Longview

From Monterey, we drove/stopped/drove for 16 hours, arriving in Longview at 11 pm on a Tuesday. It was a miserable day of driving, and Mr. B took the lion's share while I slept in the back with the kids. But being in Longview was very relaxing. We mostly hung out at the Briens' and the kids enjoyed hours of being outside.

Aunt Amanda showered the kids with gifts, including this fun drum set. The kids were adorable on it, especially Declan who was a natural. Unfortunately, we couldn't fit it in the car, so we left it as a grandparent toy. 

Life is better when it's a Washington summer.

Rolling down the hill.

Grandpa helped the older two kids put together and paint birdhouses.

 We also spent a fun Fourth of July with the Briens. Mr. B and the kids and I spent the day downtown at a really fun festival, eating food, playing on bounce houses, doing a petting zoo, carnival games, listening to music (one of Mr. B's old school friends was performing) and playing on a playground. Here is Declan going down the slide that day. We ended the day with a bbq and fireworks at the house.