Random Family Time

Friday nights are usually pizza night or "mom's night off," as I like to call it. We loved having Cody get off early on Fridays during the summer and tried to take advantage of them as best we could. This Friday at Donatos pizzeria everyone was in a particularly crazy mood.

I love the look of total adoration on Cody's face.

Best cheesy face ever!

Love these two!

We discovered we were beginning to have a carpenter ant problem in our tree outback. The bug man said we needed to trim the tree away from the house and garage before he sprayed. Cody was happy to have an excuse to get a big ladder and cut something down. So, we spent one Saturday morning hacking away at our tree and even I managed to saw one small limb down.

Hazel had fun playing in the branches while Pepper and Morgan collected seed pods.

Thought I'd put a couple pictures up of our garden this year. Once again the tomatoes and strawberries did really well.

Pepper showing off her seed pods next to the squash, cucumber, peppers, green beans and asparagus plants.

Cody and the kids making pretzels on a Sunday afternoon.

Guess which one is Cody's?

I love that Pepper's looks like a bow.

And here's some pics of Hazel getting up from a nap. Her hair was in a particularly crazy mood and it cracked me up!

Man, oh, man do I love our family time and my crazy kids!

Some August Playgroups

Our church playgroup and local Momsclub really help keep us sane around here. Especially during the long summer months when everyone morning starts with, "What are we doing today? Who are we going to play with? Where are we going?!" Here are some of the different outings we went on.

Pepper and Avi playing at Croghan Park.
These girls are definite free spirits.

On Thursday morning, August 15th, our playgroup met at the Akron Art Museum to try out their story time and a new program they set up to help kids stay better enjoy the museum.

They had some games set out in the lobby along with cookies and juice boxes.

Blake and Lesli admiring something while the kids play.

Building discs.

On Thursday the 22nd, our playgroup was scheduled to pick raspberries at Rittman Orchards. The weather forecast was not in our favor but we headed out anyway. We arrived just as the clouds seemed to be rolling in. We managed to get about 10 minutes of picking time in before we were forced inside. Oh, well, it was fun while it lasted.

She loves picking fruit...not that you could tell by this picture.

Morgan took these pictures for me. Clouds were not looking good.

I spent all 10 minutes trying to fill the bucket as quickly as possible.
Hazel spent that time trying to empty it.

The kids didn't mind cutting our outing short once I got them ice cream and told them we were going to take our picnic lunch to daddy's work. Since we were already almost to Orrville, I called Cody when the clouds turned on us and we met up with him for the last daddy/lunch date of the summer.

Our measly haul. At least they tasted delicious.

Gorge Metropark with Lloyds

On Saturday, August 17th, we met up with the Lloyds at the Gorge Metropark. It was a beautiful morning for a walk in the woods. 

Baby Grant got to ride in style.

Hazel walking didn't last too long apparently. 

This one was trying to get in the Ergo, too!

She got over it.

Mary Campbell's Cave. 

He was excited about the "primitive" trail.

Baby waterfall.

This tree must have fallen over the path some time ago and they just worked the path up around it.

Making Hazel hike is obviously going well, heehee.

Lunch time!

We had a lovely morning with lovely friends. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning in August.