The Fourth of July

Every year the 4th of July gets better and better for us in Port Austin.  We have always lucked out with perfect weather and great company!  Our crowd keeps getting bigger, just the way we like it, and the kids keep doubling and getting older to better enjoy the activities.

Bryn loved the parade.  Gotta love the parades up here and the fact that she was jumping up and down from her excitement from seeing a tractor come down the street as a float.  She also enjoyed waving to the Bean and Sugar Queens (which I told her were princesses...not quite Disney).  She even got soaked from the kids with water guns on the floats and loved it!  Luckily neither one of my kids is bothered by loud noises from the emergency vehicles!

I took very few pictures, so had to rely on pictures from others!

 I'm ready for the beach, Mom!

Bresnan with my lawn stars

Happy boy

Bryn decided to head back down to the beach after 
we had changed and she decided to do this...

 Not afraid to be messy!

 SAND!

 happy girl

Trying to get some of the sand off before I get the hose!

Basking in the sunset

Cubitts spent the night and Cole and Bryn woke up WAY too early for the late night they had.       Claire was still sleeping when the kids were snuggling on the couch.

Mike took Bryn and Cole on a run in the morning and this is what he brought back..

This shows a successful day, cashed out kids the next day!

4 Months, Michigan House, and Bresnan's Baptism

We left Florida on June 6th and tried to beat out the rain from Tropical 

Depression Andrea.  One of the last things I did before leaving the house 

was take Bresnan's 4 month pictures with the giant dog.

 Four Months and Just Relaxed

 Photo bombed by Bryn

Sibling love!

 We spent two days in North Carolina with Brian's parents and saw lots of family.  

Bresnan lovin the colder weather and breaking out his hat!

Just before getting in the car to head to Michigan!

Bryn has enjoyed cleaning up her toys from winter storage.

 Serious concentration with her tongue out

 This girl could spend hours with a bucket and a hose

On Saturday, Bresnan was baptized.  It was supposed to be a naked dip, but since the heater broke in the baptisimal font, he got to keep his gown on!

 With Mumma before mass

 He did a great job, no crying!

 Mumma, Dad, Bryn and godparents Mike, Jenn, and Cole Cubitt

 Walking around church with Fr. Rob

 Bryn was so excited when Father brought the candle over.  You could see her wheels turning to birthday cakes and making a wish.  We curbed her from blowing it out until the closing song!

 The gown was made from my mom's wedding dress and a handkerchief from Ireland.  

Bryn also wore it for her baptism.

 After mass, Bryn made her way to the font to bless herself.  

She does this in Florida every week also.

 Her version of  the sign of the cross - two hands!

 The Booms side

The Flanagan side

Bresnan snuggling with his godmother, Jenn

Texas Vacation

Each year we are lucky that Brian is awarded with a MetLife trip for his previous years' accomplishments.  This year our destination was San Antonio, Texas.  We had been counting down the days until we flew to Texas and Bryn was cute as she doesn't have a concept of just what "Texas" is...the city, the hotel...what is a state?

After a quick lunch, we headed right to the pools.  The kiddie pool was excellent!  It had two mini watersides, a waterfall, fountains, another slide, and animals to climb on.

 Where do I go to first?

 Poolside snacks and drinks!

One of many trips down the slides!

On Saturday, MetLife provided transportation to the Riverwalk.  It was very busy due to a riverboat parade, but very cool to walk and eat in the area.

On Sunday morning, while Brian was in meetings, we participated in 

a rubber ducky race.  We got to decorate our own ducks!

 The finished products!

 And they're off!  

 Bresnan slept through the excitement!

 Back to the pool!

 Talking with Dad

 Fun in the Sun

Sunday night's dinner was at a ranch.  It was great and Bryn loved everything!  

They had a petting zoo, pony rides, lasso practice, mechanical bull (she really 

wanted to ride!), horses, bulls, a real rodeo, and fireworks!

 I think she went in and out of the gates three times.  She loved feeding the goats.

 Pony rides

 Little cowboy hats were available to decorate - yeehaw!

 She was not scared to pet the armadillo.  

 One of the four longhorns they had to sit on. 

 Everything is bigger in Texas and these were huge!

 Waiting for the rodeo to begin.

 Dessert!

We switched hotels once the conference was over to extend our vacation a few days.  Our next hotel had taken over a tennis court for the kids to play.

 The bounce house

 The slip-n-slide was more for big kids :)

The giant slide was also fun, maybe next time Bresnan!

Snuggling in bed

Time to head home, but we had a great time!