Laura brought her help, some dinner AND dessert!

Laura brought her help, some dinner AND dessert!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

I think we have a very similar picture, eating on the back porch, from 40 years ago when I moved in the first time! ;)

The storm clouds passed us by, left a cool sky behind.

The storm clouds passed us by, left a cool sky behind., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

How many kids have made an UMBRELLA out of duct tape?!

How many kids have made an UMBRELLA out of duct tape?!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

You know you've spent too much time at Lowe's when...

You know you've spent too much time at Lowe's when..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Mass sparkle!

Mass sparkle!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Home is where your toothbrush is...

Home is where your toothbrush is..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Happy Fourth. The boys enjoyed it with a few smoke bombs. :)

Happy Fourth. The boys enjoyed it with a few smoke bombs. :), a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Dining room is ready. Just need our table and dinner! :)

Dining room is ready. Just need our table and dinner! :), a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

We lost our city bees... :(

We lost our city bees... :(, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

It turns out, oddly enough, that bees in the city do much better than bees in the country. Ours weren't storing honey and were getting weaker. So, our bee keeper decided to move them back to the city to hedge against losing the whole hive. No bees for now. Bummer.

Interesting to watch him duct tape then into their hive at night and haul them away, though ;)

The bugs were sure out tonight. A Sherman tank and a B52 June bug

The bugs were sure out tonight. A Sherman tank and a B52 June bug, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Now THAT's a pile of Skylanders.

Now THAT's a pile of Skylanders., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

The boys were having an "Olympic sport", how many can you fit on the portal? Almost all of them! Haha

A special present for Christopher.

A special present for Christopher., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Happy birthday Christopher!

Happy birthday Christopher!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Fifteen, wow! Take a deep breath before you blow out your candles! Haha

The tic tac toe party crasher.

The tic tac toe party crasher., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

This guy was hard to beat!

Emily was having fun at Christopher's birthday party!

Emily was having fun at Christopher's birthday party!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.