Highlight Reel: Birthday Celebration, Campout, 4th of July

Somehow I never got through all of the summer "highlight reels".  I hope to get those done (low on stories, big on photos) this weekend, so I can start sharing more from our day-to-day life in real time.

Can you believe these two are three years old now???  We are finally coming out of the fog.... a full year later than I had expected!  Their birthday was on a Friday this year, a non-preschool day. I'm not one to experience much Mommy-guilt, but was feeling bad that these guys would one day look back and wonder why they didn't get a fun birthday celebration like Oliver (fire engine theme for 3).  So, each boy got to select their own birthday cake theme and we took them to school for a mini celebration. Alex picked Leonardo the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and Lukas wanted Dusty, the plane from two Disney movies. Amazing what you can buy on amazon! Two cake molds, some food coloring, and a little help from Betty Crocker, and Voila!

Oliver was off from school on Fridays too and was so happy he got to come hang out at his brothers' school, since they see his school when Lena picks him up once/week.  

By far, their favorite present was Ninja Turtle turtle shell water guns!  We got them scooters to zip around town.  They weren't very impressed.  Alex has just started using his now and Lukas has no interest, so Oliver has been using his.  Adam thought I was kidding when I told him this, but I want my own scooter (which they really do make in adult sizes).  I could zip to work in no time! 

20 photos later and this was the best we go

It rained that weekend and I honestly don't even remember what we did. The campout that had been planned for that Saturday night was rescheduled to the following weekend.  We had a very brief, mini-party on the deck of the bungalow (cakes looked better the second time around), before we headed down to set up camp.   

Adam & I are running Jugend (Children activities) for the SSC this year, so we made the campout a Club event.  We had nice turnout for the cookout -- then, the local parents wisely packed up their young children so they could sleep in their own beds.  Our cousins were all there to share in the fun, as well as some college friends of ours.  The kids had a blast and I love that this has become an annual event. 

Adam was supposed to sleep in the tent with Alex & Oliver (as expected, Lukas had little interest).  But, at 10pm, Alex was still wide awake and Adam was ready for bed, so Alex ended up in the bungalow afterall.  Next year, I'm sure Adam will have all three in the tent - lucky him!

The next day was the Fourth of July! We had a blast at Bill & Kim's party and even managed to stay for the fireworks!