Fun Time with Cousins

At the end of June we had a wonderful visit with Aunt Amy, Colden and Blakely who came up from Texas while they were waiting their move to Europe.  The cousins had a great time playing together and us moms had a few treats in store for them as well.

Fantasy Island was our first outing the day after school finished up for Matthew and Joshua.  We hit the park early..rode the rides, played on in the water park and had a blast!

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Aunt Amy getting dizzy

Colden, Brenna, Joshua, Blakely and Matthew

 

Next we took the kids to Niagara Falls and to ride the Maid of the Mist 

One evening we drove down to the Lake Ontario shore to wade ( which almost turned into swim) and throw rocks...kids and rocks and water = instant fun!

Dinner Time

Bath time

Goofing Around

San Antonio

 In May we went to San Antonio for Brent's Graduation.  I remember a long ago blog post that I made congratulating Brent for getting into dental school.  Hard to believe the time had finally came to watch him graduate.  We flew down for the weekend and it was so nice to be able to spend a day and night with Brent and Cate and Maggie, their dog, before the rest of the family arrived. They now are in Portland where he is doing his residency right in the city and they are loving it!  Congrats again little big brother - we are proud of you!!

Brenna and Mac playing with little Maggie

Uncle Brent and Joshua playing a game

Aunt Cate and Mac drawing

Christina and Brent

For breakfast we went to their local Mexican Grocery Store where they made
 amazing (for our northern taste buds) breakfast burritos!

Here is a shot of the beautiful resort that we stayed at in the Hill Country outside San Antonio.  It is a huge hotel with a full water park, multiple restaurants, hours of planned games and activities for the kids and adults so it was a great place to meet.  It happened also to be record rainfalls in a state that was in a drought...so needless to say - we were a bit rained out that weekend but we did get to see some of the longest and most spectacular lightning and thunder storms we have ever seen!

Joshua, Matthew and Brenna with their Great Grandma

Josh giving little Henry some love.

When we all get together there are a lot of little blond people - this is not even all of them!

Blakely and Josh

Paca and Mac enjoying some breakfast

Alligator

Thanks to the balloon lady they all got to choose a creation of their own.

Pirate

Princess

Mac and the big Rattler Statue outside Graduation

Our Hunting Boys

I don't think that a season goes by that Brett does not spend time with the boys outdoors.  They have both taken up the love of hunting - or even just hiking along - and fishing.  

Fall 2012 - Deer Hunting Joshua and Brett

Joshua passing some time - reading in his tree stand.

Matthew Duck Hunting January 2013 - He staying all day out in the snow and wind and came
home with rosy cheeks to tell me all about it!

Duck Hunting Niagara River

Joshua and Matthew - Rabbit Hunting Winter 2013

Grandpa with the boys

Brett took Joshua out Turkey Hunting and discovered cow skulls out on a farm...needless to say they are now in our woods and the kids love them.

Spring 2013 - Matthew Fishing 

Spring 2013 Joshua fishing the Lower Niagara River

Lewiston Queenston Bridge in Background

 I found these old pictures to remind the boys that they started all this camo wearing at a very young age.  So cute they were - Matthew age 2 Joshua age 4