summer is kicking my butt

Summer is kicking my butt. I am absolutely exhausted. Tonight was the first night in weeks that the kids have been in bed before 10pm. It was actually in bed 8:45pm. The wheels fell off today and Sophie even took a nap. I would've died for a nap. Everyone's about hit their limit.

I feel like I walk this fine line in the summer of needing to work, do things around the house, and get camps planned while at the same time doing fun things as a family and not have the kids spend their entire summer with a babysitter or indoors. We play into the late evenings, are gone most weekends, and fall into our beds at night. Thankfully we instituted a great chore schedule with commission (thank you, Dave Ramsey) for the kids this summer. It's because of that my house is still liveable.

So, some pictures in review of the last several weeks.

We did swimming lessons the first week of summer. The weather and the water were a little chilly.

A couple of weeks ago was Big Kick Soccer Camp at South Ridge. On this particular days, the kids helped me load the van at Sam's with supplies for snacks and the hotdog dinner for campers, families and volunteers.

One night after BKSC we watched the Isaacs/Allen wedding video. These people are too pooped to party.

 This was our second year of Big Kick at South Ridge. We had 134 kids. It was great. I'm so proud of all our volunteers!

The same week of Big Kick was baseball playoffs. Ted and Wyatt ended up playing a double header in the melting 95 degree heat for the championship. The Cardinals won, but the Nationals put up a good fight. Wyatt's team actually played a triple header that day. It hasn't been that hot since.

The Washington Nationals

 1st and 2nd place teams - we had 4 red teams in our league this year. It was awesome to figure out who was who.

Parents capturing the baseball awards.

 Some leaders came over one evening to play at the park. We watched a great storm roll in while we played.

Ben had breakfast with Derek and Lisa one day and the kids got to see them for a minute.

We had some kids do some painting and yardwork for us as a work project. Sophie found herself a really awesome slug.

 We had a Funday Monday with the Kozels. We went to Coopers Rock for a hike and picnic on the Rock City trail. It had rained that morning and was a little wet. But we made the most of it.

We played at the playground and then spent the afternoon at the pool.

One afternoon we spend with the Underdonks at the pool and then dinner, the park and Ben's softball game. I love this picture. I hope these kids are friends as long as their mom and I have been friends. 20 years this summer - that's crazy! And wonderful!

So that takes us up to, but not including the 4th of July weekend. And I'm going to bed.

2 weeks into summer - 2 river trips

It's already June 20th. Which is also West Virginia's birthday in case you were wondering. We've been out of school for two weeks, but it doesn't feel all thought much like summer.  We don't have much of a routine yet except going to bed late and at least the kids sleep in until about 7:30 am or so. Our days have been filled with baseball, preparing for Big Kick Soccer Camp and Young Life camp, work days for camp, swimming lessons, and a lot of rain in the evenings this week. There's barely a minute to sit and think. But we have been to the river twice already which is always our favorite part of summer. The plan is to make it back twice in July and once in August.

 There's always swimming. We (well the kids) were in the river earlier than years past. Usually it's higher this time of year. But our first trip it was lower, but still too cold for me.

The kids like floating from the dock in a tube. We tie a ski rope to the dock and let them float.

Mayor John (he's not really the mayor) bought a new-to-him pontoon boat.

Breakfast on the front porch is one of my favorite parts of the day. Ben makes bacon and scrambled eggs made in a little bacon grease with toast made from homemade bread.

We walked to town (a little over a mile) a couple of times and done some bike riding.

Both kids first time crossing the bridge on foot

We play lots of games.

The view from the overlook.

Ted and Pat (my mom's cousin) really enjoy each other's company. They 

haven't seen each other from last summer and had some catching up to do.

Sophie isn't road ready yet so she does some riding in the yard.

On our most recent visit (Sunday-Tuesday this week), we went to Cook's Forest with Uncle Jim and my Mom. This is the fire tower that we climbed. Um, yeah, it was super high and we only stayed a minute at the top.

My mom took this picture from the top. That's us on the ground.

Cook's Forest has enormous trees, a lot of them 300 years old.

We were tired after lots of hiking!

Dad and John cut down a tree while we were gone so we had a lot of cleaning up to do when we got back. Ted didn't really use the chain saw. Just posing with the heavy machinery because Mr. John's son owns a business that sells Husqvarna.

There's always chips and dip with Gary Pap.

And Millie is quite the pup she used to be. She poops out much earlier in the day and usually takes several days to recover after we get home. She does love a good swim in the river though.

 

River days are the best!

WV Prayer Walk

Check out this awesome event happening with Young Life West Virginia.

Prayer Walk Website

and the video . . .

Prayer Walk Video

Maybe you want to be part of it!

#ylwalkwv

may 2014

On Memorial Day we celebrated Lily's birthday at Cooper's Rock.

The lizard Shae caught and the kids loved.

I love that these boys are getting to grow up together.

 Family pic at Cooper's Rock.

We also went to Cooper's Rock on Mother's Day. I'm that far behind. We had the BEST time. The kids loved the Rock City trail.

The weather has been beautiful recently. They love putting on their swimming suits and shooting water guns and throwing buckets of water at each other. Sophie has developed a new way to water the flowers.

Then we tried some sort of science experiment with bananas to attract fruit flies. Thankfully it was unsuccessful.

We celebrated sweet Ellie's 7th birthday with her family. Bethany and I were talking about how we've known each other for 20 years. Also thankful these kiddos get to grow up together.

Until Ted's birthday they are stair steps - 5, 6, 7 & 8

We went to a Pirate's game with some of the regional Young Life Staff. There was wagers on how long Sophie would last. This was the 2nd inning.

But then Icee's perked her up and we made it well into the 6th inning. It was a fun game.

Sophie took some of her own pictures.

Me & Soph

Special straw/glasses. Doh, I'm sorry but they didn't last long. Really not very sanitary.

My personal assistant for a ministry fair I did last week.

With my other two personal assistants. They are all the best. I actually used something I found on Pinterest. There's a first for everything.

John Allevato was over the other day and was helping Ted with some baseball mechanics. Ted was in heaven.