Summer recap continues into August

I have taken so many pictures throughout the summer that it's hard to know what to highlights to pick.  Doing projext 365 at least encourages me to take a photo a day...however what do I do with ALL the other photos that I end up taking?  Here are just a few more to add to my summer recap. 
It was time for bed...so they decided it would be fun to put pj's on Sadie as well.  She wasn't as thrilled with the idea as the boys were.

Kaiden was so excited to earn some exra cash this summer...so my dad hired him for a couple of mornings a week, and then I put him to work at home mowing my lawn,  What a huge help this is!

This is the time of year that I LOVE being out in my yard...admiring each day another sign of God's beautiful creation.

After swimming lessons, Kaiden rode his bike home and surprised us with this.  Homemade milkshakes.  How sweet is that?  These "little angels" can be sweet if they want.

Boating with Grandma is always a favorite thing to do during the summer.   Too bad we had to wait until the month of August before the sun came out.  It felt like we hardly had a summer to enjoy - so we made the most of it when we could.

Devin had to see what see what it felt like to be a football player.  The pads were about as big as he was!

Kaiden takes a practice kick.

Kaiden starts his first year of tackle football...even though this mama wasn't sure she would be a good "football mom:"   He is LOVING it and this mama is too!

What does this look like??  School supplies bought and time to organize our backpacks.  They are super excited for a new school year to begin....I however could use another month of summer.

So my BFF and I decided that we needed to have a party but didn't really have a good reason....I had already had my birthday (which she wasn't in town for), she had just had her birthday....our husbands birthday's weren't for another few months.  So we decided to "have a party just to have a party-party".  Afterall - it's summer, right?  This should mean nice warm,  sunny weather at the end of July. NOT!!!  After two attempts of hosting this party, after buying all the food for 80+ people, and having to cancel BOTH days due to RAIN...we were able to spontaneously throw this party together on a WARM, SUNNY, SUMMER night.  And a FUN party it was!  The kids made their own football game -

while the parents did this!  I dare say this could be a new summer tradition.,  Stay tuned for your invitation to our "party just for the sake of having a party-party"....what better reason to get together, right?

Devin gets his letter welcoming hin to Kindergarten....he's only been counting down the days for school to start since the last day of preschool...it's been a long summer for him.  He couldn't be more thrilled with starting school.

Each year we get to go to a Mariner's Game (thanks to the seats from the Police Dept) and this year was Devin's first year!  It was new and exciting...we got to sit in a new section where food and drinks were included, Devin and Kaiden danced silly and by the 9th inning they made it on the big screen, and the Mariner's WON!  All in all - a good night.

Picking raspberries to make....

home-made jam.

Shari and I painted my parents house for them.  It was actually a fun "job" - spending days with my sister while our kids ran around the house playing together...makes for a great way to spend time together, plus my parents like the color of their house.

It's always a great time with Grandpa and Grandma from Minnesota come for a visit.   Grandma always finds something to do to keep her busy...this year she worked in our "farm" (a.k.a garden)...picking and freezing beans.  The kids even enjoyed helping snip beans.

We spent an afternoon out at Birch Bay.  This was the first time the tide was out this far - and if we were prepared, we should have taken a shovel to dig for clams.  It was a great way to spend the day together.

Since G & G live in Minnesota - we have to maximize our time together.  We all wish we lived closer!

We picked over 50 pounds of blueberries while they were here, so now my freezer is FULL of strawberries, raspberries and blueberris.  Anyone have a great smoothie recipe?

When the Abbotsford Airshow is in town...one has to attend every once in awhile.  This year was our year.  The kids share a love for airplanes with their daddy, along with a love for anything that relates to police work.  This bear-cat is similar to the one Dale rides in for SWAT.

The Canadian Thunderbirds are an airshow favorite...always a great way to end the day.

These two are two peas in a pod.  The fact that they match today was a random fluke...but sure makes for a cute picture.

These two are also two peas in a pod...and could be brothers.  Jack got to enjoy a day out with us boating with Grandpa.

Cory rode solo - and survived this wild ride!

Doing tricks is what makes for good entertainment.  At one point one of then was standing on their head.

This is a new little addition to my front porch.  I couldn't resist adding a little "cheerfulness".  My MIL suggested I paint my dried up allium as a decorating idea.  It worked out quite well.   Everyone needs a littl color in their lives, right?

This sort of wraps up our highlights of August.  Now it's time to start thinking about getting back into some type of "normal" routine now that school is about to start. 
Along with that comes cleaning, organizing, and purging room/closets when they kiddos aren't around to "help" (a.k.a - undo what I've done). 
Hope you enjoyed your summer as much as we did.