Mowing, work party & NICU reunion

Sorry for the long and boring title but I couldn't think of a creative one that would explain all of these fun photos that I had to add to our blog. 
I really have the most awesome dad in the world!  For years, he has come over almost every, single week and mowed our lawn for us.  He loves the riding mower so he has fun too but honestly, who does that kind of service and kindness?  My dad!  I love you so much!  Every time he comes over my kids have to be outside watching him and then my sweet Austin one day said, "mommy, I want to ride with Papa Dougie?"  (By the way, isn't that so cute that they call him that? Love it!) So for a few weeks, he would "attempt" to sit on his lap but got nervous and didn't do it.  But... one day he got the guts and did it!  And ever since, he will sit on his lap for 40 min riding around mowing - it is so sweet and as you can see, my dad loves it too!

Then, after seeing Austin be so "brave" Rio wanted to mow with daddy - so cute!  My little miss doing some yard work - love her so much!  What a good daddy too!

We also had some fun this summer at Spence's work party at Boondocks!  The kids had a blast!  They were so excited to ride in the boats and cars and everything they saw was amazing to them.  The little kid zone section was so cute and Austin had so much fun playing the mini version of "Whac-a-mole."

Jax on the other hand, loved "squishing the spiders" - he would dance around those lights and stomp as quick as he saw they light up!  Man, this kid has some determination!

Spence works with our bro-in-law Matt so we got to spend time with my sis and her kids that night too - so fun!  I've said it before but I honestly have THE SWEETEST nephews and nieces!  My sweet nephew Gabe was willing to take my kids on anything they wanted to do and my boys couldn't get enough of him.  Every ride, I would say, "who wants to go with mommy and daddy?"  "No, Gabe"  was the answer I kept getting :)  So sweet!

My little Rio and I went cruising on the raceway cars - so fun!  She would say, "WEEEE" every time we turned the corner - so loved it!

Our next fun adventure this summer took us back to the NICU.  Every summer, the hospital does a NICU reunion for everyone that has been in the NICU's care - it is so much fun! I have such great love, respect and gratitude for them and what they did for our little babies that I love going back each year finding maybe one of our nurses that helped with our kids.

Spence did the cake walk with the kids - they didn't quite "get it" but had fun nonetheless!

Then we stopped at the balloon section and had this amazing guy make the kids the most awesome balloon characters.

Rio had a pink and purple butterfly, Jax chose a dolphin and Austin chose a monkey holding  a banana

I was SO EXCITED when I saw my favorite treat there too - so we had to share with the kids - YUM!

This pic is awesome!  Austin started crying and we couldn't figure out why but then when he calmed down long enough to talk, all he said was, "daddy ate my cotton candy."  Spence denies it but you be the judge by the look on his face!

I also love the last remains of Rio's butterfly in her hand (one antenna) in the background - the rest of it popped but she didn't seem to mind - simple joys of kids

My next favorite pic of the day had to be this one with Jax.  So we got the popper balloons that you hold by the elastic and then pop out with your fist back and forth. They love balloons so we thought they would have so much fun.  We got them on the way out of the park so as not to have them pop before we got home.... or so we thought.  My rough and often reckless Jax popped his in about 2 min and then we felt bad and so Spence went and got him another one and we started walking out again when he put the balloon on the hot asphalt and "POP" it went.  He was a wreck!  Such a sad little boy...holding his elastics with popped ends...

So after arguing who should go back and get him his 3rd balloon...

He was happy once again!  Love you Jaxie!  Oh!  (By the way, this balloon only lasted about 1 day after we got home before he took a potato head hand to it and popped it)  He is hilarious :)