July 4th

We went to the parade on Saturday morning. Jarren was pretty excited about the jets that fly over just before the parade starts. We didn't really do anything special that day. We just stayed around the house and the kids played outside. That night we went to the fireworks. Rylie, of course, had to go to the bathroom just as the fireworks were about to start. Trey was so scared he had to sit in my lap with his head under the blanket.

Jarren got the go ahead to take the tests for his journeymans license. His first one is scheduled for the first weekend in August. He's pretty nervous, but I think he'll do ok. He's been studying and practicing quite a bit. We've been trying to do a little landscaping in our backyard. I'll post some pictures of what we're doing. We got a swingset (best investment ever!) and it really helps out with my babysitting kids too. Yesterday I took the truck down to get sand for the sandbox, I was pretty loaded down! I was too low to get the truck over the curb so I had to empty out some of the sand and wheelbarrow it up the steps and across the backyard until I had unloaded enough to be able to get over the curb. I got most of it unloaded, and then waited until Jarren got home to do the rest. The kids had a blast playing in it, and Rylie kept saying that this was the best day of her life! She gets pretty sentimental about things!

...More Slip 'N Slide

Ok so I can't figure out how to post more that 5 pictures at a time so here are the last of the slip 'n slide pictures. It was all fun and games until Maley got thrown! She did not like that at all!

This was our last day in Iowa. It was a fast good little trip. The trip home didn't take quite as long. I made sure Rylie went to the bathroom everywhere we stopped. Plus, I planned our stops at the Targets along the way, so I had fun!

More Slip 'N Slide

To make things more interesting my mom and Beau started throwing the kids down the slip 'n slide.

Slip 'N Slide

I forgot how hot and humid Iowa was during the summer! The kids decided to cool off with the slip 'n slide. Trey and Hunter weren't really interested in the sliding part, they just played in the little pool at the end.

Junction Days

The kids took a train ride before the parade started. There were some pretty serious drivers out there! Everyone was throwing candy, and the kids filled an entire shoebox full! I should say Rylie, Hunter, and Amauri were getting the candy and Trey was guarding the box. He was trying to eat it just as fast as the kids were putting it in there!

Train

So before we left, we had to take a ride on the train because Trey and Hunter are obsessed with them! Grandma was brave and had all of the grandkids sit on the bench with her.

Rainforest

My favorite part of the zoo has to be the rainforest. The orange monkey was one of the first things the kids saw. It had jumped up onto the railing, and was just checking out the people. It's a little hard to see, but the black monkey has a little baby that had been born about a month before. The kids were pretty excited to see the little baby. Rylie and Amauri were really brave and went across the bridge. Rylie looks a little terrified doesn't she?! She made it across just fine. The rainforest has two levels, but we only made it through the top level before the kids were dying of hunger!