Lots of Long Walks :)

 This has been the summer full of lots of long walks.  Mostly we walk together as a family, but occasionally I take the kids or just one or two of them along.  The ones that are just one-on-one are a special time. 

 We especially like walking to the different parks we have in town.

 The baby isn't too thrilled to sit in the grass without a blanket.  See him hold his leg up?  He loves being outdoors though, and loves to swing.

 My husband is one of the kids when we are at the park :)

 This little guy is still afraid of everything, but he does really like this motorcycle.  He prefers this park because there are never any other people there in the evenings, and it's less overwhelming.  It's just a small neighborhood park, and the walk there is especially nice - through a tree trail and over a bridge (like the walk to the main park) but longer and more secluded.

 I think this is the eight year old's favorite thing at the park.  These diggers are pretty cool.  But they're heavy.  Too heavy for the three year old, though he really, really wants to be able to do it.  The three year old can't touch the ground when he sits on the seat, and he can't lift the handles either.

 Two out of five of my favorite men... the oldest and youngest.

 Could you ever do this?  I never could.  I always wanted to be able to make it across one of these things, but never could do it.  The eight year old can.  Good job, N!

 This was a comical chalk sketch we found on the sidewalk at the park ;)

 The three year old is all about driving.  Anything with a steering wheel is his favorite thing.  He's sure this is a fire truck.  Not sure why.  It just is.

 See that sky?  Yikes.  It was pretty rainy and we were sure we were going to get wet on the long walk home, but the rain held off, and we made it home dry.

 The three year old was playing with a toy traffic cone - the kind that are the right size for matchbox cars.  He told me it was his party hat.  Guess it wasn't a very big party - ha.

 This will show you how old my husband is... ha.  Just kidding.  He is a clown though.

 Seriously though, he is a great guy - and always lots of fun.  We have really enjoyed being out together more this summer.

 The one year old would love to be big enough to do everything we do.  He is game to try anything.  He gets frustrated that he can't do more, and throws a little fit (which we are trying to curb).  He will imitate all we do too.

 These pictures were from a different day, when we went to the town's main park.  They have swings.  The other one didn't.

 The baby is fearless when it comes to swinging, and loves to go really high.

 He was being goofy that day and laying all the way back in his swing, with his head tipped as far back as possible, and just giggling away.

 The three year old is afraid to swing, but likes to push the baby, and the baby love it when his brother pushes him, even though it's pretty herky-jerky and he doesn't get to go as high.  They crack each other up.

 See the toes?  I cannot get either of the two youngest kids to wear shoes.  At all.  We usually take shoes along for the three year old, and make him wear them in stores and restaurants and such, but the rest of the time we let him go barefoot.  The baby is a lost cause in that department.  He won't keep shoes or socks on his feet.  Not even long enough for me to get the other one on.  So I've given up trying for now.  Probably takes after his mother and has ridiculously hot feet.  Maybe this winter...

 

All this walking wears a guy out.  This was one evening after one of our trips to the park.  The three year old rides most of the way, but usually wears himself out at the park (except for when we go to the big park and there are other people there - in which case we can't get him out of the stroller.)

 

 The eight year old has been a big help in the kitchen lately.  He is very interested in cooking, and always wants to help, so I've been letting him do all he wants to.  This was a lazy cooking night.  Breakfast for dinner.  In addition to the hashbrowns, eggs, and sausage, we also cooked up a box of frozen French toast sticks.  I gave him the job of putting them on the tray.  He had to put them in this particular pattern, which he informed me was "Mater tracks."  It took much longer than necessary.  The one thing he still needs to learn in the kitchen is timing.  And that when I say, "hand me the butter," I need it right away, not as he says, "I'll get it as soon as I finish putting these French toast sticks on the pan."

I've been spending way too much time on pinterest lately, but I did come across a neat way to fold plastic garbage sacks - like the one you get at the grocery store.  They fold up nice and flat and stay neat.  I made several up and put them in the diaper bag, car, strollers, and fishing tackle boxes.  Now we're all prepared ;)  If you want to see how to do this, there's a tutorial for it  here.