Summer Slumber

Forgive me this long respite from any meaningful posting... it's summer time and I'm spending as much time outside, by the pool, as I possibly can!
On a positive note, both boys have been sleeping SOUNDLY thanks to all this activity.
We spent 4th of July out at the pool, visiting with some neighbors.. then grilled some hot dogs and hamburgers and had a make-shift picnic with a couple of friends out in a shady spot on the lawn...
and then it was time to see some fireworks downtown-- from the comfort of my sister-in-law's downtown office building. Her's, unlike mine, at least has a parking lot attached, so we were able to drive into town, park, have a snack, and then wait for it to get dark and for the show to start.
About an hour before the display started, though, a couple of F-16s flew overhead and the sonic boom hit right over our heads... at which point, Bryce completely melted down-- understandable when you're three and it sounds like the sky is cracking open over your head.
So the boys spent the rest of the evening upstairs, watching for fireworks safely behind a window on the third floor.
Today was all about recovery, and then getting lots of work done in cleaning up/out the garage. And I think we were laregely successful. Picked up a few organizational elements-- a shelving unit and some bins-- and I think we've about got it now to where we should be able to at least park one car in our two-car garage... success is measured in small increments around here, folks.
Plans for tomorrow: the boys are back to their summer school, so more time by the pool me, I think.. then my sister-in-law is coming to babysit so we can go (hopefully) to a movie and maybe dinner.. a sleepydad can dream, can't he?
Kids are soundly asleep now... here's hoping that lasts through the night (again).