Weekending

Kids finished their camps - Tate had a girl scout camp all week, and Smith finished out his two week Summer in the Arts program. They both really enjoyed them! I got some alone time with Smith on Friday - his camp was 9-11 on Friday, so parents could come and see what they had been up to. We walked around, I saw his computer graphics class, animation, robotics, and woodworking. Then, lunch at Chipotle (a quiet lunch!) and the county-wide book fair.

Presents for Tate's favorite counselors

Smith had a friend spend both Friday and Saturday nights over - a super easy, good kid, who also helped coach Tate's SuperStar Elite Girls Team. David hand-picked 6 girls for a local tourney. We named them Poison Ivies, and on the back of the shirt it said, "Don't Touch Me."

The 4 twenty minute games were great - we won them all! The 4th game was a championship game, where we started out as #1. It ended at 0-0, so we did a 3 minute overtime; still 0-0. THEN...they did penalty kicks! The other team started first - first girl got a goal, we didn't, second girl didn't, we DID, third girl didn't, Tate was up...1-1...Tate GOT IT IN!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, what a game, what a high. It was seriously fun to watch.

Crazy girls!!

Boys working their "coaching muscles"

Best kind of pool time - me reading a book, them having lots of fun!

We ended the weekend with was a lazy, easy dinner that I somehow convinced everyone was a learning experience (I do believe David is on to me...) - it was a "CH" night - CHips, CHeese, naCHos, CHerries, peaCHes, CHorizo sausage. I even had CHerry juice for a drink! Oh, and dessert? CHocolate! Smith said that kind of dinner is best with watching football, so we watched true football, soccer!

This was a great weekend, really nice family time. We're all off to various places next week, so it was nice to be all together now.

Camping!

Two years ago, we went camping with some really good friends of ours. We all like each other - the parents, the 5 kids, the kids/parents, etc. It's a great adventure at a campsite because the kids need minimal intervention, they can run, play, yell without parents involved.

We arrived about 5:30 on Friday, after a stop to KFC in the nearby town. It was a rocky start - I wanted 3 pieces of breast meat, 2 biscuits and a side of mashed potatoes. She would not let me get that - we had a long argument about 1 biscuit being included in the meal, and I could not order a 2nd biscuit as a side, so I had to order a side, and would I instead want a side of 2 biscuits, paid separately? AHHHHHHHH. Even Smith was annoyed by the end.

So we got to the campsites, which were each at the top of a hill with a small dip in between. Perfect for scootering. And scooter they did. The older boys had a tent to themselves, next to mine.

Friday we took them to the lake to see it. We told them they could get a little wet, but not to go in - they were in their clothes after all. By the end of our Friday visit, they each had a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads that had NOT gotten wet!

Saturday they started scootering at 7:20am, ate, scootered more. We got to the lake around 9:30 and stayed until lunch, then scootering, then lake, then scootering/dinner, then lake, then scootering, then ghost-in-the-graveyard until curfew, 10pm. What a great kid day. And, parent day, as we would talk, read, drink wine. And at this age, the kids need such little parent intervention - we could see and hear them, they were having so much fun. We even had a fun time watching them steal cookies from the back of the other car - they thought they were so sneaky, but we saw the whole thing.

beautiful hawk on a signpost - we got maybe 7' from it!

taken from our campsite - the blue tent in the distance is our friend's campsite

These last few days

Last week, only Smith was in camp, the great Summer in the Arts program nearby. He's doing woodworking, computer graphics, and more. He loves it.

Tate and I decided to take a walk near a nearby lake one morning after drop-off - it was a beautiful, cloudy and not-to-hot day. We went through the woods and just walked around. We decided we hit the creepy factor when we saw a grocery shopping cart stuck in the woods - turn around! We thought maybe we were on the trail of a hobo camp.

We found this beautiful turtle on the side of our trail while biking/walking. 

This was funny - now that I am working full time, we have a cleaning service (why do I always feel so guilty for hiring someone??). Tate loads up our shower with different toys; right now it's Barbies. LOTS of Barbies, taking showers, doing who knows what. When she leaves the bathroom, there is a mass and tangle of Barbies all on the shower floor, legs all akimbo, all over each other. Well, this particular day, we got home and she happened to look in the shower and saw this - they had nicely set them all down and seated them facing each other. 

On Tuesdays, David is home with the kid(s) so he and Tate went bowling!

Tara told me about this great class at Michael's - it's about an hour, and it's $2/child. Tate brought a good friend of hers, and they made a bunch of these crafts - two of the moose, 3 flowers. No origami - that's interesting, I just realized they didn't do any of those! We definitely plan on doing more of these Michael's classes this summer.

Summer of lawn-boy. He has one more to go to work of the Wii U. I love seeing him mow.

Also the summer of fitness - Smith is up to 3 miles 3 times a week. He's obviously done the 8k, so he can do 5 miles, but this is nice, steady running in the heat of the summer. I'm so proud of him - he does it with minimal complaints, and gets the job done. Tate runs a mile or 1.5 usually the same nights. This one was more fun for Smith as he had his good buddy with him.

Up next, Camping Trip!

Happy Father's Day!

In keeping with our weird tradition, Smith got David a card that wishes his loving wife a very happy birthday. For Mother's Day, Smith got me one wishing me a Happy 100th Birthday.

Tate, on the other hand, made this for him - not quite sure why she called him Punk or Bro...but funny nonetheless!

She also cut out a bunch of hearts and taped them all around our bedroom - on the walls, on the window blinds, on the doors. It was so cute and sweet!! 

Today was a good day - "dad" errands, lunch out, smiles and fun.

Happy Father's Day to my favorite husband!

Soccer

Last day of soccer happened this past weekend. It was a nail biter, then it got depressing, then another nail biter. They went from 1-0 to 1-3 then 4-3!!! Quicksilver did it. So they won two important ones, Mother's Day weekend and the final - woohoo!

At the end, the boys started yelling - "Everyone in! Quicksilver and Tate!" and did the final hand thingie. Loved that they yelled for Tate, too, as she feels she is their mascot. This is cute at 7, troubling as she gets older...troubling for me, that is.

Tryouts are now complete and David is waiting for his turn to call everyone. Should be today or tomorrow, to give out bids for our team. 

Off the hook

I finished the cool hat I started a while ago - will post a picture soon. David thinks it is ridiculous. It looks GREAT on Tate - I used a smaller/thinner yarn, so I think it's a little small for my head, but would be happy if Tate wore it some.

I try to always make something for the kids on their birthday - can be anything, doesn't have to be a big deal. I made Magical Wonder for Tate for her birthday, so I wanted to do something for Smith. But what 12 year old needs a stuffed animal? So I made him coasters for when he's playing Minecraft:

Don't judge me.

Last day of school!

House destruction...

and Happiness!

Smith is 12!!!

Twelve Years Old. Amazing. What a young man this is - kind, smart, thoughtful, FUN, FUNNY, silly, adventurous. I am so proud to be his mom.

We had a birthday fun-filled weekend; Smith and my brother ran an 8k together in Williamsburg - it was Uncle's gift to Smith, and the bonus of it was free passes to Busch Gardens. Smith rode down to Williamsburg after getting out early on Friday, and he and his uncle and granddad headed down together. Tate and I got there later, picked him up, got to our place and crashed - a nice timeshare deal we found on Orbitz!

Birthday present opening - 12!!!!! 

We met Brett the next morning about 7am to drop Smith off for the race and find some parking. David was en route - his soccer meeting the night before went too long to head down and meet us. After parking, Tate and I walked through campus to the fife and drum band and found the men to cheer them on!!

Brett sent me this cool link, Glympse, which would show us exactly where they were in the race. We got to the stadium to cheer on their finish, but sadly, AT&T had a slow connection in Williamsburg, and we missed their finish! David heard their names as they came into the finish line, but we got some good time with them after their race.

Tate went on at 10am for a one mile "fun run" (not two words that should be next to each other in my book...) and kicked some kid butt. Don't know how we ended up with runner kids, but it's great!

Then...BUSCH GARDENS! Got this picture of David and Smith, front row on the Griffen - David is 3rd from the left, with Smith next to him. Scary looking ride.

 Beautiful Clydesdale

 Drop tower - kids and David did it. No way for me...

Sugar pack building the next morning, just Tate and me, on our way out of town. Love diners like this. 

 Tate drawing in the car