Summertime Part 2

 Here are a few more snapshots of how our summer has been.

We had our annual ward picnic...don't get between Ginger and her carne asada. Actually, don't get between me and carne asada either.

We've spent lots more time at the cabin. Whenever we have visitors the kids love to perform some kind of puppet show, or show an art gallery...this particular time the kids did a dance for Tia Kami.

Here's Violet's art gallery

And there's always plenty of animals to watch or catch.

This was a lizard

This is a horny toad.

Ginger has been very worried about her upcoming kindergarten assessment. She brought these Brain Quest cards along with her to practice. Just to be safe.

They've been able to earn some extra money by cleaning empty units.

And we've spent lots of time at the pool.

Just being silly, nothing out of the ordinary here.

Now THIS was hilarious. We got masked visitors! We heard racoons outside our house (not cabin, HOUSE) one morning and saw a mother and 3 babies. Once Travis went outside the mom ran up our chimney and onto our roof. Meanwhile the babies were just squeaking. 

They got really gutsy, though. Violet was so excited (animal lover) we let her go outside and see them from a safe distance. But apparently it wasn't safe enough and the babies started approaching her. A couple seconds later Violet was running for her life. She made it inside but then they went after Travis. Travis took a stick and started fending them off but soon he was being chased too. He would literally fling them with his stick across the lawn and they'd get up and resume chase. I finally threw some shoes at them and it distracted them long enough for Travis to make it safely inside. I sooo wish I had caught that on camera. So much. We called animal control and they took the babies away. I like to think they let them out safely into the wild. Yes. I will think that.

We spent the Fourth of July at the cabin, but had Pioneer Day fireworks with cousins.

We celebrated Travis' birthday at the cabin.

He and the YM have been building birdhouses for their last few mutual activities. It's been so nice for them to experience something they've never tried before, and find pride in their work.