Sparklers, swimming and fun

We spent the 4th of July at our house with my cousin Maya, her husband Joel, their twins Liz and Maddie, and Maya's parents Alfred and Patricia. Ryan grilled hamburgers, I made watermelon posicles for the kids, and we did sparklers and a couple little firecrackers in the yard. The cousins always play well together, and we had a great time. Scout even got her first taste of a popsicle and kept coming back for more.
We hit a Round Rock Express game in July with church friends, which Garrett loved, and Scout slept through. Actually, Garrett spent most of his time on the playground with his friend Cooper. My parents and sister joined us,too.
Garrett took swim lessons at the gym with his buddy Blake and a little girl their age. Mr. Matt was very patient, as at least one or all of them were crying during each lesson. We made it through, though, and I think it built his confidence for our swimming adventures throughout the summer. It was also a nice time to catch up with Blake's mom. We finished July with a trip to Fort Worth to visit our best friends from our California days, the Ridgells. Ryan and Joe Don went on a morning fishing trip, and then we all headed to Jamie's parents' lake house for the rest of the weekend. We've been doing trips with the Ridgells since before kids, so it's fun to keep getting together as our families grow. This was the first trip during which Scout and the Ridgells' baby Andrew could interact. Scout seems to definitely be the aggressor between the two of them, which is the role Anna plays between her and Garrett. It's funny to see the girls run the show! We had a really relaxing trip of swimming, boat rides, and letting the kids just play. Unfortunately, the trip ended badly for G, with a wasp sting on his forehead, which has left him terrified of any flying or buzzing insect, and a fall. About ten feet from the car to head home, he took a digger and landed on his face. Luckily, he kept all his teeth and a straight nose, but scraped up the middle of his face from upper lip to forehead. He's healed now, with just a trace of the injuries and keeps asking when we're going back!