Happy 4th!

We celebrated the 4th of July this year with a little family movie (Transformers 2 since Kent's taking Sawyer to T-3 tomorrow),

red-white-&-blue clothes with crazy hair (my battery died after McKinley's shot, but she wanted everyone to see her ladybug earrings),
a game of kid's baseball (how American!),

We ate BBQ pork tenderloin for dinner (because you have to BBQ on the 4th) followed by a fire in the fire pit, yummy s'mores, and a few fireflies in the backyard.

Following dinner we did some good ole fireworks (from the giant package at Costco) in the backyard,

and our sparkler art!

We missed our cousins and grandparents joining us for fireworks, but had a great time on our own anyway!

A day at the Park

Well, actually the school. There aren't really public parks around here. It was about 82 degrees today with not too much humidity. Sawyer wanted to toss the football with Kent, and the outing ended with a little game of tackle Dad football.

What a cute Daddy.

I made the kids sit for a little picture since they were all wearing coordinating clothes today :)

I can't wait for baby to join this little brood.

Lyme Disease

Hayden's bug bite leg looked worse this morning as I got him ready for church, so Kent took him straight to the Urgent Care. The doctor said it looks like the beginning symptoms of Lyme Disease. He is on antibiotics for two weeks.

We HATE ticks at our house!!!

Last day of NYC

First stop to see the Manhattan temple. I didn't know the subway lets you off right in front of it...convenient...-ish.
Then we strolled through a little part of Central Park,
and let the kids play at a playground for a few minutes.



We walked down 5th Ave to catch some of the stores, like FAO Schwarz and the giant piano (only $250,000 if you're interested).
We saw Radio City Music Hall...

and Rockefeller Center and Plaza...
and the Empire State Building...
and the Chrysler building.Then we got on the Staten Island Ferry again to see the Brooklyn Bridge...
and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
I think we covered a lot of ground this week!

NYC

Today we went with Kent's parents to the city. My parents stayed back because my mom was sick. Hayden has an earache too, so he stayed with grandpa and grandma.

We saw St. Paul's church which is right across from Ground Zero. This was a hub of refuge for the workers at Ground Zero. Here's a NY fireman's uniform on one of the pews of the church.

The grounds were of course covered in rubble in 2001. There were a bunch of memorials set up inside the church.

This is Ground Zero. There is massive construction in the area as they are reconstructing. The dark square in the middle is the ghost of the North Tower.
Then we made it to the Staten Island Ferry for a ride past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It was a great view and the Ferry is FREE! Finally something for free!

Last Day of School!

Today is Sawyer's last day of kindergarten and McKinley's last day of 2nd grade. Next year McKinley goes to a new school of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders!

Another school year is done.

Bowling

We signed up for the free kids summer bowling program, so we took the grandparents and kids bowling. Sawyer has been asking to go for months! The kids had a great time. I did not do so good. I think Hayden outscored me!

Then we drove up to Kent, CT to see the quaint covered bridges.