T-BALL

We had t-ball this morning. On Tuesday, we were rained out so the kids were ready to play ball. Allie is doing pretty well. This is her first year so she's still learning the ropes. Jake is an old pro and getting better each time. His throwing has improved and he is a quick little runner around the bases. He can't decide if he wants to bat left or right handed...he naturally chooses left, but seems to hit the ball better right...we'll see...maybe he can get good at both?!?!? The pictures are of Allie at shortstop, Jake & his buddies before the game (Carter, Dylan, Brock Jake & Ben), Jake at 3rd and the kids together!






WATERPARK

We went to the waterpark today after 2 days of being stuck at home due to the rain. Needless to say the kids were ready to ride the slides!



LAST DAY OF VBS

Tonight was the last night of our Fiesta Bible School. The kids had SO much fun & so did I. I've already committed to leading a crew next summer! The picture is of the kids singing one of the songs that they learned this week at VBS.

DO YOU THINK IT IS HUMID TODAY?????

Poor Allie's hair turns to ringlets when the humidity gets high. She is a frizz ball this afternoon!!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

The kids are in Vacation Bible School this week. They started last night and end on Thursday night. I volunteered to help out and ended up being a "crew leader" for Allie's group. There are 10 preschool aged kids that I have to take from station to station throughout St. Pat's. I have 2 extremely rowdy kids that are going to make me nuts and 2 very clingy/whiny kids...believe it or not Allie isn't one of them! I'm having a ball there with the kids and my kids LOVE it! Each night is full of crafts, songs, games, snacks, Bible study and a short movie. I've attached a picture of the kids tonight with their shirts that they made last night and the sherbert ice cream we got on the way home (those are hand print suns on their shirts...this year's theme is FIESTA!!)

WATERPARK WITH DAD!!!!

Scott was off of work today instead of Friday. He joined us for a day at the waterpark. Not the best day to go because it was only about 83 degrees and there was wind that made it chilly. The water in the pools & slides isn't heated so until about mid-summer and lots of heat/humidity, it is just plain COLD! Scott was a good sport and took Jake down all of the slides that he wanted to go on. He also joined all of us on the wave pool and on the yellow slide. He talked Allie into trying out one of the big slides and she LOVED it. All in all a fun day...especially for the kids!

Tomorrow we have t-ball in the morning and Bible camp in the evening. Maybe we'll spend the afternoon at the waterpark if the rain stays away?!?

MORE LIGHTENING BUGS
We went out earlier last night and were able to catch lightening bugs for the kids. Well, for Allie anyway! Jake did just fine on his own. Allie, on the other hand, would smash them trying to catch them! They ended up with 2 plastic jars full of bugs, which made them happy & reaffirmed for both Scott & I that we CAN catch lightening bugs!


Scott got up yesterday morning and went golfing. He then went running in preparation for Sunday's 1/2 marathon. The kids and I went out to the waterpark for about 4 hours. My friend Sophie took Jake down 2 of the bigger slides (he was reluctant) and he LOVED them. He's too short to go alone so that might mean that I have to actually go on the waterslides this year. I don't love that idea! Scott is off today instead of Friday so he says that he's going to the waterpark with us today and will take Jake on all of the big slides.

The kids start vacation Bible school tonight. It goes for 4 nights and the theme is FIESTA!

LIGHTENING BUGS

Jake has been dying to catch lightening bugs this summer. We went out about 10 days ago and tried to catch some...Jake ended up with one and Allie with none. Our yard seems to repel the lightening bugs. He got to catch some at Nana & Papa's a few days ago and he asked to give it another try tonight. Scott, the kids & I all headed out to try again. There were only a few in the yard, but Scott & I were certain that we could catch some for the kids. We are pretty sure that catching the bugs was MUCH easier as a child. After about 30 minutes outside we caught zero bugs!! It was pitch black out by the time we came inside...maybe we can get some tomorrow night...or maybe we'll just have to go somewhere else to catch them :)

KID'S VISIT THE MISSISSIPPI

On Thursday afternoon, my sister took the kids back to my parent's house with her. Upon their arrival, a heated game of whiffle ball took place. Then a walk to the city park & the ball park. The night ended with the kids catching lightening bugs. While they were doing all of that, I enjoyed a few hours of sidewalk sale shopping, some peace & quiet around the house and finally a beer and an appetizer with my hubby to celebrate our 10 year anniversary!



Yesterday, mom & dad took them to the Mississippi for a picnic and some exploring. Then it was off to the IMAX to see "Bugs" in 3-D. After supper, they all went to the ball park to watch softball game. Michael & Kim were coming to visit too. Mom says that the were pooped. Scott and I went out for lunch at Mr. G's (an old favorite, too rough & smokey to take the kids too), we shopped for a few things that we need and we went out for dinner at a newer restaurant in town (the food was great).

Today, I'm meeting my parent's to get the kids and bring them home. I have really missed them! They might drive me crazy sometimes, but things were just too quiet and dull here without them!

T-BALL STARTS & ANOTHER RAINY DAY

T-Ball started at 9:00 this morning for Miss Allie. She is on the red team with her friend Alex from preschool. Of course she was in tears within the first 30 minutes of practice because well...Allie always cries!! I included a picture of Ashley, Allie & Abbie (Alex refused to have his picture taken with the girls).

Jake played ball at 10:00 and he made it on the Gold team. He was pumped up because his buddies Ben & Brock made his team. He would have loved to see his friends Dylan, Carter & Carter on his team too, but he was o.k. with how things turned out. I've attached a picture of Jake and his friends waiting to get their team assignments (Dylan, Carter, Brock, Jake, Ben & some other kid).

After T-ball, we had planned to go to the waterpark with Mandy & Ben before the left town. It was overcast & about 70 degrees at 11, so we went to Chuck E. Cheese's instead. Ben had never been to Chuck E. Cheese's and he really enjoyed it! He wasn't too sure about Chuckie & would say "HI MOUSE" from afar. I finally was able to get Ben to give him a "5" before we left. I think that Ben might be hooked on Chuck E. Cheese's now!!

RAINED OUT


We had big plans to take Ben & Mandy to the waterpark today. Unfortunately it rained pretty much all day. So, we went to BK for lunch and then to the movie Cars this afternoon. Great movie by the way!! Loved the voice of Mater the tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy). Tomorrow we start t-ball and are hoping to spend a couple of hours at the waterpark before Mandy & Ben head on home.

Last night the kids enjoyed some time on the swingset.

Jake got his first black eye(s)/swollen nose. He fell on the slip & slide at camp yesterday. As the afternoon/evening went on, his nose began to swell and turn black. I've included a picture, which doesn't do the bruising justice!!

SCOUT CAMP



Jake boarded the bus to Camp Ingawanis near Waverly this morning at 8 a.m. He was part of the "red" group which also had his buddy Carter in it. Jake said that they went swimming, played on a slip & slide, went horse back riding, went hiking, ate lunch and a snack, made a kite and had a great time! When the bus dropped him off at 3:30, his first words to me were "THAT WAS AWESOME MOM"!!! I think that camp was a hit!

Mandy & Ben should be arriving anytime now. Tomorrow I'm taking them to the waterpark and Thursday they are going to watch the kid's play t-ball.

(The pictures are of Jake & Brock after camp, Jake getting off of the bus & a picture of Jake with his buddies Carter, Brock & Luke prior to boarding the bus)

NEW BIKES

The kids got new bikes yesterday. They sold their old ones at Saturday garage sale. Both bikes were too small for them so we figured now was the time. We journeyed out on our bike quest stopping at Wal Mart, Toys R Us, Target, KMart & Scheel's, finally, we came home with 2 new bikes. By 10:00 last night they were assembled and the kids were ready for bed!!!

GARAGE SALE DAY

My kids love the annual garage sale at Sophie's house. We typically set up Thursday afternoon/Friday morning. We get up early on Saturday, stop by the gas station for Krispy Kreme donuts, coffee & chocolate milk and are at Sophie's before 7:00 a.m. The kids get to watch cartoons, play in the yard and have a lemonade stand because typically it is HOT outside. This year everything was the same except for the weather. It was STINKIN' cold!! Jake was SOOOOO disappointed that there would be no lemonade stand this year. Both kids sold several items in order to get new bikes and Jake thought that his lemonade stand would help his cause. All in all, it was a good garage sale. I finally said goodbye to some things that I couldn't bear to part with, mostly baby toys and feel good that I cleaned out some stuff.


It was a long week here and both kids on separate nights fell asleep between Allie's bed and the wall...note the pictures! The next several weeks look to be just as busy...next week we have dentist appointments, Scout camp, t-ball starting and family visiting. There should be lots to report next week!

FUNNY PICTURE

This picture makes me laugh. It is of Carter, Brock & Jake coming down the yellow slide at the waterpark. They think that they are big shots because we allow them to ride in the raft with no moms tagging along.

SAMI'S BIRTHDAY PARTY & GIRLS SING GREASE

Allie went to her first birthday party "alone" tonight. Actually, I stayed at Chuck E. Cheese's while she ate & played with her friends. I wasn't quite ready to allow her to stay without me nearby. She was very excited to pick out a "beautiful Cinderella Barbie" (her words) for Sami. She carefully chose a "perfect" pink bag to wrap the gift in (she did it herself). She also wrote "Happy Birthday Sami, Love Allie" in the card and was SO proud of herself. I tried to get all 15 or so party goers together for a group shot & I only managed to keep 4 still long enough for a picture (they are Sami, Abbie, Allie & Lily). Allie loved hanging out with her preschool friends.

We've been at the waterpark every day this week. Jake loves his new found freedom (limited) and has been obeying all of my rules (so far). Tommorrow we'll head to the waterpark for a couple of hours then out to Sophie's to set up for our annual garage sale on Saturday. I hope I get rid of a bunch of crap!!

Last night my friend Kim had a summer kick off girls only party. Sophie brought along her Karaoke machine & a Grease CD...I'm amazed how women (all mothers of Kindergarten or younger aged children) over 30 years old will act when presented with the opportunity to sing Grease songs while having a margarita. There were 8 of us there and we knew all of the words to all of the songs....I've attached a picture of Kim, Sophie & Lynn singing along...they will kill me when they see this!!

THE WATERPARK IS OPEN

The waterpark opened on Friday. Allie and I ran out and gave it a try. The water was really cold, but Allie was a trooper and had fun. We went out again yesterday after school. Jake was thrilled to be there. He went down the big yellow slide with his buddies...alone...not one mom was in the raft with them and they were really excited! The boys also got to float down the lazy river alone (we kept a close eye on them). Jake tried the volcano slide for the first time too. He's always been nervous about going down slides that drop off into the water where you go under. He loved it though!!
If the rain stays away today, we'll be heading out again.

SCHOOL IS OUT....


I've tried really hard all day to be as excited as Jacob is about school being out for the summer. I am excited for the t-ball games, trips to visit family, our summer vacation, Jake's day camps, the 4th of July and of course our long, hot days at the waterpark. What I'm having a hard time with is the fact that Jake is growing up...Kindergarten just flew by. It truly seems like I just dropped him off for his first day of school. I'm afraid that if I blink too long, I'll be watching him walk across the stage at his high school graduation. I want to stop time for just a little while...he's growing too quickly!

I'm proud to say that while I was very teary this afternoon, I didn't cry! Of course, I didn't stay too long in Miss Pins' room after the party. I just thanked her for an awesome year & went on my way. She is such a great teacher & person...I'll miss seeing her this summer.

This morning Jake's class & the other 2 Kindergarten classes went to Holmes Park for bomb pops and playing. The kids ran like crazy.

This afternoon we had a party with snacks and games. The first game we played had the kids in a relay race...the catch was that they had to put on a pool floatie, a baseball glove, a baseball cap & sunglasses. They then had to kick a ball around a cone and remove their items so the next person could go. It was a stinkin' riot.

Tomorrow we are heading out to the waterpark. We went for a couple of hours after school. Jake has gotten much braver this year. Brock, Carter & Jake went down the big yellow slide alone (we were at the bottom) and they went around the lazy river alone too. I'm taking baby steps in allowing him some independence....Allie however is stuck with me at her side all summer.

Enjoy the pictures...tomorrow I'll post waterpark shots!

MORE CABIN PICS

Here are a few more of my favorite cabin pics....

WEEKEND AT THE CABIN






Scott found out mid week that he had this weekend off. The kids have been begging to go to Papa Walt & Grandma Beth's cabin to fish and boat. So, we left after Jake got out of school on Friday and spent the weekend there. We went boating and fishing Friday night, Saturday and again this morning. Although the kids didn't catch anything worth keeping, they still had a lot of fun!! Jake really liked holding craw dads (did I spell that right?) and Allie finally held one by the end of Saturday night. My girly girl gave into the pressure of Jake & Scott. The kids are already planning our next trip there!!

Tomorrow is Jake's last day of school. I can't believe Kindergarten is over!! He has 2 parties tomorrow that I'll be helping with. Right after school, we are heading out to the waterpark for a couple of hours. Allie and I went on Friday for a couple of hours while Jake was at school. We both agreed we are ready to spend a lot of time there this summer!

I've been trying to post some more cabin pictures, but for some reason it won't let me...will try again later under a new post....