Demo Derby

We thought it would be fun to go to the demolition derby with Noah and Christian. 

Grandpa joined us too. It was a good time..plenty of noise, dirt, spinning wheels, and banged up cars to see! I have a feeling they will want to return next year :)

July Moments

July brought us reunions, family times, a vacation, and many more days in between...

these were some of those days!

Back to School Day

Our back to school day out consisted of going to Aviate, where a LOT of jumping was involved. 

I had done the actual back to school shopping by myself (the bulk of it anyway). So this was a day of fun!!

We ate lunch at On the Border, to pick out a little treat at Target (a small Lego set for Noah and his very own Sharpie set for Christian), and to get Noah new shoes. 

I had to take a picture of how Noah wanted to hold Christian's hand while we were in the store...

it won't be long before this won't happen, and it just melts my heart.

We finished the day with rolled ice cream. What a crazy concept...but it was quite the dessert!!

The ice-cream is poured in liquid form on the frozen tray, and then they use a scraper thing that make the ice cream roll up into logs and put them in the bowl with toppings!! 

It was their choice to have this day be together, rather than separate special days for each of them. 

It was a fun day! I guess we're ready for school now :)

Summer Family Time

 Following the Birky reunion and our family trip, we came home to spending time with more family. Carissa & Tim's family were here; so there was plenty of playtime in the pool, lawn games, toddler interactions, rocket launching, birthday celebrating, a movie night WHILE in the pool, 

Some of the pool time included: water volleyball, watermelon ball, and a very impressive synchronized routine provided by Mia, Gia, Ava, and Kade. 

Ava turned 13!!

Isaac laid there for quuuuite awhile as Brent used him as a pillow.

Playing Kubb; a lawn game I had never seen before the Birky reunion. (I still don't really know how to play, but it seems like a fan favorite.)

 We were all wearing floral attire...so it only seemed fitting we take a picture :)

The 2 & 3 year old cousins.

One night Dad sent off a rocket. Watching it launch is fun...but the search to find it is also pretty exciting. Christian, Jace, and Brent went on four-wheelers...while Mom drove the mule with a whole LOAD of us.

Carissa was also riding up front...so there was 8 of us poking along. But WE found it!! 

Carissa got off to claim the rocket (very happy about it!).

It was a perfect evening for it, very little wind, great temperature, and a beautiful sunset.

Bergey Reunion [ Topeka ]

The Bergey family all gathered at Phil and Diana's house in Topeka.

It was nice to be able to reconnect and have a good time together!

Germany, Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas are all represented here :)

Exploration Place with Family

We were going to go to the zoo all together, but the weather was NOT ideal for that..super hot and humid (the type you start sweating just walking from your car to the entrance). So we went to the Exploration Place instead.

Dad, Brent and Ben were working, Maddox was at camp, and Tim flew in at lunch..but the rest of us went.

We went to a pizza place just a couple minutes away. It was fast, tasty, and accommodated all of us real nice.

The Road Home [ Wednesday ]

It maybe wasn't the most calm or ideal way to end our stay at the cabin (cue the non-helpful behaviors and in general unable-to-get-alongness)...but we headed out by 10:00.

We had planned one last final outing, and that was stopping at the Lego store in the Mall of America.

That crazy wall art is made from ALL Legos!! So crazy.

They played/built with Legos while I shopped for a VERY short bit. Win/Win.

We got on the road, and drove the rest of the way. A pitstop at a gas station sometime after supper to change in to pajamas and keep on going!

We made it home...safe and sound. 

Good trip, good memories, but also GOOD to be home!