It's Been Too Long

Wow, I have been so busy reading other people's blogs I haven't written anything in my own. I have found some very interesting ones lately, but even so I need to keep up a bit.

Let's see: I have had my littlest brother here for the last 2 weeks visiting with my boys. He is 11, that's 7 months younger than my oldest son. It has been fun and we have filled the time doing lots of stuff. We went to SPLASH! one night and swam in the wave pool. It was great because our buyer's agent had a free night for her past clients so we got to go swim, have snow cones and popcorn for free. Plus all three of my kids won a prize in their drawing. We got 4 free tickets to bowling and free admission to Putters (mini-golf). Wow our week was all planned out for us!

After swimming I promised the kids (yet another) treat and we were going to the store and passed Baskin Robbins, in the window was the dollar scoop Tuesday poster and guess what? It was Tuesday! Plus...I had a gift certificate for $6! Amazing; 'free' ice cream too!

We also went camping near Fall creek. It was so beautiful up there. The water in the river was actually warm and we had a blast. I collected some pretty rocks to put under my clematis plant. (they like their roots shaded, why not do it with beautiful river rocks from our awesome outing!)

The day before the 4th a few of our neighbors suggested getting together and having a little barbecue. It was so sweet to be invited and get to know a few more of our neighbors better. One particular couple offered to bring all the meat and fixings and everyone else brought side dishes. I though that was particularly generous. The couple next door to us had a mess of fireworks which we ooooh'ed and ahhhhhh'ed over when the sun went down. The kids always enjoy that part and it's fun to watch them get into it.

For the evening of 4th of July we went to Harrisburg and watched the fireworks show they do there. In 13 years this is the first time I've ever gone. It was so impressive. There were sooo many people packed onto the bank of the river waiting for the show to start. But that lent to the atmosphere of it all. All of our lawn chairs and blankets forming a patchwork of sorts as we waited together and talked with those we knew, and shared words with a few we didn't know. When the show began (not till 10pm) my brother was being such a goofball and shouting out silly things that made the people around us laugh. At the very end (or maybe we just thought it was the end) he shouted, "Take that King....Louie!!!"
It was hilarious. Oooops, wrong king.

This weekend I will be taking my little brother back home to Mom and then transferring my boys to their great-aunt who is treating them to 2 weeks of great fun with her and their cousin from Doug's side. They are going to have full summer. Good thing too, they were already complaining of boredom before my bro arrived:)

I will be staying a week with my mom before coming back home to (hopefully) do some more organizing projects around the house before summer is over.

Well, that's all for now!