expression below. There was a sand crab under her and she was freaking out. I love it.




Crabs of all kinds were out in force that day. Lots of sand diggers, the little kind that burrow holes all over the beach and come out, only to dodge back in before a foot or gull comes along. They even seemed to be pinching a lot of feet in the ocean this year. A huge one came in on the surf and just sat on the beach until another wave took him out. Yummm, could have been dinner!

Here is one we caught. Such a cutie!



A few family pics...

The picture I try every year.... very seldom does it work out. Everyone is in a bad mood because it is the day we leave. Pushing, shoving, smart remarks, parents yelling. It's all part of it.



Farewell Beach....




We left early that morning (for us--we usually don't get away until around noon), since we were both driving and traffic around the tunnel and on 64 and 95 is always lousy.
It didn't disappoint. The tunnel was ok, but 64 was one big slow down, speed up, slow down, stop. Repeat. All I can say, I'm glad I wasn't in the same car with Michael. He doesn't do traffic well. I had Macy and Quinn. Macy slept a lot and Quinn never said more than two words on the way home. We arrived home around 3 in the afternoon. Even with the terrible traffic, we really didn't make bad time.

The Winchester Parks and Rec. started a free concert series this year. Tonight was the first night and I wanted to go. An African drumming group.

Macy stayed home. (she would have liked it!)

It took place next to one of the play areas, so the kids played and we watched/listened.



Teagan goofing off with his chair.

Goofing off with Mommy now...


They put a tent over the old shuffleboard court.
Here is the drumming group. The guy in the blue shirt on the far left ended up being a guy I went to high school with. Go figure.



Our little area at the bottom of the hill.



Rollin, rollin, rollin, keep the boy a rollin, along...
and maybe he will sleep good tonight.





Anyone want a crabby patty...er... I mean Daddy?



Quinn



Claire

Well, that finishes off vacation. Back to everyday hum drum.