The Fourth of July

Our Fourth was another busy day.  We originally were going to go mini-golfing, but then Cheryl brought up Silver Falls.  We had never been there and sounded like a lot of fun, so plans changed. 

Silver Falls was our park for last week.  It is a waterfall that you can walk behind--really cool!  The wind wasn't blowing too badly that day either so we didn't get completely soaked.

You wouldn't think this small stream...

would create such a large waterfall.

I guess there is a picture of Bryan sitting in this exact spot.

I love this picture simply because Brandon was wearing his new McQueen t-shirt and his theme for the day was, "I'm FAST!"

Behind the waterfall.

They were checking out all the holes in the "ceiling".

Bryan, Cheryl and Andrew all started throwing a frisbee when we got back to the parking lot.
Brandon found a paddle and ball in Auntie Cheryl's trunk and was thrilled to be
playing his own little game in the midst of the frisbee group.

Micah had other discoveries to make.

 After leaving Silver Falls, we went back down to Salem for lunch.  It was at lunch that this conversation happened. 
Don: I need to be packed tonight so I don't need to worry about that early tomorrow morning.  (Don and Bryan were planning on leaving at 5:30 to fly back to Lynden so they could be at work.)
Bryan to me: I should probably be packed too.
Me: Why?
Bryan: Oh yeah, I guess you'll be home tomorrow night too.
Me: Maybe you should take your shaver just in case.
Bryan: Why?  In case you decide to stay another day?
Don: That's a good idea.  You girls should stay another day.
Sally and I look at each other with raised eyebrow expression that says: "Now there's an idea!"  And so it was that we stayed an extra day.

Back to the afternoon of the Fourth.  After nap time we went swimming again.  Surprise, surprise.  I do believe the water was at 87 degrees that day.

Brandon went from needing all kinds of protection to balancing himself on a kick board and holding a water gun in three short days.  Amazing!

Micah was still only happy in the water if I was holding him, or if he was being entertained in such a way that he couldn't see me.

 For the evening, we had been invited to some friends house for a BBQ and to watch the neighborhood fireworks in their backyard.  They have an incredible backyard.  Brandon LOVED the slide.  It's one of the old fashioned ones that are "too dangerous" for playgrounds these days.  So what do they do?  Brandon and Uncle Andrew went down sitting on wax paper to make it faster!  ;)

About a block away there is a park that Doug takes care of and so is affectionately named "Doug's Park".  We went for a walk over there after supper.

These things are fun but weird.

I love this picture because it is such a typical Bryan/Cheryl chit-chat stance.

Micah has figured out how, when put at the top of a slide, to scoot himself to the end so he goes down the slide.

Bryan got my camera.  I try not to let that happen too often.

Have I ever told you Micah loves to swing?

Half of us headed home around 10:15 to get some sleep.  We were just about all played out.