Summer Fun in Pictures

Here's a recap of things we did this summer that I haven't already shared in previous posts.

We spent about one day a week at Teddy Bear Park (June).
We got ice cream (and/or popsicles) from the ice cream truck on Monday nights.
We went to Como Zoo, even with what turned out to be cellulitis on an ear.
We played the Go Fishing game with Daddy at Great Grandma's 80th birthday party.Colin found a new place to play with his dump trucks: in the dirt under the bush in front of the house. (Wow...that's a lot of prepositions!)
We went to the Children's Museum, where Colin and Daddy worked a crane.
Colin went on his first hay ride. Riding on a trailer behind a tractor = Heaven.
We went to Como Town with Nolan. Little did we know Nolan would be a big brother the next morning!
Colin and Daddy played football. Just last night he started actually catching the ball!
Colin learned how to climb the rock wall at Teddy Bear Park.
Teddy Bear Park (August)
I forgot to document on camera other fun things we did:
Lake Elmo Beach with Nolan
Swimming at the campground and Square Lake with Andrew (we went 5 times!)
Playdates with Isaac and Ezra
Playing at parks in town
Watching the boats on the river and the Stillwater lift bridge go up and down
Once- and twice- weekly visits to Sandy's house to play with daycare friends (I stayed and played/watched)

What Colin learned this summer:
Colin made a huge leap in terms of his shyness over the last three months. He is so much more social now than he was even in the beginning of summer. He used to be so shy, but he has really come out of his shell. Dude still doesn't know his colors. We haven't even ventured into letters. He knows some shapes. But I don't really care what he does and doesn't know academically, as long as he's well-behaved and is nice to others. And for the most part, he is.

What I learned this summer:
I learned to have fun on a budget. We spent $5 here and there to go swimming at state/county parks. Como Zoo is a $5 donation for our whole family. Como Town rides were free because our neighbor had some free points we used and even shared with Nolan. Colin is entertained by free activities sometimes more than he's entertained by activities that cost money. Don't get me wrong...there are tons of things I want to do with him in the future that cost money (train ride, boat ride on the river) but for now, he doesn't know the difference.

We had a blast together. Next summer will be a whole new ball game, but I'm hoping this baby will be flexible so we can still do our morning outings.