Pictures from our Summer in Minnesota

Wow. I can't believe almost a month has passed since my last entry on our venture to Mississippi! Just when things started rolling one way...I was forced to take a fast sidestep in another direction. I could not help but laugh and think how God must just really enjoy cracking up over my many notions and plans. Some days I forget that I am not the ultimate Planner of my own days; though it is in my nature to try and be. ;)

After drafting and saving a number of blog posts, our computer crashed. Bye bye computer. I was slightly distressed for the first week of not having internet access and then surprisingly my mind was very much occupied by other things. Before I knew it, the computer was back and I did not even look at for 3 days before I checked my email again...and that was scary. It took me awhile to get through over 500 new emails. Sigh.

Life is full. Life is busy. Life is good...slightly stressful, but good. My boys are growing like crazy and I tear up about every 25 minutes thinking that tomorrow I will wake up and they will be in high school. So, I am filling my days with the 3 men in my life and the late hours of the day with current projects on my to do list. (more on my projects later....for now, let's just say that I am doing an organizational overhaul around here.)

Now for the fun stuff that I know our family can't wait to see! :)
Random pictures from the latter part of our summer...

These two have had a blast playing dress up from their costume box on around-the-house afternoons! (I have to also mention that the pajamas Cooper is wearing are Parker's old 3T ones...they never went into storage. Straight from Parker's drawer to Cooper's...a little big but definately wearable)

After getting back from Mississippi, we visited as many Minnesota kid-friendly lakes as possible. I think one week we went to 4 different ones.

The O'Conner and Nolen boys at Lake Elmo Park.

Chanhassen 4th of July festivities...

Haircuts for both of the boys. (They need haircuts about every 3-4 weeks.) Cooper decided he wanted a turn with the comb!

Parker in his typical relaxed state during his haircut.

For awhile, this was a typical late night scene. After moving into our new home, Clay and I would walk upstairs to our bedroom to go to bed and find Parker camping out on the floor outside his and Cooper's bedroom. I think we are finally past this...at least, we are keeping our fingers crossed...and doing our best to wear this boy out by lots of fresh air and activity each day so that he is too tired to crawl out of bed when we say night night. ;)

Cooper diving in at Lake Waconia Park.

And then there were tubes...

Parker started soccer several weeks ago and is LOVING it. He looks forward to each week of heading to the soccer field and meeting his new friends for practice and a game.

One of our before bedtime tricks this summer to help settle the boys down was to take a drive past some of the nearby lakes with the windows down and a country music station on. Worked like a charm.

Boating with some friends out on Lake Minnetonka.

A look at my organized coupons. And yes, they have actually stayed this way for quite some time now. I like to give myself a pat on the back for it every once in awhile. ;)

Tire swing fun.

 

5 birthday parties in 4 weeks

Twins playing at Target field

MN State Fair and other community Fair days



If I had the hours in my day I would show pictures from and talk about each one of our adventures, but for now this will have to do. I have a bed calling my name and about seventeen busy little 18-24 month olds that will be awaiting me bright and early in the morning. :)