Parades, Carnivals, and other Yee-Haw

You know the funny thing about pictures? There are some really significant, fun, and/or time-consuming things we do that I don't take pictures of because I either don't have my camera or don't have an opportunity to take pictures. Then other times we do something relatively minor, and snap a million photos. Life is usually disproportionately documented, at least in my case.

This is one of those instances, but I like the pictures, and it's how my family looked this summer, so I'm documenting away. On the 24th of July (Pioneer Day around these parts), I read that there was a "Children's Parade," and since we spent most of the day doing projects, I thought the kids might like to go, even though I didn't know what it meant. Turns out all of the floats had children on them, which Josh thought was awesome. After the parade, we discovered that there was a little carnival. Simple stuff, but the stuff Josh's dreams are made of. He got to go "fishing" for a prize,

get this balloon dog made especially for him,

use a baseball to knock over stuff, and somehow win this little plastic flute, which doesn't really play but both kids love anyway.

Oh yes, and the snow cones were well-loved by all.

Josh also got his hand painted. I thought it was funny that out of all the designs, he chose an alien. So, a little diversion to the parade turned out to be quite the activity.

The next week, we went to my hometown to participate in "Rodeo Days" festivities. Oh, yes, it's a good time. Keeping on the theme of disproportionately documenting my life, I don't have photos of the parade - a definite kid favorite, because in my hometown they throw A LOT of candy. Who cares that's it's all tractors and the local clogging class, as long as there's good company (check) and lots of candy (check, check). I also don't have photos of when Gary and I went to the rodeo, but that was awesome, too. My family was awesome enough to give us tickets and watch our kids, so it was a little night out for us. I felt all youthful as we hollered for the cowboys. And since we were in the front row, we got the pleasure of feeling like we got kicked by a bull, although it was actually the fence right in front of us he kicked. Then as we walked out the rodeo clown congratulated me on my coming baby, so it was pretty much the perfect date.

I do have pictures of that weekend, though . . . Josh had a great time playing with Uncle Dave outside. For a long time, too, Uncle Dave was really a star. It was so cute, I had to get a picture of them swinging together. So, I took my camera outside, and captured the moment . . . and the onset of Dave's bloody nose. See, I'm really good at choosing the right instant.

Noah briefly share a swing with cousin Sophie. It was too bright to look at me, but they thought it was funny (for a minute).

Josh, Sophie, and Tate, swinging away.

And, who is the best of all the game in getting all 5 kids to play happily for a long time? Aunt Kristen, of course.

So, if there was unpleasantness on Rodeo Weekend, I don't remember it, which appears to be the bonus of writing about it two months later. And also the bonus of random picture taking - see all of the smiling children in all of the photos? I can imagine that's the way things just are all the time. I mean, look at my carefully-collected evidence . . .

We've Got Swimming Skills

I just asked Josh to bring me a piece of apple to eat, and he had to look through all of the slices to see which one said "Mom" on it instead of "Josh." (No, they aren't really labeled, it's just one of those notions he got.)

Anyway, keeping on the vein of preserving my summer memories, both of my boys had swimming lessons at the end of July. Noah did the mom-and-me while Josh had his own class. I don't have pictures of Josh excitedly jumping around in the water while waiting his turn, or of any other skills for that matter, because I was busy playing, "If you're happy and you know it kick your feet" in Noah's class. So, I just settled on this before-class shot, where Josh was trying valiantly to get Noah to stay put while I snapped the photo. Then Noah's teacher saw my plight and offered to take a picture of all 3 of us. Thanks!

Josh was a crazy water baby last year, but every time we took him swimming this year, he freaked out if the water was more than a foot deep. No matter that he was wearing a life jacket or that his parents were holding him, he still couldn't handle it. I couldn't believe it was the same kid who jumped off the diving board last year. So, I didn't know how the whole swimming lessons thing would go, but he LOVED it. We went every day 9 days in a row, and he was excited every time. It was so cute to look over at his class. I could pick out which one was him right away due to his glow-in-the-dark hair, and his smile was usually bright enough to match. So, he's not Michael Phelps quite yet, but at least he doesn't scream his head off when he goes swimming, so I say success!

As for Noah, he really got to be an excellent swimmer. Isn't that what it means when you pass all the skills for mom-tot? (A side note - I was very amused by one mom in the class that was very concerned that her child perform the "skills" properly. I thought it was a given that the class isn't really indicative of, well, anything.) Actually, since Noah is too young to have sense enough to be afraid, he was the star of "bobs" (being dunked in the water). You know, even typing this a few months later, I still have tender feelings towards swimming lessons. I've never really had "Noah time," but this class gave me the opportunity to do something fun with him, just me and Noah. His little personality has developed so much in the last little while, I feel like it was such a great opportunity to enjoy him one-on-one, which probably won't happen much in the next little while. He was so cute, laughing and hugging me . . . and he was weightless in the water, which always helps.

So, we got time together, the kids got to play, Josh got to have "his own locker," and also they each got little certification cards and a sucker in the end. What a deal.

Random Summer Snippets

Wow, this all seems like a long time ago . . . for example, Noah sabotaged his own hair cut a couple of weeks ago and ended up with a buzz, therefore he now looks a year older than this picture . . . sigh. Anyway, soon after learning to walk, he realized it was time to earn his keep.I showed up one day to pick Josh up from the day care at the gym and he looked like this. None of the other kids had masks on, but Miss Sarah (whom Josh adores) said all the kids made them but Josh was the only one that wanted to leave his on for a long time. He said it was his Spiderman mask and he left it on the whole way home. One day Josh spied this helmet in Wal-Mart and asked if I would buy it. I had been wanting to get him a bike helmet anyway, to teach him safety while safety is still cool, so I said sure. He was clearly surprised, and then pointed to one of those Hummers for kids and said, "We should get this to go with it." Hey, while you're on a roll, might as well ask . . . (no, it didn't work for him the second time). He was so excited about his helmet and knee pads he put them on to eat breakfast the next morning.

It's our family Christmas gift (what Gary and I got each other) from last year that we finally purchased this summer. Josh and Noah like to sit next to each other and pound away. Sure it can get obnoxious, but it's pretty cute how they dance around. I remember feeling like a musician doing the same at their age.

Another crucial summer development - there are certain shows that put Noah in the same trance Josh often finds himself in. It actually never lasts long, but the length of a 5 minute shower is long enough, and I thought the looks on their faces was funny enough to capture.

On the developmentally appropriate side, Noah also spends time reading the weekend paper with his father . . . or he has become a little monkey that imitates everything.

For Josh and Noah's joint birthday-season in May, we got them a trampoline in early July. Josh was soooo excited for it to come, and Gary was awesome to put it together right away the night it came. Josh would have been jumping on the box if he hadn't . . . Gary did a great job, but unfortunately the directions didn't give a crucial step in the beginning, so after putting it together once he had to take it apart and do it again. What a labor of love, gotta like this guy. He suffered a lot mosquito bites but seemed genuinely excited to see Josh excited with the final product.

And wow do they love it! We put a little stool outside so Noah can climb in, too, and they have a lot of fun. I have loved having something for them to do in our back yard.

Yeah, they are wearing swimsuits in the trampoline picture. They spent most of the summer running back and forth between the pool and the trampoline. Can you tell if they like it?

Hooray summer!