An Afternoon with Aunt Kim

Hunter and JP love when Aunt Kim come over to visit! I'm starting to wonder if they love it because she's more willing to take them to the Carousal...But whatever the reason, we welcomed her company last week!

 Just before lunch, we packed up the kids and went downtown. Our first stop, of course, was the Carousal. And we came at the perfect time! Free rides! JP was eager to show Aunt Kim how he could ride by himself. After that we took them next door to the Dragon Park, where they normally love to play. They instead played for about 5 minutes before they decided they wanted to go. I was fine with that because I was getting hungry!

 It worked out perfectly too! Wednesday was Out to Lunch in Caras Park so the five of us ventured across the parking lot to the people-fill pavilion to grab some lunch. We lucked out and found some shade under a tree.

 Often times I look at Charlotte and wonder if she's really my kid, or if she's Aunt Kim's because she's starting to look a lot like her auntie!

Before leaving, Hunter insisted taking a picture with Aunt Kim. She has a better one on her phone, but this is a picture taken with my finger-printed camera of her and Hunter taking a picture on her phone. If that makes sense... Once we finished up eating, we scurried back to the hot car and headed for Dairy Queen where we picked up some Dilly Bars for a treat at home. I think she got them hooked on Butterscotch Dilly Bars....I'm a cherry girl!

A Day with Grandpa

We had such a long day today! And my oh my was it hot out...or maybe it just felt extra hot because I was carrying around a hot baby in my Moby wrap (that someone left on my doorstep). (Thank you to whoever you are!) Lucky for me, the boys were in bed by 7 and Perry left to go fishing, so Charlotte and I have the evening to snuggle and do a little blogging. 

 I might be a little biased, but isn't she just the cutest thing?! She's just starting to smile here and there so capturing one of these pretty smiles can be quite the challenge. Perry has been working on his goofy noises to get her to smile more!

 Pictures of my three (!) kids together are hard to come by, mostly because JP doesn't care much for pictures. I usually have to bribe him...he's such a goofball!

Before the long day began, I was able to get some running in on my new-used treadmill. I love it. But I don't love that feeling you get when you're done but the ground is still moving. I don't know what's worse, that feeling, or putting in your contacts after wearing glasses for a day. Anyways, I'm almost counting down the days until the Dirty Dash over Labor Day weekend...Sisters & Mom: I hope you're getting ready too!

Once Grandpa John arrived, we packed up and headed downtown to the Farmer's Market & People's Market. I love just strolling around down there. And people watching. I often think WTF?! a few times. There were tons of jewelry vendors at the People's Market this year... At the Farmer's Market section of downtown, we bought a bundle of carrots and sat in the shade and had a morning snack before venturing to Caras Park to ride on the Carousal for Missoula.

The boys have been eagerly awaiting the day we take them to ride on the horses. I would take them more if I could muster up enough confidence to take three kids downtown alone...Just the other day JP was quoted as saying "And tomorrow we are going to the carousal and I won't fall off this time! Yesterday I was sick and scared!" Yesterday was actually last spring...

 Hunter was super excited to go ride the horses. As we watched them go around, he picked out this one to be his favorite. By the time he got on it, he wasn't looking too excited though...

Once it started up, he had a death grip on it!

 JP rode with Grandpa John, because he chickened out again. They almost caught the gold ring this time, but the people in front of them got it first. Darn it anyways!

 JP and Grandpa had a lot of fun together!

He was even brave enough to let one hand go to wave at us! One ride was enough for the boys once they remembered they were also at "the Dragon Park". They love that place to pieces! 

After lunch at Five Guys, which was delicious, we took a drive over to Fort Missoula to check out a few things. The first thing on the list was the helicopter. It's probably because I'm a girl, but all the Dustin "boys" enjoyed it!

 Surprisingly, Perry insisted we take a picture together. Theses are very few between! And from that point forward, he ran the camera. I'm not used to having my picture taken...let alone have them on my blog. I feel odd not being behind the camera!

 So here is our picture with the helicopter. Aren't we so cute?! : )

 The boys also enjoyed checking out the army tank...

 but it was short lived when they remembered there was a train they could go see.

 Boys and their trains : )

 While Grandpa showed JP the train, Hunter and I pretended we were a train. We spent a fair amount of time on the tracks tooting our horn at the crossings. 

 I don't get many pictures with my boys, again, because I'm behind the camera. Maybe it's just me, but I'm looking a little pregnant in this picture...my carrier as well as Charlotte's head, just blends right in!

 Fort Missoula has a ton of logging equipment too. I think Perry wants to come back in the spring when they fire it all up again. I think Hunter & JP were more interested in the wood shards on the ground. Go figure.

 Charlotte and I weren't too interested either, but we enjoyed just strolling around. 

 And all of a sudden Hunter was shy? He was completely behind me in the rest of the photos. 

Aside from all the museum exhibits, there was also a car show going on as well. Lots of old and new cars to look at. I like checking out the super old ones that have been restored.

 JP liked the new ones...like this one. Probably because he thought, or was convinced, it was BumbleBee the transformer. 

I think we made it home by 3:30. I was exhausted. The boys were exhausted. Charlotte was still exhausted, even though she slept all day. And now that's its nearing my bedtime, she's wide awake. The joys of being a baby!