July parades, ponds, and hammock swings

Abby is hiding behind me.  I wish I'd gotten a picture with Elysia.

I LOVE being out of town for the 4th of July.  Anything you do is so crowded and obscenely hot where we live. We headed up to my parents for July 3rd-7th.  Matt stayed home to work and enjoy some alone time.  Something he looks forward to a few times a year when I head up to Cornville, and that I can only vaguely remember from 7 years ago!  He did say that bachelor life is nice for a few days, but it would be lonely and boring after that! 

 We met my friend Elysia and her family at this adorable kid parade in Clarkdale.  The kids had never been to a parade before.  It looked like a Norman Rockwell painting or Stars Hallow complete with gazebo and live band.  We parked at the elementary school and walked to the park (about a mile or less maybe).  All the houses along the way are old small mining houses built in Clarkdale and Jerome's big mining days.  I LOVED them.  Give me small old houses with personality any day over new cookie cutter monstrosities.  I love to think of all the people that have lived there and the stories the houses could tell if they could.  Most of them looked well maintained, it made me want to see the insides to see how much had been modernized.  

All the kids in the parade dress up and decorate their bikes and hand out candy.  My kids loved that part.  Then they proceeded to fight, cry, pester me to leave when I was trying to talk to my friend.  And my sandal completely broke and I had to hobble back the mile to my car pushing the stroller with 2 other kids fighting and whining about how far it was and the heat. I was glad I left Olly with my parents (at his request) since he usually has the hardest time with long hot walks. Needless to say I felt like they needed a good lesson in endurance and how good they have it.  I wanted to institute Pa Ingalls rule of children should be seen and not heard.

The rest of the day was much better.  Auntie Marti came up.  My dad actually mended my sandal the minute I got home, he sure is handy.

Grandad and Miles grilled delicious buffalo (Bison) burgers.

Great Grandpa Diehl had his 85th birthday.  I forgot how much I love these Jello cheesecakes, with cute tiny homegrown strawberries.  We went to the golf course to watch fireworks.  My kids are never as into it as I think they should be but the weather was so nice!  We got a couple of great monsoons.

"Row the boat!"-Miles 

Later that week our cousins came for some pond swimming.  My kids have only done it a few times and they were a little wary of moss and fish.  Cai's kid sized kayak was a hit.  I love that thing and so did Miles. I realized Olly and Abby had no idea how to paddle.  I'm glad they get to experience some things I took for granted in my childhood.

The bug selection is infinitely better in Cornville with better water supply and climate.  This green grasshopper was a big hit.  Olly woke up the next morning and said, "Uh oh mom I left that green grasshopper in my pocket!  He's prob-ly sneakin' around the house!"  (mischievous smile) Me, "Olly I told you to leave him outside, and I actually washed those short so he's probably dead."

They played outside so much!  It's been so nice after getting "cabin fever" being inside so much in the summer.  This was one of their forts.  Abby even started to warm up to the dogs again, after a year of holding a puppy bite against them.  That girl can hold a grudge.

Olly trying not to laugh after I asked him how he could get so dirty so quickly after a bath.

Grandma and Grandad take such good care of us.  I feel spoiled doing less cooking and cleaning.  I'm glad both of the great grandparents were there this time as well.  I hope my kids remember them, it's always nice to spend more time with them.

  Miles and I were swinging on the porch hammock together and my mom brought us an ice cream cone.  It was pretty close to paradise to swing in the balmy weather listening to the wind in the leafy trees and a sweet little boy to cuddle (even if he didn't share much ice cream with me!).  I think the thing I miss most of all living in the city is the quiet.