4th of July

Here are the still photos (since we already had moving ones)

We spent the afternoon of the 4th with the Buffaloes. There was tire-swinging.

There was porch-sitting.

There was canoeing!

There was play dough.

There were cousins!

So much concentration.

When it got dark, we went to the municipal fireworks display and had kettle corn.

Ohhhh

Ahhhh

Swim Lessons

Amelie just finished up swim lessons. We did two sessions through Columbia Parks & Rec. The first was at the ARC and not photo-documented, but the second was at Hickman's pool and I remembered to take some photos. The baby class was full (even when I called well in advance - we were 5th on the waitlist for the first session and 1st on the waitlist for the second session) so James didn't take swim lessons this year. When Amelie took the baby class, it was really for getting kids used to the water and he's already very comfortable, so I didn't think it was too big of a loss. He'll get to take them next summer.

Play Tent

Cousin Kendra got us a play tent a couple of Christmases ago, and more recently Sam's co-worker Maggie handed us down one her kids had grown out of. So now we have twice the fun!

Yesterday, we played with them inside.

Today, we played with them outside.

GIFs Galore

I sat down to wade through the photos I took on the 4th of July and found that the lovely folks (er, automated lines of code or whatever) had created these GIFs out of them and I just cannot get over it.

Fingerpaint

James had help with this. 

I'm pretty sure he was hiding under the chair because he didn't want to be cleaned off.

Sunglasses

Amelie is just too cool.

 Thank you to Grandma Mary for the heart-shaped sunglasses.

Bootheel Youth Museum

We went to the Bootheel Youth Museum the last time we were in the bootheel. Nana Jana wanted me to take pictures and I obliged. James crossing the bridge to the fire station (Amelie said this was her favorite part last time).

Playing the piano.

Or, more accurately, posing on the piano.

The huge bubble was one of the things that was still the same from when I was a kid.

Amelie looks suspicious. James popped it right after this.

In the space station.

Not quite tall enough to be an astronaut.

Amelie was interested in the pelts.

What? Isn't this how you use a magnifying glass?

I think they had this when I was a kid, too.

And then James tried to eat the blue sand.

Everybody took a turn on the slide.

Still amazed by the floating ball.

Magnets.

There was a 100-year-old fire truck.

We did not have much luck with a group photo.

Splash Pad Videos

Here's a video of the kids running around at the splash pad at Stephen's Lake Park.

And here's a nearly identical video of them running around at the somewhat smaller but still very nice splash pad at Flat Branch Park. James is using his "minky" but at least that keeps him from drinking the water.