Cody waved to all the characters and firemen!
After the parade Cody got to sit in a FIRETRUCK!
Ben just got home (at 3 am) from the 'Opportunities for Equine Practitioners' (OEP) conference in Kentucky. It sounds like it is beautiful there - huge estates with really nice barns and stables and pastures - probably what heaven would be like for Ben;) They toured Keenland racetrack, Rood and Riddle Vet Hospital, some barns and stables, and also were able to meet with practitioners from all around the country.
We are SO, SOO glad he's home.
CODY
Last night when we were saying prayers I was helping him. He stopped repeating me and paused, then said "thank you trucks," then another pause, and, "thank you fish," "BIG fish!" (repeated numerous times) I think he'll be a fisherman like his dad.
Cody has entered a new phase of twos...the one where he knows what he wants, knows what I want, and does what he wants. I keep telling myself I can do this.
Lately he chants "big, bigger, bigger. Go big slides." when he's eating, telling us he's eating so he can get bigger so he can go on the big slides at the water park.
MACEY
She does a bum scoot to get where ever she wants. She holding out as long as she can from crawling. It's not from lack of tummy time-sleeping on her stomach and all (she spends a lot of time playing in the morning in her crib when she wakes up at 5 am). I think it's a blessing!
She stands up to things, waves, claps, laughs at everything Cody does, wants everything Cody has, loves food and drinking from bottles or sippy cups, doesn't have any teeth, and hates to be held but hates NOT to be held by me (don't ask me how that works, I just know I look like a circus at church trying to contain her. Half the time she just smashes her face into my lap. Whatever works.).
We went camping sometime in July to Kelly Creek in Idaho. Ben wanted to fish the whole time and mentioned that he wouldn't mind a job where he could go fish all the good fishing rivers in the U.S. and write about them. Wouldn't that be nice;) 
The last week in July we made the long drive down to Utah to spend some time there before school starts. We spent time at the farm and hanging out. This trip really was for Ben so he could have some time at the farm with the horses and with his family before his intense year starts. We went to surf n' swim and to Taggart (my favorite restaurant ever)! Some of Cody's favorite parts of going to Utah are riding the four wheelers, riding in papa's truck, riding papa's tractor, jumping on the tramp and always getting to be outside.
All the kids lined up for a picture. Five grandkids and one on the way! Macey and Vanessa had just woken up and were a little overwhelmed, but normally very happy.
We stayed in the roundhouse, which was (obviously) round. Cody, Micah and Clayton ran around and around all day and wore themselves out. The next few days were spent kayaking, boating, at Wild Waters water park and repelling.
Cody and Ben went tubing. I think Cody could have done it all day long - he loved it! I had a hard time getting a picture with his little head in it, but he was ALWAYS smiling!
