summer days.

we're seeing back to school signs, shiney new school supplies at the stores, there are less kids at the playground, the boys even wave to the school bus each morning but at our house summer is still going strong!

it was our third time going to the county fair here in castle rock. (2010, 2009)

the boys of course, LOVED the parade thru downtown. gage was double fisting the lollipops the whole time.
the boys also enjoyed seeing all the animals at the fair grounds...although it was very short lived. gage was bit by a turkey and that was the end of all the fun for everyone.
all three boys dreaming of being cowboys when they grow up.
a few weeks back we babysat my friend, and doula's, daughter while she was off at a birth overnight. vance and i said, this may make or break if we want our new baby to be a boy or a girl...we're still open to either. the kids were all so good!
look at those smiles! they were so cute, they whispered quietly and then said "goodnight" to each other before falling asleep. vance and i just watched the monitors with smiles on our faces.
rock painting.

grandma gwen came for a few days. what a great time!! lane LOVES having people come to our house, really, he is SO proud and happy to be at home with the people he loves. we'd walk in and he'd say "gramma gwen, this is my home, you like it?"
it was an odd moment...lane was letting me take his picture. (ok yes, he may have been bribed by pop, but does it make it better if it was natural soda?!)


oh gage!

while mom was here we ventured up to copper mountain to meet dad and doyle dykes there for a guitar event. you can see more about it on my mom's blog.
always, always amazing to see & hear doyle.
the boys enjoyed the playground with guitar music playing in the background:)
gage soooo wanted to go backstage with papa neal. gage and papa were buddies all weekend.
and lane, he was just unsure about the whole "stage" thing.
finally, backstage!
the next morning we took lane on an outing up the ski lift with just us (vance & i). it was so sweet sitting there looking out at the mountains, telling lane how special & what a blessing he is. i think vance and i took turns kissing his checks the whole way up & back down.

of course, once we got up there, lane was more interested in the machinery than anything else.

LOVE this picture!!
cheesy with mom.
and a big smooch!
doyle, papa, and gage.

everyday rain showers are still going strong which has lead to some fairly impressive rainbows.
i woke lane up just to see this one, it was pretty amazing!
summer means band aids and summer has been rough on their knees. a constant at our house.
the boys played forever with these lasagna roads.


(gage's little fingers make me smile!)





civic green park, probably the coolest park in denver, seriously.





LONG LIVE SUMMER!