celebrating the 4th~

i love holiday weekends, don't you?

we had some company at the lodge (my brother and his wife and their

daughter-her hubbie and 8 mo. old baby) and two of our three kiddos were there 

to sit and b.s., swat sqeets, eat meal after yummy meal, watch bonfires, bottle rockets and 

the new baby in our family. 

by the time everyone was there, the dog count was up to 4. one more

black lab joined the pack (and there were actually 2 more family pups that

didn't make the cut and get to come). 

4 was plenty- but i will say that after the first night of wildness and out of control

 jumping, biting and horseplay they settled down and were

really well behaved for the remaining 3 days!

"good dogs"!

eric told ashley that babies are always scared of him but she said "i'll bet barrett won't be",

and lookie here~ he couldn't have cared less who held him~ he and eric bonded and shared some

quality time getting to know each other.

this little dude is chill.... momma makes a bottle and gives it to him

and he feeds himself.

bear and his daddy matt are so stinking cute together...matt could hardly pass 

through a room where his son was without stopping to snuzzle in his little neck a bit.

sat. afternoon was hot. we all sat outside and the babe was just plain sweaty.

he's cutting his first teeth and he was so good, but after a thousand pictures and trying hats on him etc....someone (me) had the brilliant

idea to get my old enamel tub and plunk him in some water and he LOVED it.

we -of course- pushed him to the limits of what a guy should have to take... haha

(sorry bear). :  )

his rolls and squishy goodness delighted us all..... love me a healthy, happy baby.

ninja baby!

grampa todd and his little cub

"auntie" adria asked if she could wake him up from his nap on sunday to say goodbye.

three generations. g'ma mary on left and momma ashley on the right

these two have birthdays two days apart so we had a party for them on sat.

we have a pic on the bulletin board of todd holding eric when he was about

2 months old, so one of them suggested we take a new version.

being uncle todd weighs considerably less, he got to be the one who 

was held.  these two love to be together. two peas in a pod.

mary brought the fresh eggs -some blue- that she usually shares.

i have a hard time cooking them cause they're just too pretty.

T. and M. drove up and camped in their new camper.

i started out calling todd cousin eddie (from christmas vacation) but

he quickly put the k-bosh on that and said i could call him clark griswold,

but not eddie...so here they are as they prepared to drive off into the sunset,

clark and ellen.

 loved their new wheels!

well~that's a wrap. some of the highlights of the weekend's fun.

i tell you, having a baby to entertain us was the best!

poor lad had my camera in front of his cute little face pretty much

the whole time- but heeeeeeey- it was worth it wasn't it?

what a little sweetheart!

how was your weekend folks?

xox, b