Swimming and a Birthday!

On Sunday our son and Daddy had a father/son day miniature golfing, out to dinner, and going for frozen yogurt.  Those are certainly some of our son's favorite things right now!  While they were gone, the girls and I and my brother and his fiance met my sister and her family for a little swimming and relaxing at my Uncle and Aunt's. 

A paddleboat ride with my favorite little ladies :) (Please excuse my tan lines)

A relaxing way to spend an afternoon 

Our nephew seems so grown up to me now. How is he 10 already?! 

I'm not sure who is the instigator here, but it looks like it might end badly. ;) 

My birthday was earlier this week!  I've always loved to celebrate my birthday.  That must be where my kids get their excitement about their birthdays from.  The kids and I met my family at a local lake to have a picnic lunch and swim. My Mom made delicious egg salad for sandwiches and lemon cupcakes for my birthday and we all brought snacks and sides to share.  I felt like the lake water was a little bit mucky, but the kids did not seem to mind.  They had a great time swimming and playing in the sand.  (And Mommy felt better after giving them all a nice hot bath once we got home). 

My Mom behind the camera is never a sure thing. Taking pictures has never been a strength of hers, but she did a good job this day!  The picture above makes me laugh a little, but it is everyone who was there except for my Mom (the photographer).

Grandpa Ken playing with the grandsons 

My nephew found these old, busted sunglasses in the water and was wearing them. Grandpa had to take a turn wearing them too!

Building castles in the sand 

I think our daughter is doing more supervising than building. ;) 

Grandma Pam and Uncle Travis with 5 of the 6 grandkids. Our sweet baby girl was feeling a little off and didn't want to leave her beach towel.

Grandpa swimming with some of the kiddos.  None of them would look at the camera until he told them to say, "chicken butt". ;)

Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Travis with 5 of the 6 grandkids. I'm so glad I got Grandpa and Grandma in some pictures! I always realize when it comes time to make their yearly photo calendar that I don't take enough pictures of them! I love my family!  We have our quirks and disagreements and plenty of times when we do not see eye to eye on things, but I don't know what I would do without them.  They always stand by me and are always there for me.  That means so much!

My husband surprised me when he came home from work with a new laptop for my birthday!  Ours stopped working about 5 months ago, and I have been wanting one ever since.  I'm so happy to have a new one!  He also got an external hard drive for all my pictures and documents.  We didn't have one on our old laptop and I am still trying to figure out how we might be able to get them off the hard drive.  We will back them up this time!  I received a couple packages in the mail from far away friends, as well as cards from our WI family and an adorable chevron purse from my sister-in-law when we visited for the 4th of July.  I am blessed!