random summer pics

 Trying to squeeze in all the highlights from the summer.  It's tough!  We spent a lot of town at our local parks. Phoebe enjoyed swinging and even some with daddy.

 In July, we had a visit from the Powells.  Lewis and Corrie were born just a month apart.  It was funny to get them together again.  Owen enjoyed a game of pop-up pirate with Corrie also.  We enjoyed having Mary and Carrie visit too (but failed to capture a photo).  We have such a fondness for this family! Love it when we get to see them. :)

 We spent some time at the fountain at Circus Square Park.  Phoebe really loved it.  The boys were a bit terrifying there because they love to run around, but it is great way to spend an evening when it's hot.

 The boys got into helping me cook some this summer.  And we got to combine that with dress up also.  Nothing like having Buzz Lightyear helping to bake muffins!

 Also in July, we had to say goodbye to Ben & Whitney Winkler. Ben had been working with the boys as one of our Community Living Supports providers through our Medicaid waiver and had also worked at school, even letting us in the door when running late a few times.  Combine that with church activities, our small group etc. and we have really missed this family!  They moved to St. Louis so that Ben could study at Covenant Seminary. We got to spend some time with "Baby Ellie" (who is getting so big) before they left.  She and Phoebe actually played a little together.

Beyond that, we walked through puddles wearing crazy hats, found a decent shopping cart at Walmart, had both boys dress up like me (what an honor!)....

 saw Lewis dress up like daddy multiple times,

&  Aunt Beth made an Angry Birds costume for Owen, totally at random one day.

Owen got to perfect his bike riding (with training wheels).  We had an awful bout with Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease at the end of the summer (late July before school started).  You can see "the bumps" in this photo of Owen on his wrist and hand.  Owen had the worst case, but Phoebe, Lewis, Justin and Aunt Beth also all had it.  It was pretty crazy.  They were over it relatively quickly but the bumps hung around for a while and then their skin peeled off.  Just recently the kids lost multiple toe nails and fingernails (gross, I know!) as new ones had grown in underneath.  I think we are finally past of the effects of this weird illness. Ahh, summer!

Please watch this hilarious video of Owen dancing with his Gordon costume on.  It's worth a couple minutes of your time.