"Can they come play?"

We have the perfect backyard for kids to come play in during the summer: there's water, playground equipment, dirt, trampoline, shady grass, and we are surrounded with fields on the ranch. I love when the boys ask me if they can invite their friends over to come play because I know it gives them more satisfaction in their home's surroundings (when they don't have friends over, they don't play outside a whole lot by themselves because they say it's "boring").  Plus, when they have friends over, they stay pretty occupied and don't need me around, so I get a lot more done!

I know that it won't be too much longer before I stop hearing the boys ask if their friends "can come over and play?" (Ammon has already grown out of that stage and has moved into the stage of "hanging out", where he and his friends sit in front of the XBox instead of "playing" together inside and out). I truly enjoy watching my boys be productive with their friends and finding ways of entertaining themselves outside! This summer, the twins had their friend Kota over several times, and they liked to ride 4-wheelers, go fishing, and play air soft gun wars with him. Their friend (and 3rd cousin) DJ came to play a few times while he was visiting his grandma in Salmon, and they played in the ditch, rode 4-wheelers, played air soft guns, and rode bikes around with him. Kanyon invited his friend Hestyn over a few times, and his favorite thing to do with her was sit and talk, and they liked to play in the hammock. He really wanted to spend a lot of time with Hestyn this summer, so we also took her to play at the park one day, and went swimming at the pool together another time. The Williams kids came over a lot, the Oliverson boys came over a few times, and the Beesley boys came several times while they were visiting their grandma. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures of kids playing in our yard this summer, because when the boys did have friends over, I took that opportunity to mostly work on my college classes, but I did capture a few moments with my camera because I wanted to remember how much both the boys and I love having their friends come over to play! I wish moments like these could last forever!

Jonah and Micah playing on the ditch's rope swings with DJ

Hestyn and Kanyon eating pickles in the yard

Hestyn & Kanyon sitting and talking in the hammock--
his favorite thing to do with her!

Kanyon and Abby playing in the ditch. Kanyon's face makes me laugh!

I love the look on Abby's face as Kanyon is splashing!

Kanyon is so glad that Abby lives so close--they play together a LOT!

The Oliverson boys after playing mud wars with the boys--
Erik already got washed off but Aidan wanted me to
take his picture as he was still covered in mud!