The Blondie Bears, smothered in sibling love

They said, "Take our picture, Mama!"

Hugh doesn't get left alone much. They're always picking him up, much to my dismay. Lexa's totally in love with him. Will is always trying to play with him.

Edited to add: 

Speaking of Will's constant attempts to play with Hugh and never leaving him alone, here's what was happening while I was just trying to write that post!

Summer Fun

A happy summer evening is a sprinkler pad and a wading pool in the yard. Will loves to run and jump into the pool. Timmy found his happy place just laying in the sprinkler. He likes to just lay there quietly awhile.

It also makes a great drinking fountain, apparently.

Look What Hugh Has Now

Hugh likes to play with EVERYTHING. His toys, other kids' toys, especially not toys, random stuff. 

Here his is looking carrying a box like a puppy.

It's Father's Day!

The kids were so excited about Father's Day this year. Lexa had been asking me for days to make cookies from a Christmas recipe book we have. I never felt like it was a calm enough time for that while Patrick was out of town for days, and did I mention our dishwasher isn't working, again? Somehow that's related to the overwhelming feeling of making cookies from scratch, especially ones Patrick wouldn't even be that into.. We did make him a pie.. From a can of key lime pile filling, a ready made crust and lots of ready whip. 

Lexa made him a card and then a book where she just colored each page with stripes of different colors. (She's really into looking at different color combinations lately.) Then she helped Will make a card. Will ran off to hide his card and then couldn't find it again an hour later when Daddy woke up. Timmy wasn't interested in cards, so he proceeded to melt a chocolate thin mint cookie in the microwave which he wrapped around a mini snickers bar. He said it ended up looking like Daddy. That is until Will ran by, grabbed it off the counter, and took a bite out of it. Then Timmy went on the front porch, saying something about a spider web. Little did I realize, he had some yarn and made a "spider web" all over the porch, "for Daddy". Best Father's Day ever so far, right? Lexa also wanted to make a Father's Day banner, which they worked on together. I suggested that Daddy might like it if we cleaned the house. Lexa said she'd rather "make the decorations" while Will and I cleaned. I managed to straighten the living room some before Hugh started fussing while Lexa painted about 20 paper plates and Will and Timmy disappeared.   

Summer Dinners

We've been eating dinner outside often this summer. It's great because we typically have been cooped up avoiding the Texas heat all afternoon. I love these summer evenings. 

You may notice we're eating bacon for dinner here. I had a sudden huge craving for BLT salad that night. Salad with bacon, tomatoes, cheese, and ranch dressing. Lexa was game. I remember when bacon was her favorite food as a toddler. She'll tell you her favorites are pickles and spaghetti these days. 

Let's go swimming!

There's a swimming pool here at the ranch. It's over next to the house and patio where the hunters stay. Mario, the ranch hand, told us it was ready, so we headed right over to check it out. We brought some drinks, music and pool noodles and spent all afternoon there. The kids never tire of swimming. Lexa dived for rings for the first time. (She begged me for some at the store.) she was too scared to dive for them at her swim lessons. Once I told her she didn't have to try to let herself just sink down to the bottom for them, but actually swim down to them, she had no more problems, and she dived for them many , many times.

Lexa also said she's loves to float because  "it's just so peaceful."

In the swing

Aww. Sweet baby fell asleep sucking his thumb.