Summer at its finest!!

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE SUMMER!!! Besides the feeling of always having something to get ready for or running to get somewhere, it is great! We have done a lot and have much more to do before summer is over!!!

The kids have been loving eating fresh fruits and veggies. My mom has a great big garden with lots of yummy stuff that we get to "share" with her : ) I am not much of a gardener so it works out very well this way! I especially love the spaghetti sauce she makes with all the tomatoes.....yum yum.

We have had our share of time at the splash pads and pools!! We are spoiled having them all around us! On a hot day like today, we pack up two towels a blanket, suits, a few waters and off we go to cool off. Waite Park built a brand new one that just opened this year...it is nice and has a great play area for the kids too : )

day at the splash pad/park with Missy and Ava

the new splash pad in Waite Parkone of many days at the pool

We had the opportunity to go to the Blue Angels Air Show which was pretty awesome but got to be VERY long! We didn't get the memo that out of the 5 hour show, the Blue Angels consisted of only the last hour!! Once we did get to see them I have to say, it was pretty amazing. I read in the paper that they literally fly 18" apart...WOW!! Raegan got to stay at Kelly and Gregs that day since we knew it would get to be a long & hot day. She had so much fun...

Stacy & Ryan gave Drew a bunch of airplanes from the show...he was supposed to share with his sister...not happening!

Summer happenings....We have been able to go to two parades with a third one coming up in Aug. Rick put the cap at three parades per year. He said he was made to go to way too many as a kid and now he says he "dislikes likes them very much." This was the first year we took the kids to the Lemonade Art Fair on the SCSU campus. They had a little lemons area for kids and tons of vendors set up everywhere. The kids enjoyed their corn dogs the most : ) We met some friends at the SR Food Fest for some good food and entertainment followed by a tractor pull that night. We went to a River Bats game with my parents, Kelly, Greg & Aiden. It was polka night and the kids got a free jersey. Drew was not afraid of Earl this year either : ) The Annandale Carnival was a ton of fun for the kids...I can tell D is getting older, he loved the big kid rides : ) Raegan would go on anything her height would allow her to go on!!

The Sauk Rapids parade with Emma and Andan...being silly!I think I have this same picture from last year...Rick & Wyatt having a beer on the way home from the parade.Water Fight!!Pariently waiting for the Rockville parade to beginface painting in the little lemons area at the Lemonade Art Fairbest part of the fair..corn dogs and hot dogs : )yet another corn dog at SR food festEarl and DrewAnnandale Carnivalwaiting for a train ridefirst time on a ferris wheel...LOVED it!!!Drew-HAPPY, Raegan-not so sure at this point

We spent one of the hottest days of the summer out at the lake....the kids didn't want to go home! The ice cream truck made a stop at the lake and everyone went running for a cold treat. We made sand castles and swam a lot that day. We also found out how fearless Raegan is!! She will walk right in up to her neck and not be scared one bit. She laughs and giggles the whole time. Drew is getting much more brave and will go out further without being able to touch. He giggles and laughs the whole time too. They crack me up.

Last but not least, Rick (and I) made a huge decision to buy PX Liquor, downtown St Cloud. He has been running it and managing it for about a year with the intent to buy but wanted to see how it went for a year first. Rick is so happy and on cloud 11...I couldn't be prouder of him!!! He does put in a lot of hours there but its worth it seeing him so happy!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful fun filled summer!!!