Return to Camelot

A play date at Pinehurst's Camelot Park was a

perfect way to spend a morning with Oma (Leila),

Bri and Hunter last week.

No obstacle stopped Hunter from getting
where he wanted to go.

And he went lots of places where us
grownups couldn't follow!

Bri shows Oma how easily she can get around
on this new web-like piece of equipment.

Hunter said, "I'm in JAIL."

After this little girl played the chimes,
Hunter just had to ring those bells, too.

Bri showed exceptional balance, and is ready to
leap off.  Ready to walk Grandpa's tree, Bri?

Not satisfied to go up or down the slide, Hunter
wants to get on top like he saw an older boy do.

I'm not sure this slide was designed for two way
traffic, but that's how it worked out.

Bri was all about bouncing this day.

Ta dah!

Hunter says, "Hold on tight, everybody.  Oh,
there's nobody but me!"

No matter how long it took, Hunter was going
to clamber up these tires to his destination.

He experimented with different climbing styles
and met with a lot of success.

He'd much rather go the wrong way than the right way.

Here are five action videos from our morning at

Camelot.  They're terrific (the kids, if not the videos)!

Impressed? I was!
This is a determined young man.

It was hard to get the kids to slow down for a break,
but Oma had packed some tempting snacks.

Way to go, Oma.  You deserve a medal!
Let's all do this again sometime!

Top Ten Summer Videos (so far)

Below are my favorite ten family

videos of the summer so far.  They

range in length from 11 seconds to a

minute and a half.  So enjoy one or 

enjoy them all, as your time permits.

Claire Goes Fishing (0:36)

Walking the Log: Bri (0:11)

Walking the Log: Hunter (0:47)

Bri and Hunter Go Fishing (1:17)

Tag -- You're IT! (0:16)

Grandma Hangs Out

With a Couple of Swingers (1:24)

Evan the Gymnast (:12)

Monkey See, Monkey Do (:35)

Follow the Leader . . .

er, Who's the Leader?  (:37)

Bri's Happy Birthday

Card to Claire (:27)

Claire's Fourth trumps July Fourth

July 2 is a biggie in our family, because it's

Claire's birthday.  The early celebration took

place last Saturday, and I had my camera 

charged up.  The children were fully charged, too!

Will the immovable object meet the irresistible force?

Pushers, swingers, and pumpers.  The good kind.

Claire blew out her # 4 candle in a flash!

Everybody's excited for Claire to open her gifts ...
because she shares!

Matt and Jennifer's living room is well designed for
viewing events like this.  And LOTS of open space
for the kids to perform.

Thanks, Gail and Jeff, for my Superman shirt.
With a CAPE!

Bri and Reese entertain themselves AND the grownups
with a game of catch.

Well, you can't catch 'em all.

Perhaps the most popular gift was her
Princess Merida costume (from the movie
"Brave") and the accompanying bow and arrow.

The girls willingly accept instruction.

We're all about survival skills.
Don't know about those rubber-tipped arrows, though.
We might starve.

Hmm.  Those party balloons are a tempting target.

Bri's turn next. She's sporting one of Claire's
new dress-up gowns.

While Evan waits for his turn, he's content to bounce
on Grandpa's buckin' bronco feet.  Hang on, Ev Man!

The party's over, but Claire has a whole year

to enjoy being four.  As we all know, the years

begin to go faster, sometimes too fast.  But we

are determined not to miss any fun along the way!

Let the Good Times Roll!

In the last week of June, special events were

coming at us fast and furious.  Here are some

scenes from three fun get-togethers.  In a blog

to follow, help us celebrate Claire's 4th birthday.

Toys have a way of helping children get to
know each other quickly.

Add a little music, and that's double true.

What do you mean "Where are the other four kids?
Aren't they with you, Ken?"

Hunter and Evan blast away at the Big Bad Wolf
with their pop guns.  This idea got its start with
"Peter and the Wolf."

Thanks again, Caryn Loyd Cole, for sharing the
Nibbles n' Bites fishing game.  We use two magnetic
pointers for our fishing poles.

Peek-a-boo, Claire.

Please, Evan, no somersaults here!

Hunter says "Let the good times roll!"
(Hence my post title)

Snap it quick, Grandpa.
Even I can't balance on one foot forever!

Grandma, you keep the boys swinging higher,
higher, higher . . . I'll snap the pictures.

Don't worry, Grandpa.  I'll grow into it.

Impressive attention span.
But, hey, it ain't school!

This old house still has the old-fashioned locks that
employ skeleton keys.  So I figured it would do no
harm to let the boys use outdated car keys to try
to lock us up.

Brent and Jane are in town with Isaac and Azalea
for the latest edition of the Loyd/Taylor/Dunn reunion.
Plus  the Union Pines reunion (secondary, of course).

A broken leg scarcely slowed Isaac down at all.

Note: a snake, dragon, and dinosaur are the
featured toys here.  Some things never change.

Bri says, "Azalea, we can both play, but I'll turn the pages."
  (Bri was actually showing one of her favorite books.

I'm not sure Hunter's wagon load of goods qualifies
him as a doctor, but it is reminiscent of the old
medicine shows.  Anyway, Azalea is enthralled.
I guess she didn't know any doctors still made house calls.

Evan is all serious when it comes to ball.

Jennifer asks the kids if they have any interest in
trying to climb our dogwood tree.  Silly question.
Going UP!

Here we are.  NOW what do we do?

Why, we get ready for Claire's birthday party, that's what!
And I'll tell all about it in the next post!