Looking back at August

It feels like summer finally showed up, about the time all the kids were going back to school (although, with so many teachers in my family and my sister in college, all 6 had different start dates, some weeks apart).  Of course, this doesn't matter to us yet which means packing plenty of summer things into the last few weeks before Labor Day.  Starting top left...

1) Matt had given me a Lego set for my birthday and he had gotten one for Father's Day.  We built them together while watching The Lego Movie and it was a pretty perfect date night at home.
2) We had an actual date night on a rare Luke-free evening at the drive-in.  With no car seat in the back we got to sit our favorite way - laying down the back seats and basically having a giant bed.  It was awesome.
3) Matt's brother had extra tickets for his company box at the TinCaps and we had a really nice time.  It's so different sitting up there!
4) Luke isn't too patient waiting for story time.  I have this Thomas book memorized now.  One of his favorites.
5) Luke and I started cashing in on all the offers for free zoo trips.  There was a possibility of rain all morning so it wasn't crowded at all.  Perfect time to go!
6) Another trip to the lake, another family picture on the jet ski.  Luke is seriously upset if we don't get up there in time for a ride on Friday nights.
7) We went to the Warren Dunes with much of Matt's family.  I'm not a big fan of the trip since it's such a long drive there and back in one day but Luke LOVED the sand so it was worth it.
8) Luke and I visited my Grandpa with my Mom.  Luke loved all of Grandpa's homemade toys and I loved loved loved seeing the two of them interact.
9) Yes, the lake again.  Jet ski, again.  That's a lot of our summer.
10) Luke giving puppy rides on his truck from great-Grandpa.  We might have a few more dents in the walls but worth it.
11) With the recent hot weather we finally got out Luke's pool for the first time all year.  I may like it more than he does.
12) We had to say goodbye to aunt Ang so she could go back to college.  She was Luke's sitter most of my work days this summer and her and Luke really were buds by the end.  Her last day he kept going up to her and hugging her legs. =)  We will miss her!
13) Luke has a new obsession with sitting in the regular kitchen chairs.  He's learned to say "up" and "help" and will frequently want put up there.
14) Happy boy enjoying his pool.
15) Luke and Daddy in their baseball hats before another free TinCaps game (and another time in the fancy seating!).  This really was a picture of Luke's first bandaids from skinning up his knees.  Those bandaids didn't last long.
16) At the only TinCaps game we paid to attend this summer (for Catholic Charities "Support Adoption" night) Luke got a game ball.  He was really excited about it and points to it on his shelf every time he is in his room.