Cousins Camp -- water / sand tables

Mom bought these water / sand tables for the kids to assemble and play with:

Even Baby loved it!

Cousins Camp -- horses

Mom's neighbor has horses that they take to parades and shows.  They agreed to bring over three so the cousins (except Baby) could ride around the yard:

Coop was incredibly giddy and pretty much talked nonstop (shocking) the entire time:

I made the kids all write a thank you note to the neighbors (before they could have ice cream cake!):

Cousins Camp -- turtle race

The Sterling 4th of July festivities include a box turtle race.  Although Coop and I saw a snapping turtle on the drive to Lyons, those aren't allowed in the race.  Luckily, a local Sterling man found one that we could use:

We named him Louie:

Everyone decorates turtles.  Kelly and I (at midnight, and with the help of a little wine) decided to decorate Louis as the house from the movie Up (complete with balloons):

It was a bit windy that day, so we ended up with just one balloon (and it fell off after the first race anyway):

At the start of each race, turtles are place in the center ring:

Someone lifts the ring and the turtles all race to the outer edge of the circle (though they don't exactly know that, I don't think... at least Louis didn't):

He didn't win any race, but we had fun!

Cousins Camp -- fireworks

Cousins Camp coincided nicely with the Fourth of July, so naturally... fireworks.

Lamest July 4 pic ever:

Sparklers:

My fireworks-shooting crew:

Cousins Camp -- Baby's birthday

Baby turned 1 just a few days before Cousins Camp, so we had to celebrate (and decorate):

Piñata!

Coop and Baby ended up with mustache tattoos from the piñata:

Cousins Camp 2016!

 Coop and his cousins (and their mothers) got together at Grandma Joan and Grandpa Cecil's for Cousins Camp 2016.  Much gator riding:

 And playing with Baby Syl:

We saw an armadillo on the streets of Lyons!

Kelly ran the Lyons-to-Sterling run on July 4:

Prince got tons of attention!

A bit of exercise (and iPod playing):

Making pudding beach cups:

The ever photogenic group:

New place

While Coop was in Argentina, I moved to a new place in Lawrence and closed on our house in Baldwin.  Before he left, we did a modified version of the House Olympics that he had created:

Not officially part of the obstacle course, but he thought it looked fun:

Signing the lease on the new place:

Jenny's new cage:

The rug we picked up for Coop's new room:

Once Coop got back, we made cookies and took them around to the neighbors to introduce ourselves.  What a great neighborhood with plenty of kiddos (most of them girls under the age of 6) and incredible diversity.  And dogs and chickens too.  It's going to be great.