The Tree Fort

My Uncle John lives in AZ and when we were back a couple of weeks ago, we went to his house. He has the coolest tree fort ever. A couple of kids in his neighborhood have adopted this grapefruit tree as their fort. The branches have all grown down to the ground and they cleared out the middle to make an area they can hang out in. They've found random items to store in it like a table, windchimes etc. My kids loved it. I haven't seen a better natural fort. My kids still talk about Uncle John and the tree fort.

The boys

Car washing fun

Our new favorite thing

The ice cream truck is our newest indulgence. I have never seen two kids run so fast throughout our house trying to get to the street before he goes around the corner. He usually comes 3 times a week and we miss him about 1/2 the time. It's not the best ice cream but it still is fun for them.

This is new for me

I haven't posted a video before. This is my first time. And I have already learned that I cannot invert my camera to shoot videos. Enjoy from a side view :).

Trip to see family

We went to AZ for a family reunion a couple weeks back. And it was a lot of fun. I realize each day as my kids get older how much I would love to have my extended family nearby. How great to let my kids hang out with Grandma/Grandpa or my cousin's kids whom are all close in age. I guess I'm going to have to travel back more often.

Me, Mom & Grandma Eula


Brock asked me to dance at the party.

The family reunion was also a birthday celebration for my Grandma Eula. Brock & Lynzy definitely remember her each time they see her and she comes to visit.

Birthday girl

At the party, Grandma Eula gave Brock & Lynzy a balloon. We brought them home in our truck but when we stopped at our lunch break, Lynzy's balloon left for place unknown. She was SOOO upset. She cried that her balloon was gone. We told her that it went to a "balloon dance" in the sky. (That's from a book by Jamie Lee Curtis called "Where Do Balloons Go?") She calmed down but 10 minutes later she had these big crocodile tears as she told Steve, "Daddy, my balloon is gone." She has been heartbroken ever since. Steve bought Brock & Lynzy new balloons later that week but to this day, she still talks about the balloon that got away. Someday she'll forget. Until then, we read the book and talk about the balloon dance.

The new balloons