Surprise ending

My brother, Brady, has spent the last couple days with us. Between weights, sports, and church activities, his summer has been pretty full, so we were glad he could squeeze us in before football practice (doubles!) starts next week.

This is the only picture. It was sad, really. We took him out on the boat last night and the girls swam from the boat for the first time. Then we went back to the dock and they jumped and swam and waded (Maya) for a nice long time. Halfway through the fun, I felt in my pocket and realized I had forgotten my camera phone, and Ryan didn't have his, either. "Oh, well," I thought, "I'm missing some super-cute pictures, but it's probably better because I'm getting soaked and I don't want to ruin my phone."

Guess what I found in a different pocket, dampened but okay, on the way home? Grrr.

Anyway, it's been a great couple of days. I lost too many games to keep track of in the last few days, so we'll have to have a rematch soon...

Today we met Ryan for lunch at Red Robin, and then Brady left. The girls and I went to a local park with a water feature just perfect for younger kids. It's been fun to watch Maya take on new challenges and risks as she get a little older, but she always has to ease into it. When we first got there today, she wanted me to hold her hand the whole time, she didn't want to go fast, and she wouldn't touch any water more than an inch deep. By the time we were done, I was telling her not to run, helping her (or just watching her!) jump from one level to the next, and she was exploring every corner of the park--the falls, the fountains, etc. She just needed a few "safe" minutes to get comfortable, I guess.

We didn't stay too long, but long enough to wear them out (I couldn't help but get the picture below). We started getting dressed to go home at the end of a really enjoyable day and then it happened...

...Cami got stung. By a yellow jacket, unprovoked. It was one of those times you feel like an idiot because your motherly advice turns out to be the wrong thing to do: "Just stand still, honey, and it'll leave you alone." Or NOT.