Summer

 It's hard to believe that three weeks of July have passed us by!  The past week was cooler (great for sleeping) and a bit rainy but we still had fun.  We played in the pool and went for a bike ride during the week, had a visit with Grandpa Chuck on Saturday, and picked an insane amount of blueberries on Sunday at a friends house!

A walk in the garden after another rain on Monday evening.  

We have monarch caterpillars!!!!

SO cool!

Sunnies

Every time Adam asks if it is time to put the barn away (when no kids are around), Addie decides to play with the Barn the next week:)

A bike ride in the orchard on Wednesday evening.

Adam standing next to the tall corn and huge squash plants for scale.

Our grapes look amazing this year.  Adam has been keeping the vines trimmed/pruned.

Goofing around in the pool after the bike ride.

A massive mushroom in our side yard!!!

On Saturday, Grandpa Chuck drove out for a visit. We hung out at the pool and porch and had steak, veggies from the garden, salt potatoes, and lemon (right) and lime (left) pies!

Three generations of Ryans :)

On Sunday, A^4 picked 43.5 POUNDS of blueberries at our friend, Gian's, house, in two hours.  After picking, you could not tell that we had even picked - there are SO many berries!!!  (Last year we picked 17 pounds.)

Pool time on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  Adam throwing the diving toy so that Addie could "fetch" it.  Adam landed the pool toy right in the tube!

Soggy week and a Pool Party/Sleep over for Ayson

We had a quick week once back home from vacation.  Ayson had a pool party/sleep over with three of his friends on Friday night.  Hahaha - Ayson was pretty much useless on Saturday from staying up so late with his friends :)  The flowers and gardens looked like a jungle! We can't believe all of the rain we have gotten recently!  Sending good thoughts to all dealing with excessive rain or drought!

Addie's Venus fly trap is flowering :)

A volunteer sunny!

Ayson with 2 of his friends.

The boys played outside non-stop, ate a ton of junk food, and were up until 3 am!

At least with the boys in the basement we could not hear them from our bedrooms!!!

The overcast/misty day could not keep the boys away from the pool.

Ayson and his buds.

On short walk at Labrador in between the rain showers on Sunday.  The blueberries are ripening!

Everything was so GREEN!

Adam making limoncello:)

Michigan Vacation

A^4 had a wonderful visit in Michigan with Grandma Pat and Grandpa Roger and Auntie Holly, Uncle Alek, and the cousins.  We visited with Aunt Shirley and Uncle Al, family friend Kathy, Doug and Sue, and we ended our trip back with Auntie Holly, Uncle Alek, and the cousins.  Thanks to our Family and Friends for spending time with us!!! 

A Monday afternoon hike at Minneapolis Woods with Grandma and Grandpa.  Ayson is wearing the hat that Aunt Shirly and Uncle Al gave to Ayson.  The hat used to belong to their son, Peter, but as the hat no longer fits Peter, they gave the hat to Ayson!!!  Thank you!

Adam spotted a skunk on the trail!  Amy and Adam came across the skunk again and the skunk came dancing out on to the trail with its tail up!  Luckily it did not spray and we were far enough away.

Family hike photo

A trip to the Soo would not be complete without a chocolate malt, onion rings, and a bacon cheese burger from Clyde's Drive In :)

Dinner with a view:  a freighter traveling up the St Mary's River.

A walk around Rotary Park.

The kids could not resist spinning themselves silly at the playground. 

On Tuesday morning, we went to Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

Upper Falls

A hike on the Big Pine trail.

Giant white pine trees along the trail with one tree ~185 years old.

and 120 feet tall.

Both kiddos fell in LOVE with the baby frogs that were on the trail.

Lower Falls

Gorgeous area to kayak!

Hi Family!

The lower falls were wadable!  NEXT time, we will be sure to walk in the water!!!  :)

After Tahquamenon Falls SP, we drove to Whitefish Point (now part of Seney National Wildlife Refuge) to see Lake Superior and the Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum.  The kiddos thought Lake Superior was cold:)  Ha, it was a cool afternoon.  Regardless of the cold water and cool air temps, both kids managed to get their shorts completely soaked by the waves.

Looking for rocks.  Adam is waiving in the background.

The rudder from the Drake - insane!

A freighter on Lake Superior

Ayson getting a putting lesson from Grandpa.  The lesson helped as Ayson was able to hit the ball into the cup :)

Playground fun before a hike at Big Bear on Wednesday.

Addie fell in love with slugs.  Yes, slugs..."they are SO cute!!!!"

Adam pretending to levitate a leaf that was hanging from a web.

After the morning hike, we went to the Science lab at the high school.  Addie loved climbing on the huge rocks.

While Ayson loved searching for fossils.

Ayson showing Grandma his fossil collection.

There was also a sun dial but Amy forgot to get a picture of it.

Family photo time.

Kathy stopped by for a visit and told the kiddos about her cats, Duke and Smart Cat.

Thanks for the visit, Kathy!!

Funny photo time.  Hmm, there must have been a strong breeze....

After lunch, we went for another hike at Algonquin Pathway (now part of Brimley State Park).

After 2 days of hiking, the kiddos slept soundly!

On Thursday we all rode our bikes to the high school and checked out the skate/bike ramps.  Can you see the smile on Ayson's face???

We also walked along the boardwalk.

The kiddos racing down the ramp.

Amy and Adam had lunch with their friends Doug and Sue.  While Amy and Adam were gone, Grandma Pat took the kiddos to Kathy's house so the kids could meet her cats :)

Outside at Kathy's house.

That afternoon, we took the kids to Miniature Golf.

Haha, check out Ayson's disbelief that he MISSED!!!

Addie had a rough first 2 holes but then she found her grove and loved the game.  

We then had dinner with Grandma and Grandpa: pizza and wings at the Sundown Lounge.

We finished off the evening with ice cream and listening to a local musician.  While walking home, we  spotted a car from the movie Ghostbusters!!

Check out the license plate.

Friday morning pictures before we drove back to Holly and Alek's.

After we arrived at Holly and Alek's, we took the kids swimming and then went out to dinner.  The kids were SO excited to be able to sit at their own table.

Silly, Auntie feeding her kitten shrimp :)

The kiddos had fun Friday night: playing video games

and goofing around.

Saturday was a repeat of last Saturday with the exception that the boys went fishing in the morning while the girls went to Ryleigh's swim meet.  Great job Ryleigh!!!!

This time Rusty came on the boat with us!

The kids had SO much fun tubing!

A view of Detroit from Lake St Clair.

Dane crawling back in the tube after falling off.

A few of the "houses" along Lake St. Clair.