Backyard

 As much as we loved having this:

for our backyard, we thought it might be time to upgrade to something that doesn't look awful.  We worked our butts off over a weekend to remove, well everything:

(Michael loved all the bugs we dug up and found a ton of rolly pollies to keep in that bucket in the middle of the porch.)

And brought in professionals to cover the whole thing with cement (and they move the shed for us). Please forgive the quality of picture for these next few, as they were taken through Michael's bedroom window:

They worked really hard and only got some ice water and a check for their trouble, but we got this!:

(before putting everything back)

(after Michael has made himself at home)

At first, Michael didn't even know what to do with all the extra space and kept trying to bring his scooter and bike in the house to ride around rather than play in the new, awesomely huge (comparatively) area! Now that he's use to it, he loves to go run, draw, and ride in the new backyard and can do it all unsupervised!  Yay for everyone!!!!!

And now Michael will read you Duck is Dirty (notice the "quacks," as they are adorable):

Our Summer

4th of July

Michael was psyched for fireworks (and insisted they were "for Michael's birthday!"):

Uncle Richard was very sweet to Michael- talking with him and sharing his extra chair.  It was cute:

Family Reunion in CO

Having tons of fun playing with cousins:

Michael would rather be naked than wear wet clothes:

Awesome Aunt Jessi bought Michael construction trucks for a late birthday gift and he adores them!  He insisted on carrying all 5 of them with him everywhere he went.  Even now they're still all together:

Poor Pumpkin tried to hide in the rafters from the massive amounts of people invading his home:

And Michael learned to drive (poorly) with Ki and Tess's new power wheels:

California

Michael and I traveled to CA for my cousin Allison's wedding:

Michael is all dressed up:

Uncle Ki teaches Michael how to climb the stairs in creative ways:

 We also got to swim in the Warr's pool where Michael mostly just wanted to roam the edge and squirt people with water guns.  Grandpa Veronin was nice enough to offer himself as a ferry to Michael to try to get him into the pool.  Michael very happily used his services but did not linger in the pool:

 

Michael also learned that if you blow into pool noodles, water squirts out the other end.  Grandpa was playing with Michael by looking into the end saying, "What's in there?" while Michael blew as hard as he could (he was usually laughing too hard to blow very well).  One time, though, Michael caught Grandpa by surprise and got him right in the eye!  My Dad was done with the game until Michael said, "Grandpa, Grandpa, you want to hold it?  Grandpa?"  My Dad couldn't resist being called Grandpa and put his face back up to the noodle hole to get squirted again.  It was adorable.  

Here are some fun, traveling pictures I got while everyone else was sleeping.  :)

 You're welcome, Joe.

Miscellaneous Activities

Michael still loves Jump on It (aka "the jumping place") and was very happy to show it to Aunt Kaylee (whom he loves to talk to on his play phone) and her son, Paxton:

______

We also like to visit the multiple splash parks near our house.  Michael especially loves the waterfall at one and will fill his mouth...

...and run at mommy, spitting. The punk: 

We also bring toys:

And our friend, Daniel, whom I babysit every Mon and Fri.  He prefers to get right into the waterfall:

_________

We visited the county fair where Michael got a balloon monkey:

Petted a horse (Without any encouragement! He just walked right up to that sucker and stuck his hand through the bars!):

He also petted a humongous tortoise.  Needless to say, we used a lot of hand sanitizer that day:

_______
Grandma Veronin got Michael a spiffy new suit:

  

And Michael loves the number of rolly pollies we get around here:

He's even got a bug jar for them to live in:

He sure is a cute kid!: