July

On our way to Mancos, CO to celebrate Independence Day

 

Walking through the quaint downtown.

Blowing dandelions for the first time.

Grandpa Bear had a cool bracelet that Benjamin liked to snap together, then Grandpa would unsnap, then Benjamin would snap....100 billion times. Grandpa Bear has so much patience. Benjamin loved it so much that Grandpa made him an orange and yellow bracelet of his own. So now I get to learn that patience unsnapping it a gazillion times every day!

Keeping warm with Aunt Deruchette and cousins waiting for the fireworks.

He loves cousin Lela and has since he was just a couple months old.

We ate So. Much. Food.

Mel got a little carried away with the Dr. Pepper...

Yoshi time at the play place at the mall. I feel like these pictures are from forever ago. I can't believe how far behind I get posting pictures.

I think I wrote awhile back that Benjamin writes the letter B multiple times every single day. Most of the time it is illegible, but here is such a clear one! And below is a word. I can't remember which word he said it was (probably dog or another animal).

We drove to Louisville, KY for a business conference and had a blast! 20 hours driving there, about 36 hours there, and 20 hours back! It was a blast. Every seat was full. Benjamin stayed with Faith, who also had her 4 kids on her own 7 months pregnant (Jason was with us)! She's amazing.

The river was flooded.

With Tony and Frances Pappalardo - some of our heroes.

I don't know if you can see this, but those little dark circles are tan lines from Benjamin's blue crocs that he wears almost every day. We made the mistake of putting those on him first this summer. Of course no other sandals compare to their comfort, so he won't wear any other shoes.

We got a new car seat for Lamoni's car so we could retire his baby one, but he adamantly opposed. He dragged this thing around for days before we could finally pry it away from him. He even went into the garage to get it after we put it in there.

For future reference so I have proof of what I put up with. ;-)

Sometimes he likes to go on the big potty. Isn't that face adorable?!

Walking to church with Daddy. I lucked out and was playing organ that day so I drove so I wouldn't be late. I like walking, but it has been so hot lately and church is at 1 p.m.!

More of Benjamin's blanket obsession. He discovered his old baby blankets and likes snuggling with them.

When he first got his big boy underwear, he insisted they were different articles of clothing. Many tantrums were thrown because I wouldn't put his "superman shirt" on him the right way.

He got baby Katheryn asleep one day when we got to watch her! In the picture on the left he is staying so still as to not wake her. After about 10-15 minutes of holding her (I was curious to see how long he would stay before asking to be done) I think he was trying to wake her up so he could go play in the picture on the right.

He LOVES going to the park. We have to spell it when we're referring to it, otherwise he will beg until we give in.