Fourth of July and Other Happenings

Trying to take full advantage of any events going on in Charleston, we decided to take the kids to the Fourth of July parade.  The afternoon was smokin' hot but it was still fun to get out.  You will see that none of the pictures we took involve a parade...yeah the parade route went right along the playground so ultimately the jungle gym, swings, and slide won out over the parade.

What is a hot summers day without a slushy?!  This picture was taken about 5 seconds before Bryce decided he wanted to partake in this lovely summer time activity and grabbed the straw from Brielle who then in a typical sisterly fashion abruptly retaliated by forcefully taking it back all the while dumping the entire slushy all over herself and all over the Burley.  Ahhhh...gotta love that summer time activity! :)

Brielle showing off her face painted star.  I don't know why but I think any kid looks doubly cute when they have something painted on their face.

And we are so late in posting but this little guy turned one year old on the 15th of June (yeah...almost a month late)  I will designate a post to this sweet little thing but for now he just get a picture.

In other action, we have been trying to stay wet as much as possible around here.  Like the rest of the country it has been stinkin' hot around here so we've been spending a lot of time at the community pool in town (which rocks this world!) as well as busting our own water activities at the house.   

Brielle and I also did a mommy/daughter date last weekend where we went to a show called "Bubble Time" at EIU's fine arts center.  It was a really cute show with tons and tons of bubbles and Brielle really liked it.  The only setback was that I did not come prepared with a snack...which Brielle reminded me of many, many, many times throughout the show.  :)

And these two pictures just crack me up because it shows the sibling relationship at its finest.

Here we hae Bryce finding great joy over the possibility of running his sister over with the Cozy Coupe...

...and here is the little brother loving the fact that his sister so willingly (or maybe not so willingly) allowed him to join her in the Cozy Coupe.  I just love the difference in expressions...Bryce just happy as a lark...Brielle not so much.

Thanks for the ride PA!

6 years ago this young couple ventured out to a little place called Happy Valley.

  

Along the way, this young couple encountered many adventures...

they visited places such as Lancaster, Hershey, Wildwood, D.C., Baltimore

 Pittsburgh

 and

 New York City.

They were part of Nittany Nation and wouldn't miss a game come sunshine or blizzard

It included a graduation

a second move to Altoona,

and even adding a couple munchkins to the mix.

And while all these adventures were great for this couple...they were made twice as sweet because they were surrounded by great friends that joined them in their journey.  Friends that God placed in their life when they needed them the most.  Friends that quickly became family. 

And while this journey might not be exactly what they had in mind, they can look back at the path they've taken and see God's hand at work by all the the amazing people He has put in their lives.  The hardest part about leaving is having to say goodbye "see you later."  Thanks for a wonderful 6 years!

  And now on to another adventure...watch out Charleston, Illinois...here come the Carlsons!

(Sidenote:  I find it so ironic that we took this picture 6 years ago...I never in a million years would have guessed we would have moved to all these places!)