This is What July is All About

July 4 dawned warm, and we still had no power at home. In total, we lost power for about two days, and we were the lucky ones. People we know were without power for three days and more. Yikes! Above ground power lines and large tree limbs don’t mix.

Fortunately, we didn’t suffer. In fact, we had a great time celebrating the Fourth with Sean and Jen and their kids at their house. We spent most of the time in the back yard under the shade of the sycamore and watching the kids take in a warm and lazy summer afternoon. Landon and Eliza learned all about the ups and downs of the trampoline. At one point, the kids brought out the water guns, and the dads and kids engaged in an epic battle royale. Mike had one patch of dry clothing by the end of it, so does that mean he won?  

Things started to get a little crazy when the water fight ensued.

"I think I'll just watch from the sidelines."

We came back home to a house still without power, and then Hallie and Diamond ran a couple of errands while Mike put the well-worn out kiddies to bed. While the girls were out, power came back on. Hallie let out a whoop as she pulled in and saw the porch lights a-glowing.

Landon is really getting ready to ride on a pedal bike. He's been using his mini glider for about a year and a half, and has recently started asking for one with pedals, "so I can go fast!" We just need to find one small enough. . . .

One of Mike’s former mission companions started a Facebook mission page, and that inspired Mike to have the negatives of his mission photos scanned. What a trip down memory lane!

For more pics, click here.

Mom and Landon took a trip down to Belle Isle to see if they could see the the Pride of Baltimore II, which was at port in Detroit on its way along a tour of the Great Lakes.

Mike waxed a little misty over the last space shuttle mission. At a cost of just under $200 billion dollars, the 30 year program cost about what the government spent in one day to bail out AIG. Harley Carnes of CBS radio gave some perspective on the value of a program that always held a special spot in Mike’s heart:

We had a military fly over as part of the City of Grosse Pointe Shores celebrated its 100th birthday. The sonic boom woke the baby. What a trip to hear all the jets zoom by. 

We started a very active Saturday with a haircut for our little rebel.

No haircuts for me, thank you!

Born to Be Wild!

Afterwards, the boy and Dad spent some time sparring in the backyard. The boy is fearless and loves to go for the gusto!

Eliza turned five months. She is almost as big as her bear.

We attended a Michigan Families Supporting Adoption picnic out in Ypsilanti. We got on the road just a little late, as we forgot the house keys just we were leaving. Fortunately, Mike had accidentally left both the garage and the bathroom windows unlocked. With a little help from a ladder and Landon, we were on the road in short order.

Hallie had heard about the Dixboro General Store out near Ann Arbor, so we made a detour on our way to the picnic to check it out. It’s a lot like Country Furniture and Gifts in Gardner Village, or the old Enchanted Workshop in Murphys, or Wheaton’s in Nova Scotia, but on a smaller scale. The kids and Mike quickly migrated out to the fountains and benches out back, but Hallie did see some cute home decorating ideas to share. Mike found himself missing California.

Once we got to the picnic, Landon took off to play at the playground. Always on the go! Eliza also found ways to join in on the action. In fact, she helped Mike push Landon on the swings and got such a kick out of it that she started outright laughing. Amazing! Mike even managed to get a video. We have such incredible little people in these children of ours.