Happy 4th of July

We spent yesterday on the river (the Columbia). The kids were grossed out at the thought of swimming in the river with fish - the entire ride to the river they insisted that they were going to have nothing to do with swimming! After being there about 10 minutes, they all decided it wasn't so disgusting after all and had a great time...well, it was all great until we got home and realized we were all burned to crisps! Ugh! Today we're all walking with our shoulders hunched up and cringing every time someone walks by "just in case" they bump in to us! We're all sucking down Motrin and smearing on the Aloe, so we should be good to go by the weekend. Today is probably the best day to be miserable in the house though - it's supposed to get over 100 degrees...ugh! - Oh yeah...pictures of the river.....


(Joseph, Jared & Maddie were off doing something else during this picture. The cute little blodnie is my cousin Keli's daughter, Kennedy.)

When I was growing up - all those YEARS ago - my extended family used to always go to the river. It was great spending the day at the river with them again.


(Aunt Raye (hiding behind the umbrella), Cousin Keli - Little Sister Lindsay - Cousin Mardi Jayne (yes, Jayne = my Melanie Jayne) - Cousin Sarah.)

Grandma and Joseph opted to enjoy the river from the shade of the umbrella - today we're all wishin' we'd done the same!



POLLYWOGS! Yes, those are MY kids - grossed out at the thought of swimming with fish - now picking up pollywogs and putting them in the moat!



Getting ready to go tubing! Kera, Katie, Maddie & Mickie (with Adam in the back).


Jared probably swam 100 miles yesterday!



Dad and Jason took a little time to go over the basics for Jason to pass his scout swim test at camp the end of this month!



Last, but not least - here's Megan...the one who wasn't even going to bring her suit from home because she was just sure she wanted nothing to do with swimming in the putrescent river!