Summer Rocks!

 We just got back from an awesome 10 day vacay with the Wolfe clan.  We started out with a 3 day camping trip in Indiana and then spent the rest of the time at Julie's brother's lake house in Michigan.  We all had a fantastic time - the kids literally played from sun up to sun down every single day and couldn't have had more fun.  Poor Matt lost his wedding ring in the lake while riding on the tube, which is an especially big bummer since we bought it in Ireland.  Julie's suggestion is to go back and get another, so we may just have to do that some time:)  Ring loss aside, I think we pretty much did every single fun summer activity there is to do.  We are so lucky to have such great friends to travel and play with:) 

Camping was a little rough for Josh b/c he wanted to be down and crawling around more than we could let him, and he was a disaster sleeping, but he still enjoyed his first 3 nights in the great outdoors. 

 Some camping Olympics

 The hot tub on the porch of the lake house

 Under water breath holding competitions

 Alec loves the jet skis

 Charlie watching his Dad and big brother

 Squatty took a ride too

 We had an awesome day where we got to ride on Julie's parents super fancy fast boat over to an Island called Puttin Bay

 We also learned that boat rides put Charlie right to sleep

 Cruising around Puttin Bay

 Panning for gold

 And yes, Charlie totally rocked these pink sunglasses all day - he actually preferred to wear them upside down

 Rock climbing

 Alec LOVED this and of course made it to the top on his first try

 and Charlie wasn't far behind...

 Fishing derby - unfortunately no fish were caught

What a great trip:)

Big Boy Bike

Charlie has already completely mastered riding Alec's strider and has been obsessed with the "big boy" bikes with pedals for a few weeks now.  So, we bit the bullet and bought him a little bike with wheels yesterday.  Sure enough, he jumped right on and started pedaling.  We actually rode all the way downtown and back an hour after we got his bike.  We still have the training wheels on so he can get the hang of pedaling and balancing at the same time, but I think w/i a month he will be training wheel free.  Pretty insane for a new 2 year old, but that is Charlie for you. 

Blast from the Past

I stumbled across this on the computer this evening.  Kind of breaks my heart - I don't even remember him like this, and I can't believe how much he looks, and acts, like Charlie.  I actually showed it to Alec and he thought it was Charlie.  Crazy boys! 

Blondie

 Sunblock does a lot for little J's hair:)

Saugatuck Michigan

 We had the best 4th of July!  We rented a log cabin with the Hoelting clan up in Saugatuck Michigan and we couldn't have had more fun.  It was just 2 miles outside of the darling little downtown, but was in a very private wooded little area that had a pool, a private lake, a floating dock, our own private hot tub - pretty much everything you could ask for.  We rode bikes downtown several times every day, we watched a 4th of July parade and fireworks over the water, we went on a sand dune ATV ride, we went to the beach, and we checked out all the local shops and restaurants.  It was pretty much a perfect trip and certainly the way you want to spend the 4th of July.  Matt and I both talked about how it was everything we remember loving about the 4th of July as kids, plus we can't beat the fact that our 3 kiddos and the Hoeltings 3 kiddos are all the exact same age - doesn't get much better than that:) 

 Parade watching

 We played outside for 4 days straight

 and lit off a ton of fireworks

 Matt with all the little boys who were staying in nearby cabins who came over to watch his firework display - he absolutely had as much fun, if not more, than they did

 Some of our friends from back in Wheaton who have a lake house in Michigan even came up to spend the day with us

 Root beer at the brewery

 Pretty funny that these two have been friends for over 20 years