Summer Week 1!

So I decided trying to catch up was decidedly not working. I may get back to that at some point but my goal for the summer is to once a week chronicle our adventures. We always have so much going on and I have a terrible memory so without documentation, it will be as if it never happened. Plus I'd like to make a book of the summer for the kids. Anywho, week 1!
Oh my Claire is such a bundle of joy and light. She wanted to have "Ana hair" (from Frozen) and was really enjoying just running around the tree. Oh how I love this little girl!

Saturday was the boys' first game with machine pitch baseball. They are on the Phillies (should have been the Twins considering there are 2 sets on their team).

Here is Davis as catcher

And Carter at bat. Davis got 2 good hits but poor C man struck out. He did catch a fly ball though.

C was rather upset and frustrated at not getting a hit so we headed up to Lowell's school (he was working a rental) and spent some time hitting balls in the gym. Sure a nice perk having access to a gym and all the gear you could imagine.

And a dance studio for Claire as well. :)

Sunday I wanted to catch a picture of my handsome boys in their church clothes as 2nd grade graduates. I really can't believe they are so old. Sometimes I catch myself looking at them and wondering how they can be MY kids. I mean really, where did they come from? They are so grown up.

Monday was the first real day of summer but I didn't have anything on the schedule. Some of their programs start the 2nd week. I did a 9 mile long run in the early morning and then paid the boys to let me get a bit more sleep. :p Then we went shopping to spend their graduation money (Princess Cadence and Apple Jack for Claire, Plants vs Zombies Warfare for the boys).

Tuesday the boys started Theater class (this year they are doing The Cheese Stands Alone) and Claire and I made a craft at the library (octopus puppet) and played at the park. Then we met up with A&A to go to Classic Fun Center. Made all the arrangements had bags packed and 5 kids in just swimming suits to find that despite their website saying June-August and the big freeway sign saying Waterpark opens June 1st, that it was in fact closed. On top of that there were 3 buses of kids there so way too busy to stay and do something else. This little mommy was pretty ticked off!

Calmed down and hit the splash pad instead. They all had a pretty good time anyway. Claire kept insisting she was freezing hence the above picture. It was quite warm. My very white shoulders took on some color (ahem, red).

Finished out our time with snow cones, life isn't so bad.
Wednesday is movie day and we went to see Night at the Museum. The boys really enjoyed it and Claire did ok. I was tired and cranky which did not make for a perfect trip but it all worked out.
Thursday the boys had theater again and Claire and I made cookies.

She loves to "help"

Pretty princess with her cookies

I asked to make a "nice" face and this is what I got. One of the first times I can see myself in her though.

Thursday afternoon we went to dollar day at the Eagle Mountain carnival. So many of the carnivals have "unsavory" people about, I like this one best.

Claire insisted on riding the ferris wheel. Me not a big fan. It started going fast and my stomach just dropped, meanwhile Claire says, Wheee! She can do roller coasters with Daddy in the future, the rest of us are wimps.

Top of the Ferris Wheel

The boys have an obsession with the Gravitron and were talking about it all week. Well 2 rides in a row and this is how the ended up LOL. We were waiting in line for the tornado and they both felt dizzy.

Yeah, the tornado did not improve things much. Spinning rides get harder the older I get.

Got this shot of the boys because I have a picture in the same spot from when they were 9 months old. Kind of fun to go back to where they were tiny. We drove by the house and I shared some stories.

Friday we went to see a Dday tank with Jess and her kiddos. I learned this year that my grandpa's brother Gordon was among the men on the beach at Normandy. He made it home but died from a car accident on his honeymoon so I never met him. I wanted the kids to know about their heritage though and of course boys love tanks and big guns. We also talked about how these men liberated my other grandparents from Nazi occupied Holland.

We had plans to hike to Cecret Lake but some people cancelled and I wasn't sure I wanted to drive the gravel road up there so we decided on Donut Falls instead. It turned out to be Donut Day so I guess that fit except it meant it was busier than usual. The trail wasn't too bad but the parking lot was a little scary.

It wasn't a bad little hike and all the kids got along well.

The falls was pretty forceful thanks to runoff.

D, B, C, H, J, and C (Yes 6 kids, 2 moms, we rock!)

Claire was dragging her feet a lot (as she does on hikes) so B took her hand and hiked all the way back with her. What a sweetheart this boy is! Claire loved the attention.

We hit the 711 at the bottom of the canyon, happy day! The mustaches kill me. We had such a good time with Jess's family, I hope we can do more this summer.

Saturday I had to work but the boys had another game and after 2 ups Davis had 2 ups and Carter 2 strike outs :(. My heart was breaking for him but luckily he had another up and finally got a hit. Davis ran out to first base and gave him a hug! Oh my heart!

We have lots of fun planned this summer, I'm excited. :)