August happenings

Posted by Jenny H

Right away this boy turned 9 in August. I love his goofy smile here. Too often all I get is a creepy clown smile and not the real ones I see everyday.

And in keeping with tradition he had to wear the Mickey hat.

We had a simple birthday because Jed was at scout camp. Rotten timing, but we spoiled him and he got tons of fun gifts. We invited his bestie and family to swim with us. Then we ate cupcakes. Rotten lighting and everyone looks so funny because they are all wet!

Isaac, Ash, Arianna, and Emma. Later we had cake for him and he got to open a few more presents.

One free day we decided to fly kites in Milwaukee. We love that kite-flying park.

The fire dept. was having a training drill and going up and down ladders.

My boys got so wet! It was fun to run in the spray, and it felt good in the hot weather. The breeze there is constant so it still feels good.

Emma would more than not be standing with her kite while it flew.

Jed got a stunt kite and it was so funny to see Ashton try to fly it. He could barely hold it with his skinny little arms.

Below is Jed laughing because Ash looks so cute.

I talked everyone into renting a surrey. Those big family pedaling carts. Jed was horrified, and he had good reason. Our kids were dead weight!

Sure we took these smiling photos but inside we were dying. It was really hard to pedal. Ash and Emma tried to help but it didn't do much.

After a bit we let Emma drive and that was a riot. We kept veering off the road, we barely made it 30 minutes when we had a whole hour. Oh, well.

Our primary had a party! Its really small, only four families for a total of 13 kids. And that is almost the whole primary! Only a few inactives.

I made them try to roll a water balloon to a finish line and similar games.

But eventually a big water fight broke out, and they loved it. Jed had a challenge one day when he was subbing in primary for me. He said any kid who sang and was good could throw water at him at the party. We ran out of water balloons, but I got cups of water.

The little kids got up close and he didn't even try to dodge.

And another water fight broke out.

He really is a fun dad and Branch President. This is my favorite one. They all ganged up on him.

And as a last hurrah we went to the Milwaukee Public Museum before school started.

The best part was the butterfly room. Ashton was deathly afraid of the butterflies. Below he is ducking every time a butterfly flew by.

Emma had one land on her headband flower.

I tried to zoom in to get it, its a black one.

And the best part, one butterfly almost snuck out with us. It flew into the little exiting room and we were waiting for the worker to notice. She was talking to someone, so we were just hanging out in it and then it landed on Ashton's head. Talk about a bad choice! He screamed but didn't whack it, she grabbed her net and ran in to save him. Meanwhile his mom was laughing the whole time. Then I missed it with my camera.

I think he might be scarred for life.

Then we visited the exhibit "The Streets of Old Milwaukee," another hilarious experience. They were surprised by everything. "Mom, are these bikes real? How did people get up on them?" I don't know actually.

And what is this strange stand? It sells newspapers! Whoa!

You mean people actually lived without a phone in their house?

And the old candy shop was fun. We tried out some old kinds that I didn't remember them tasting so nasty as a kid!