I Love A Parade

I have posted about this before, but I can't resist. This is the only 4th of July parade my kids have ever known, and they LOVE it! They did the traditional cousin's float, but this year in the drift boat. Brady sprayed a lady in the face with the water gun again, even after she looked him straight in the eye and said "Don't you dare spray me, I do not want to get wet!" She might as well have said " I double dog dare you to spray me" because he just couldn't help himself. Luckily Traci was sitting next to him on the boat, so maybe the lady thought he belonged to her!

Here they come!

Traci snapped this little gem with Smokey (who is simply the best part of the parade if you ask me). Look at poor little Cassidy in that sea of stinky boys!

This is his favorite pose. He is pretty proud of those guns!

Lesson Learned

This was one of my favorite days of the trip. We took the boys down to the Grayling to do a little fishing and a whole lot of rock skipping. "Hot Shot" was wading out and got in a little too deep. He was yelling at me to come fish him out, but I was having too much fun with the camera. Boy was he mad. You can see the progression of the pictures as his boots filled up with water. I did put my camera down at one point when I thought he actually needed some help, so I missed the shot of him totally up to his waist in water, but the other pictures spell it out pretty clearly!

This one shows him walking out, I don't know which is funnier, the water in those boots or the ticked off look on his face.

Matt and I were laughing so hard (mostly because this has happened to us both once or twice) and he was so furious. The harder we laughed the more upset he got, so the harder we laughed. Mean parents huh?

This last one is my favorite. Best picture of the trip. It took 2 days to dry those boots out! I guess he learned his lesson, look before you wade right in. Some of life's toughest lessons can be learned at the river with a fly rod in hand!

Montana

We did the traditional fun stuff, there were many hours spent riding the zip line in the back yard. . .

Quiet moments of reflection spent on the river's edge. . .

Cole doing his impression of Jeff Corwin at the Madison River, with Brady as first assistant . . .

And of course, there was the traditional episode of skinny dipping in broad daylight. I was forbidden from posting those pictures, but you get the idea here. It's amazing how quick Hyatt is to shed those clothes and wade right in. Frightening actually.

Hebgen Lake

After a long day on the lake, a cozy blanket with your cousins is about the best spot on earth!

Griff spent most of the day mooching off every one's drinks and treats. He just walks around with his hand out, and some one usually sticks something in it! Lazy little bum! He is never going to talk!

Hebgen

Hebgen Lake is the best! A little cold, but nobody cares. This year we added wave runners to the list of things used to get on this lake. We were pretty noisy when all 26 of us pulled up and set up camp with a boat and wave runners and a kayak. It was great! The kids all loved the wave runners, especially Hyatt who got to drive them all by himself. He loved helping Matt with the trailer and all the loading and unloading. I think it made him feel grown up, and Matt loved having the help!

Griff and Kai got in on the action too!

It is such a pretty lake!

Human Bilboard

Ummm, are you serious?

This is what happens around here when I am gone for the day and someone who will remain nameless is in charge. ( Hint Hint, his name starts with M and he leaves Sharpies around for small children to play with). This is what Hyatt calls "free advertising." The boys had a lemonade and snack stand at our house today, and this was the lovely sight that greeted all my unsuspecting neighbors as they answered their doors this afternoon. The "no soliciting" signs in all of their windows serve as no deterrent to my "spirited" children. These boys are totally out of control. Sharpie? Seriously? The great thing about sharpie, as I was informed by one of the culprits tonight, is that they can use him again tomorrow, because it won't wash off in the tub. Nice!

The Face (s)

He doesn't talk much, but why do you need to when you can pull these kinds of faces?