Our summer so far...

I think it is quite amazing that I am posting this before the summer is over.  Too bad they don't give out prizes for this sort of thing.  

We have had a pretty fun summer so far.  It has only started to get ridiculously hot the past couple weeks so our mornings have been around 90 degrees or so and playing outside is not only possible but pleasant.  This first picture isn't an outside shot but it is of Ashton playing with his best friend Cade.  They are so cute together.  They will run up to each other, legs pumping, arms flapping, and stop nose to nose narrowly avoiding a head on collision.  They will then exchange pleasantries.  

"Hi Cade."

"Hi Ashy"

And then the fun starts.  Notice they are both wearing the newest styles in shoes.

Ashton also turned 3.  Unfortunately none of my pictures turned out so you will have to trust me on this.  It was wonderful.  Cars themed with the real Lightning McQueen making a cameo.  There was also a balloon artist that could do all the disney characters, a mime (because what party is complete without one?) a helicopter ride and a not so brief jaunt to the moon where we raised the Ashton flag.  Typical 3 year old party really. The kids were really tired by the end of the day.

We have also begun the Grayson "Summer of Service".  We started small.  Simply choose a family member's name from a hat and you have a week to perform service for that person.  At the end of the week we tried to guess who had our name.  Ellie had Livvy and spent the week making her bed and taking care of her water glass.  I had Ellie and I also made the bed but added in a room clean here and there.  Livvy had daddy and made an extra effort to run to him at the end of every day and give him his welcome home hug.  Bigger than ever before.  Ashton had me.  He put his diapers in the pail so I wouldn't have to get near the nastiness.  Thank you Ashton.  Daddy had Ashton and he made sure all of Ashton's dirty cloths made it in the laundry room.  It was a great week and everyone had a really fun time.

The next week we branched out to our friends.  The girls picked the Allen's to serve and wanted to bring them dinner and pick up their toy room.  Broccoli soup, lasagna and homemade bread were the menu items of choice and Wednesday was the day chosen.  The kids helped with the soup and the lasagna.  Both turned out really well.  I called ahead to make sure the Allen's would be home and we headed over.  The kids filed in the house and marched (with only a little prompting) upstairs.  Ashton and I hit the toy room and the girls cleaned up their friend Kyra's room.  On the ride home they let me know they didn't have any fun at all but I think they were still secretly happy to be helping.  Deep down.  Really deep down.

Next on our list were our neighbors.  We made these (caterpillar cupcakes in case you couldn't tell) for our neighbors.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, only 2 of our neighbors were home so we had a lot of cupcakes to eat.  Oh well.  It's the thought that counts right?

Ellie with her cupcakes

Livvy with her cupcakes

Our final two challenges are cleaning the church and making sandwiches for a battered women's/children's shelter.  I'll have to take copious pictures and tell you all about it.  I don't really have high hopes for cleaning the church building as the grumbles have already started and we are not schedule for another 2 weeks.  But, I think the sandwich making has serious potential.  It was difficult finding a community service project in the dead of summer that is appropriate for small children.  This should work?  I'll let you know.

Finally, after all the fun was had Brock and I have stretched out to take a minute for ourselves.  We've earned it right?