Pool Party

Last weekend we went over to a family friend's for a pool party and the boys spent the entire day doing what they love best- swimming!  They were in the pool for over 6 hours, we had to force them to get out to eat.  It was a fun day with family and friends, thanks Shelley and Lou for the great day!

Our nephew Rober getting sunscreen from his mom, Jina

There's nothing better than a chunky baby!

Grandpa and Daddy taught them how to chicken fight

The winners!

Matt and Robert

Eli is TOO COOL!

Take me out to the ball game....

Ben finished his first season of baseball and was very sad to see it end!  He did a great job, improved a ton over the season, and made a lot of new friends.  They were short handed, so Dan ended up coaching.  Here are a few pictures of his first season.

Comparing bumps and bruises with his buddy

Coach speech before trophy hand out

Ben getting his trophy

Birthdays

We recently celebrated Dan's and his sister Angela's birthdays.  Dan was coaching Ben's last baseball game on his birthday but the boys decorated for him and we went out to dinner after baseball.  The boys packed up a lot of stuff from their room and gave it to Dan for his birthday as his present.  The fantastic daddy that he is, he put it all on!

We went to Pizza Luce for Angela's birthday dinner.  Our nephew Robert was mesmerized by Dan blowing bubbles with his gum.

The boys "helped" Angela finish her birthday dessert.  By "help", I mean they ate 99% of it.

Summer days

We continue to enjoy our summer with the kids.  We have been busy with park trips, water days, baseball, and soaking up the sunshine.

Their favorite day of the week- garbage day!

Eli being goofy

Eli with the baby frog they found

Eli declared that it was his favorite teddy bear's birthday.  He wanted to have cake and a party for him and because I will do almost anything for birthday cake, I of course had to oblige him.  It felt a bit ridiculous to be singing "Happy Birthday" to a teddy bear, but we got cake!   

Happy Birthday Beary!

The BEST banana bread I've ever had!

I recently found a recipe for banana bread that sounded so good I just had to try it.  It is by far the BEST banana bread I've ever had.  And with chocolate and peanut butter chips, it's very healthy.  Ok, it's not, but it's so good it's worth the extra calories!

Banana Bread with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips

1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (I bought a bag of Nestle that had both chocolate and peanut butter chips)

Stir flour, sugars, soda, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl.  In another bowl combine eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Add to flour mixture, stirring until just moistened.  Fold in chips.  Pour into greased 9x13 loaf pan.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Fourth of July weekend

We spent our long weekend at the cabin and had amazing weather!  All weekend we enjoyed temps in the 80's with blue skies and sunshine.  We are home from the cabin exhausted with sunburns and bug bites but all very happy after our time away.  We spent Saturday on the lake, fishing and swimming.  After dinner we went up to our favorite local ice cream shop and had cones, then went back to the cabin and played some Farkle until it was time for fireworks.  We went out on the boat and watched the city fireworks.  On Sunday we spent the day on the lake fishing and swimming again, then had a campfire and made s'mores.  We lit off some fireworks and sprinklers with the boys, then enjoyed some fireworks courtesy of another cabin.  We cannot figure out this cabin, or the people that own it.  It's a beautiful cabin, roughly a few years old, but it's only used once a year during 4th of July weekend.  All of a sudden their lot turns into a campground and there are people everywhere, they light off fireworks that rival any city display I've seen, then they disappear and we don't see them for a year.  It's bizzare but I'm grateful for their amazing fireworks display which is essentially right over our heads because their cabin is just a few down on the lake.  On Monday we had intended to come home earlier in the day so we could enjoy the 4th with some friends but the warm temps and blue skies lured us back out on the lake and we just couldn't say no.  We spent the day fishing and swimming again, then packed up and headed home.  We made it home in time to drop Jack off and then headed out to watch our city fireworks.  Our city put on an amazing show and I am so glad we made it home in time to watch it!  The boys are a bit spoiled after 3 nights of fireworks and can't understand why we don't get to watch them again tonight.  All in all, it was a fantastic weekend!