Summer Time with Cousins...

We've had so much fun this last week with our cousin, Clara, visiting from North Carolina/Pittsburgh (they are literally in the middle of a major move and we're looking forward to our road trip in August to go visit them in their new home!).  We've been enjoying summer, spending lots of time with our families and making the most of this beautiful place we call home. 

The kids had fun at this great playground in Newbury...

 Cousins!!!

 A great big brother...

 Swinging high...

 Swimming in Pleasant Lake...

 Kayaking with Pop...

 We went strawberry picking on the hottest day!  The boys were great helpers though and we enjoyed a nice swim in the lake afterwards!

Juice dripping down the chin...

J

 I ran into one of my good friends at the fields and they later joined us for the USA game! 

 Proud of his pickings!

 USA! USA! USA!

 Scott's cousin and his family are visiting from Arizona right now.  They're staying with Scott's parents in New London, but we've enjoyed hanging out with them and showing them what life in NH is like!  They have two boys who are each about six months older than our boys!  So fun!
We took them swimming in the river!

 These two are buddies!

 Enjoying our screen porch with family!

 I'm in love with these curls...I have no idea where they came from, but they're precious!

 More soccer games (you can read about our obsession here)...

 The boys...

 2nd cousins picnicking under the trees...

 Sadie and her cousin, Mylah, explore the "Path to Nowhere" at Nan and Pop's house...

 So many things to exlpore!

 Micah played goalie today and did GREAT!  Even when one of the grownups shot it at the goal and it hit him in the face.  After a few tears he got right back out there!  So proud of my boys!

Looking forward to even more cousin/family time over the next few days! 

Soccer Crazies!

There is some serious soccer mania going on in this household right now...and I'm loving it!  The boys are so enthralled with the World Cup.  For a family who allows this children very limited screen time, we're breaking the rules this month and enjoying every minute of it!  The boys pick sides and cheer their little hearts out and when the lose interest they go play and just come back to watch replay's of the goals.  We got crafty (Scott's idea - he wants you all to know!) and made a little soccer field with all the flags of the World Cup teams and a little bracket to keep track of wins and losses.  But the best part of all this excitement is seeing the boys want to get out and PLAY soccer!  We have little pug goals that we set up in the yard and we take turns playing with them.  Camden goes hard and plays in the field and then runs back and plays goalie.  It's adorable and exciting and oh, so fun!  (Yes, I'm a self-professed soccer nerd and I love it!).   We signed them up for a little mini-camp this week.  They are playing for one hour on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (and the whole thing only cost $16!!!  And a t-shirt included!  Bargain!!!) and they are loving it!  It's so good for them to get some instruction from other people and just learn to be around other kids and people they don't know.  We were shocked when Camden just marched out onto the field and started passing with some kids he didn't know!  Where did our little shy boy go?!?!  Micah, on the other hand, who is only 3.5 years old, was really nervous and clinging to our legs.  We told him to give it a try, and if he didn't like it he didn't have to continue - no pressure!  When it was time to start camp, Camden ran over and got him and they joined the group together.  ALL of Micah's nerves melted away as they started playing and he is LOVING "camp!"  We're so proud of both of them and I know my Dad would be loving all this soccer excitement too! 

Here is our nifty soccer craft!  :)

 This boy has got some energy these days!

 They got their first shin guards and soccer socks!  They've barely taken them off!

 Love this little man...

 We need to work on his form!  :)

 First day of camp!

 Go, Micah!!!