The Boys of Summer

Is there not something very sweet about your children's friendships with your own dearest friends' kids?

It's almost an extension of family: these are people your kids have no choice but to get to know... for better or worse. In this case, it's for the better - Eli, Brennon and Luke had a heydey in Stillwater one evening last week. Starla and Kerry are two college friends who have known me through the good, bad and ugly, and they love me anyway. Their boys are no less precious to me, and I love these kids because they are every bit as full of life as my own boy. Brennon and Eli give Luke the stamp of coolness, even though he is over three years younger than they are.
The boys hanging with Eskimo Joe himself.
and here is Buffy. (Ok, I have spent many an evening in Joe's but never have been graced by the presence of these furry two.)
We took them swimming - they were bursting with whoops and hollas!
Hilarous in their goggles.
We tried hard to keep them out of the baby pool, especially when the babies were there...
but they just couldn't resist the urge to run a wild streak.
Here they are at Starla's house, checking out Eli's music collection.

Wish they both lived closer, but glad they got a chance to be "boys" - if only for an evening.