The Second Week of Summer

Okay, I am just about caught up with blogging! Our 2nd week of summer started out with Kirsten & Jonathan's wedding! Then, on Sunday night, I took Atticus to Central Baptist for Sports Camp. The Wagners and Gregory's were also going so for $35 for the week, we decided it sounded good. It was advertised as the kids learning about God and getting to try out a bunch of different sports. The first night was for parents also and was more of a program/icebreaker with the leader doing all sorts of funny games to get kids up on stage to play. For the very first one, the leader asked for a volunteer...a first grader...with attitude. Well, Atticus shot his hand up at hearing "first grader" (you should know that he is SO proud to be a first grader now) and got picked. I was a little nervous right away that he might get up there and change his mind and I really didn't want him to have an attitude, ha! Anyways, tons of kids got up there after that and he and another kid had to let them stuff their giant shirts with sponges until they were muscle men. Then, they had to flex and show their favorite pose. Well, it was cute and fun and Atticus loved it!

 I should also note that on this night, we were home about 7:45 so the girls were still awake. Grace had made a "feast" but only for those whose first letters were on the piece of paper taped to the table: G, E, and V for Grace, Everly and Vic. She is so imaginative.

 And then, while she waited to be served dinner, she sat with her afghan (because she was cold) in her chair while her "kitty" ate tuna fish for dinner. Vic asked her if she was 4 or 84? Also, that tuna fish can from the kitchen has been used for kitties for as long as Grace as been around!

As the week went on, he had sports camp Monday through Thursday nights from 6-9. I dropped him off the first night and he didn't want me to leave, but by the end of the week, he ran off without me. The leaders and atmosphere was very Fish Camp style with crazy color themed outfits and face paint and lots of energy. The Kindergarten group (you did it based on the grade you completed) was yellow and every night, apparently, each grade tried to be the loudest to win the spirit flag. Every night, Atticus would tell me they didn't win. So, the last night, he took a bell and whistle and flags so he could help his group be the loudest and most spirited and he said they won! Basically, each night was a hit and each morning, he woke up asking how many hours it was until Sports Camp started. He got to try golf, tennis, archery, basketball, football, volleyball, gaga ball, 9 square, fishing, soccer, kickball, and probably more. He was disappointed they never got to try baseball, but I think there were more sports to try than they had time for. At "halftime" each night, they would have a memory verse and story. And, by the end of the week, he had memorized John 3:16. This was just a really fun camp with great staff and leaders and kids and we will definitely do it again next year!

 Atticus and Lane were in the same Kindergarten group! And notice his face paint; after the first night, he came home and wanted to have paint under his eyes "like his friend Carson on his baseball team" and because he was going to Sports Camp. So, every night, he picked different colors and we painted his face. So spirited!

 These leaders were great! Atticus had so much fun with them and he was so comfortable being left with them! I have no idea what their names were, but they were awesome!

On Tuesday, we took Grace to Gymnastics at Brazos Valley Gymnastics with her friend Dani. Lindsay (Dani's mom) and I decided to sign them up for the summer. So, we went and the girls did great and had fun. On Wednesday, I took Everly to the doctor. She had this raised, bumpy, red area on her foot and it was not looking good. Combined with having a few other random bumps and spots on her in the last month that stay for so long, I decided to take her in. She has also been congested since March when she had a cold. It's just that I hear it in her nose and it sounds a little like Darth Vader. So, I thought I would let the doctor know. Well, she said we would treat her for a sinus infection and that she would send all the spots to the dermatologist. As I type this, the spot on her foot is going down (much more quickly than the other spots did), so I may not need the dermatologist now. Maybe they will stall call me this next week to give me an idea of what she is getting into. I think her little fair skin may just be more sensitive, so I'll just have to watch her. After the doctor, I went to a PTO meeting for Sonshine School. This will be our 4th year coming up for Sonshine School. And I've helped PTO some each year, but this past year, I really enjoyed meeting and doing activities with this core group of PTO moms. So, we are pre-planning the year already and I LOVE it! I also love fellow-mama time. This entire time, I had a sitter so it was relaxing to go and visit! Also, side note, I have joined a sitter service called BCS Sitters. Ironically, Lindsay (Dani's mom) owns it. You pay $19 a month and can post sitter jobs and girls who she has interviewed, background checked, required CPR and first aid training of, can take the jobs. In fact, Lindsay even background checks the parents or guardians who sign up and has a phone visit with them too. I have used it 5 times and had 4 sitters and I have been pleased every time. I plan, now, to contact these 4 first when I need someone and then use the site when they can't sit. I was a little nervous to have brand new people that I did not know (like that weren't referred by friends), but I have been so pleased. They are all young college girls and have been great.

On Thursday, we got up and met the Wagners, Gregorys, Meiers and Wagner nieces and nephews at the park. It was so much fun and we have not done this in such a long time! Last summer, we would meet up pretty regularly but the school year came and I have barely seen this crew. So, the kids played and played and we had a great time and didn't leave for 2 and a half hours...when it was too hot and humid to stay any longer!

 This picture makes me laugh because we were going to take a group one of the mamas, but with kiddos, you just can't always do that right away! ha!

 We took this one before some of the older kids got out of camp.

 And then we took one big one of all of them. Included in this picture are Cecilia's nieces Maci and Mary Kate and her nephew Lane; Josie, Evelyn, Isabelle, Luke and Vivian; Cole & Nathan; Lizzy, Lane, and Hannah; and Atticus, Grace and Everly. What a fun crew!

 OH I love that scrunched up "cheese" face!

On Friday, we got up and went to the giant garage sale at First Baptist Bryan (where we've been visiting for church). Last year, it was one of my first outings with the kids. I needed an indoor activity so I took the kids to it to check it out. Well, it was really hot that day and while it was indoors, the room was pretty warm with people going in and out so much. I remember having Everly snuggled up in my wrap so I could be hands free but I was worried she was too warm so I took her out and had to make do. Well, this is a fundraiser for the youth so there are tons of youth and adults to help. One adult came over and offered to carry Everly and follow me around while I shopped and a youth carried a box to put out things in. To hand over my baby to someone I didn't know probably sounds crazy, but she was the nicest person ever and she just chatted away with me and held Everly and I felt perfectly fine. She was a retired teacher and a grandmother....how more comfortable could you feel? So, I had planned to let the kids buy a toy and that was it, but ended up walking the entire thing and gathering a few items to be supportive! ha! And then, when we left, a youth carried our stuff out to the parking lot and asked to pray with us. I loved it! Anyways, I think that might be another thing in the back of my mind that has always pulled me to First Baptist Bryan. We still need to visit more churches and need to get started on that, but First Baptist Bryan could still be our new church home. We will see! But back to Friday - it was not hot this time; Everly rode in the little stroller; Atticus and Grace chose a safari car, a boat, and a horse stable to bring home for the great price of $5. It was an outing and some new toys that are great for their style of play...always pretending and doing setups.

On Saturday, we took the kids to Dani's 4th birthday party at the pool where they wore themselves out swimming. We have swim lessons in another week from now so I've been glad to get them back to being in the water. Atticus is 100% comfortable in his life vest, so I'm hopeful when swim lessons get here, something will click this year and he will start to swim without it. Grace will still need it for awhile, but maybe she will at least get better about having her face wet this year. Then, we napped and played and watched the Aggies play in the Super Regional. Vic and Atticus have started watching baseball on TV some since Atticus and I went to the Aggie game a few weeks back. They started out inside watching and then Atticus had already pre-planned to have a date with dad on the back porch to eat pistachios. So, they moved the game watching outside by listening to it on the speaker and watching it on the app. Inside, Grace made a feast from her play kitchen...always pretending! And outside after pistachios, Atticus and Everly played in the sand. What a great day!

She was so sleepy and slept for almost 4 hours!

 "pistachios on porch with dad"

 He had to have his Aggie cap on to watch the Aggie game. And then....they won! And they are headed to the College World Series!

On Sunday, we went to church, came home, took naps and then Shannon came over! Shannon comes to College Station a few times a year and when she has spare time, she will sometimes call and we will try to meet up. I think the last time, I wasn't available. So, it had been 3 years since we had seen her! But, this time, she is here for a 2 week floral design course at A&M. So, I got to have dinner with her one night and then she came over on Sunday afternoon to see everyone else and visit some more! The kids swam and played outside and then we ate burgers. I can't help but say how happy I was to see her! I love that McCuistion family and we never get to see them and so I was just so so happy to visit with her! And the kids loved her, of course! So, I snapped a quick pic of them piling on top of her...and afterwards, Grace didn't leave her lap. If Shannon hadn't had to leave, Grace probably would have fallen asleep in her arms, because about 10 minutes after Shannon left, Grace had fallen asleep on the couch!

 This cutie hung out in the sandbox for a little while.

Attacked by Seidel kids!

So it was a great 2nd week of summer vacation for us!