Park time with family

While we were in Kansas City (specifically, Blue Springs) == we played hard. Every day we were either going shopping, visiting family, playing at the park, playing with friends, swimming .... you get the idea!

The first day we are in Missouri, we meet up with my brother and his family. I have two nephews from my brother: Joshua & Liam. Joshua is almost 4, and can be a serious little boy and is INCREDIBLY smart. My brother & his wife, Rachel, play sand volleyball with their friends, and so we went to watch and let the kids play in the sand.

Dark clouds started to roll in before we arrived, and I was SO excited to get a feel for a good Midwestern storm!  There's nothing like it, I have to say -- a huge lightning show, thunder crashing, the smell of rain....we managed to get home just in time before the rain started.

Madison & Liam played really well together!!



My brother Mike blocking the ball...

and now serving the ball!

A few days later, we all enjoyed teriyaki chicken on the grill at my grandma's house.  She needed her back deck power washed, so my brother and dad went over to do that fun job!

Here are the girls with my grandma.  If you read this post I wrote back in January of 2010, you'll see how far Katie has come as far as height!!  All the grandkids (and now great grandkids) know they're growing up when they grow past Grandma!

This is Coco.  My grandpa and grandma got Coco two weeks before my grandpa passed away.  Coco is a bit.... wild.  Maddie was afraid of him, really.  He would jump all over people -- and she doesn't do well with animals period.  Ever since the goat bit her hand.... and the rabbit bit her hand... and well, you see a trend?  Bites == Maddie refusing to do anything with animals!  Anyways, my grandma had the brilliant idea of putting Coco on a leash, and gave the leash to Maddie.  That way she could control Coco.  Maddie loved that idea!  Coco was very obedient on a leash.  After a few days, Coco was fixed -- and he went straight to Maddie to be held after he got home.  This picture below is of Maddie holding Coco, while he was a just a bit "out of it".

Here are two great grandkids (Katie & Joshua) helping Grandma with her yard work.

My brother working the power washer....

and my dad ... doing something.  Wrapping a cord?  It was SO hot while we were in KC the entire two weeks.  100% humidity plus high heat == a very hot, sweaty day.