Boat. Gracie's first. River Run.

 So Matt finally got the boat out and running... it's been collecting rainwater for quite some time but it's been hard with the kids and all the activity and the stuff. So he spent a day getting it sea worthy - and the kids were excited at first... and then it took too long. They can only vacuum and turn the wheel until it irritates him so much.

MJR begins pulling boat to front driveway.
G: I'm going to go tell my sisters.
Runs awkwardly to backyard, yelling: DAD'S GETTING THE BOAT OUT.
Yelling continues: DAD'S GETING THE BOAT OUT.
Yelling continues but is getting further away: DAD'S GETTING THE BOAT OUT.
MJR: Grady! Get up here and put blocks under the wheels so it doesn't roll away!
Yelling continues, uninterrupted, unphased: DAD'S GETTING THE BOAT OUT.

The next day, they took it out to run it around a bit. Matt wanted a quiet lake that they could open up on. He said they had a blast and luckily everyone understood that this was a driving time, not a fishing time. 

MJR prepping fishing poles.
Ains grabs her pole and begins to run out of the room. In this movement, catches MJR in the face with the edge of her line.
MJR: AINS! Watch your pole! 
Ains (singsong): Whoopsie daisy

The following weekend, given the success of the maiden voyage - they all went out fishing. Matt wanted to put them on some crappie or blue gill and basically plug and play. Luckily everyone understood that this was a fishing voyage, not a drive time and the lake didn't allow wake. They came home with one less fishing pole and 15 little fish. 

That evening, we celebrated our niece, Gracie's first birthday. It's so funny watching babies grow. You look for different things with each child. I know it's easier for me to observe given where I'm at in life and knowing what I know. The first birthday is a giant milestone in parenting life and I'm proud of my sister for getting there - it's hard and each day you struggle and each day you say good bye to independent life and those little people are wonderful and bright and make you laugh but also question everything in a swoop. I was excited to see our kids excited for her... especially as it can be hard to celebrate other people's birthdays. 

Ains: Why does Baby Grace get her own cake?
ALR: It's her first birthday, when you turn one you get a cake all to yourself.
Ains: Well I think she should share.
ALR: You didn't share your first birthday cake.
Ains turns and walk away: Nobody asked - I would have shared.

The following day we made a river run - this is probably one of my favorite things to do in the summer. We started doing this a couple years ago and have near about perfected it. We load up all the things we need - head down to "the dessert" aka Kimball Bottoms and within 25 minutes we are set up for the day. We pop up a tent, blow up floaties - rope and stake them, get sand toys, drop coolers... we usually have a lunch and snacks and everyone for a couple hours plays - no fights, no scraps, and it's wonderful. And the weather was grand for it... hot and made dipping legs in and dropping in wonderful. 

Other happenings of the week ... baseball, golf, and tennis... we are coming to the close of those as well but it's hard to believe summer is half over.