The Batter Dolphin Bunch

As I was going through my phone deciding which pictures to post, I came across 50 (YES, FIFTY) pics very similar to this one. Apparently someone got a hold of my phone the other morning when he woke up a 5:45am and the iPad battery was dead.

Not Guilty! Would this evidence be enough in court?

We had an awesome 4th of July! What a better way to start out the celebration of the birth of our great country than at our village's parade with good friends. We decided to watch the parade this year (last year we marched with the PTA - we will alternate every year, I think...) and it was a blast. The entire parade is about 90 minutes - the bulk of the "good stuff" is in the first hour. It was a billion degrees with a million percent humidity, but we survived in the shade. Afterwards, we hit up the fire station for a free BBQ - Daddy and I had hot dogs (that is right, I actually ate a hot dog - I'm up to about one a summer now) the kids were too hot to want to eat.

Where's Bendo?

Is it wrong that I just want to eat her freckles every day??? Love this kid.

The only candy my kids really want to eat (besides chocolate which is a food group not candy) are lollipops.

We walked to and from the parade - about 10 minutes there and 15 minutes back. The extra 5 minutes was caused by hot whining children and uphill on the way home...

Where's Bendo, once again?

After the parade we rested up for a bit in the AC, then headed over to our very first pals ever on LI and partied the afternoon away. And by partied, I mean the kids got into the pool and WOULD NOT EXIT FOR THREE HOURS. They were absolute prunes - but happy prunes, and I was happy to just have to hang out on the side of the pool and relax and NOT have to be in the pool all life guard vigilant. My babies are growing up... Emma has turned into a super stud swimmer and no-fear Ben has finally realized that if he wears a floaty device when the water is over his head, he can have a ton of fun in the pool. Woot! Woot! Oh, yeah, I GAVE AWAY our cool "puddle jumper" floaty contraption two weeks ago because he was refusing to wear it. Grrrrrrrrrr, Benjiboogleheimer, you are so very lucky you are so dang cute.

Emma is the one swimming under water and Ben is all in pink on the far side of the pool. Only real men can pull off pink.

It doesn't get much realer than this! I love swimming, Mom!

What can we learn from this picture?

So much to learn from this picture!!!
1) The train table is GONE and the tv is now centered in the living room and much more enjoyed from all angles of our comfy sofa.
2) On the left are Ben's sandals. Yes, SANDALS! Remember this kid single handedly keeps the sock biz in biz! Yet Abuelita got him sandals for the Summer and he is now ONLY wearing them sans socks. Phew!
3) Daddy replaced my 15 years old stinky stained gross throw pillows with these lovely Walmart purchases.
4) Under the chair on the left is Emma's paper happy birthday crown from school three weeks ago. She still wears it daily...
5) Random toys scatter the floor - I can't even identify them, I simply sweep around them. :)
6) Ben could not have been more proud of this cheerios creation, "Look, Mom, I made Caillou!" For those of you without pbs kids children, he is a creepy 4 year old with no hair - but his show teaches great life lessons and the kids adore him...