Annual 4th of July Party!!!

This is the... 3rd? Annual Young/Mckee 4th of July party!

Mark was so excited to wear our matching shirts, and look how cute we are!

Everyone lounged and ate, and ate, and ate.

The "kid's" fireworks were pretty entertaining to the crowd

but Josh put on the real show.

Glow necklaces were popular this year.

This is Mattie with her glow outfit.

Mark and the kids set off the smaller fireworks.

Josh's were a little bigger!

Thanks, Josh (and helpers)!!!

More sparklers!

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I've had a lot of requests for a better picture of Josh on nerd night, so here you go. Don't look too long, it's really creepy.

Falls Creek

We just got back from Falls Creek, who missed us?!? Who missed the blog this summer??!

This was our room. Max slept on the top bunk in the corner, and Mattie and I had the two beds pushed together.

Every morning after breakfast (my only "free" time) we explored while the kids were at morning service.

Josh and Emily on "Nerd Night". Creepy.

Max attacked the concrete with his face. And didn't even cry.

Twins!

Max hang'n with the fellas.

Mattie wanted to climb down and when I wouldn't take her, she found someone else (Russell).

Look what's for dinner!!

This is how Mattie took her baths every night. There is no tubs here and she is too small for a shower, so....

Then at night we settled in for a movie and bedtime.

Sunday

Max lost his first tooth today. He was so excited. He has been asking when he will start losing teeth for a year now. It was really funny, I heard him yell in the living room and he tore into the bedroom to show me his tooth was loose. I told him to go eat some chips, thinking it would be a day or so before it came out. He had it out in 15 minutes. He was really excited and took the tooth to church with him in a baggie.

He is especially proud of the hole.

And of course Mattie had to get in on the action.

Tuesday

Well, it's in. Who's ready for a pool party?

I know Max is. He helped the guys put in the liner before we had to leave for basketball practice.
Then he helped smooth out the wrinkles by sliding down the slope into the deep end.

A few hundred times.


















The water was freezing, he was the only one brave enough to do it.


Mattie wanted to, but only got a toe in before she decided it was way too cold.

Basketball and swimming make for a long day.

Monday

Today we went swimming at the Y, again. Sorry there are no pictures, but it is indoors and really humid, so there is no way I'm taking my camera in there. Everyone is really excited about Jeff and Adrian coming this week!

We'll be back tomorrow with pictures!

We surprised Mark with breakfast in bed Saturday. He's been working hard on the pool.

Mattie picked one doughnut at the store, and then ended up eating Mark's when we got home. So Mark ate Mattie's.

Max will eat any doughnut.

Here's to Saturday mornings!

Thursday

This is Mattie's new favorite doll, a tiny Larry. It's actually a finger puppet, but Veggie Tales is her new fav cartoon. Sorry, Elmo.

Chalk and bubbles are the summer theme until the pool is ready.

Monday

Hey! We're back! This whole "summer vacation" thing has everything turned upside down, schedule wise, so we're getting everything settled.

We have spent a lot of time at the Y swimming, which Max loves and Mattie tolerates. I was really surprised how timid she was about the water. She really didn't like it at first. There were lots of tears and "no, mama" 's , but she eventually warmed up to it, but never got off my lap. The next time was better, she will go about knee deep (for her, so about six inches) and say, Look, mama, I swimming! But she was happy, so we had a good time.

Max is all over the place, under the water, kickn' around, having a great time. He is the one that talks me into going everyday, and practically gets everything ready himself, so that is big for him. He really likes it, so we will probably still go (a little bit) even after our pool is up, because the Y's pool is so shallow, and it may be the best way to get Mattie used to it.

The only pictures I have are from Memorial Day last week (sorry). We worked outside all weekend on the pool and the yards. Mark tore out the old liner, I work on the paving stones, and Mattie and Max played in the new sand box. We decided to eat outside, which was really great, but I forgot about the nasty smell from the old liner. Mark was a trooper and didn't mention it, and the kids never seem to smell anything, unless it's something I'm cooking they don't want to eat.

We had the traditional Memorial Day feast, including Mark's special hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, everything.

This is how Max looks at food he likes, someday I show you what he looks like when he doesn't like it, but ya'll have probably already seen that.

Then we topped it off with homemade strawberry shortcake and whip cream.

It was a hit, with only a hint of moldy rotting liner.

Tuesday

We have a graduate in our house!! Max graduated kindergarten Tuesday. Doesn't he look handsome? He's got his resume in his pocket.

Max earned two awards, the highest score in language, and most improved reader. On his standardized testing, he tested in the 95th percentile overall, and the 99th percentile in reading and language. His is reading at a grade equivalent of 3.5 and his overall grade equivalent is 2.3. So he did pretty well this year.

Everyone came out to see him graduate.

Then we went for ice cream.

Monday

Someone had a good time at Papa and Nana's yesterday!

The pink juice came just in time, too, we ran out this morning.

Max only had 1 1/2 days of school left and it is getting harder and harder to get him to bed each night. Graduation is tomorrow!!