Summer Vacay - Week #9

Early in the week we enjoyed some veg out time - lazy time hanging around the house, enjoying it while we can, and decompressing from the week before!  Pat had football Monday - Thursday and Liz had cheerleading.  Other then that we played, swam, watched Sarah Jane and Will, and made it back to the dentist for that cavity.  Pat, by the way, did AWESOME!!  The Fair started at the end of the week.  The girls and I went Thursday night, Brian and I took the kids on Friday, and then Liz and I went after Pat's first football scrimmage on Saturday to see Bridget Mendler perform.  Srah Jane and Ciochi joined us.  I have been loving all the Fair time - because I love the Fair!!  The kids had all day ride bracelets and were pretty adventurous.  Liz loved riding the bumper cars with Brian.  She is so animated on rides - it's really fun to watch her.

Patrick seemed to be more interested in the games than the rides - atleast until we finally won an Angry Bird, Ice Bird to be exact.

We bumped in to the Dwyers there and had a quick visist while eating our yummy ice cream.

Every year I take a picture of the kids eating their Fair ice cream.  I can't believe how big they are getting, especially when I look back on the older pictures.  

Patrick was kinda over the picture, but I got it anyway!

The kids didn't realize there was a mini golf course at the Fair.  Of course they had to have a match!  Pat managed to almost beat his dad!!

Aren't these moving bushes cool?I tried to get the kids to take a picture with them but they didn't quite know what to make of them.

One big highlight for the day was feeding the garaffe, Melman, and his other exotic friends.

Liz and I had a great day on Saturday, even though it was super hot.  The concert was fun.  Even though she didn't know alot  of the songs she was "singing" and dancing right along.  After the show we walked through the Center of Progress building which she loved, much to my surprise.  She loved collecting stickers, touching stuff, and watching demonstrations.  We scored two Slushy Magic cups for the price of one!  We had lunch and ice cream too.   On our way out we rode the huge Ferris Wheel together and got a great view of the whole Fair.

Our Slushy Magic's are great.  They even make great wine slushies for mommy :)  Liz had another special treat on Sunday, a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese for her friend Tessy, complete with ice cream afterwards.  Another great week of summer!!

Summer Vacay - Week #8

 Holy busy week batman!  I had a taste of what I am sure life will be like very soon, now that we are on the cusp of our own activities and sports.  This was the week of eating in the car, tag team parents, and me chauffeuring all over God and creation.  I loved it though :)  And on top of all the running around we were washing off tents and chairs and un-sanding things from camping.  Liz did a gymnastics camp every morning this week at the high school.  I really liked the coach and got to talk with her quite a bit this week.  She runs a fall program that Liz will do in addition to Westside.  I got to catch a sneak peak of the "show" that the kids were practicing for the last day.

 Sarah did the classes too so Liz was just in heaven. 

 Liz doesn't quite have a cartwheel down yet so she has to get help from coach.

 Part of the running around came from the afternoon - Liz was doing a lacrosse camp in the afternoon, which meant Pat had to come with me.  He was picked up every day by Brian who ran him out to football.  This meant that Pat had to have an early dinner at lacrosse and get all his gear on there.  Then, on Tuesday and Thursday Liz had cheerleading right after lacrosse, so we had to fly there from lacrosse.  It was hectic and I was toting a huge packed cooler of water bottles and Gaterade every where.  Can you tell Liz really wants to tie her own shoes??  I have slacked and haven't been able to teach her. 

 Liz is doing great with cheerleading.  She is really focused and learning the cheers great!

 It is too cute.

 Coach Dad!

 Patrick has been working really hard at football too, learning to block and tackle and getting ready for his first scrimmage

 The lacrosse coaches were really nice and let Patrick participate on the last day of camp.  I didn't mind because there is no football on Friday so I knew he wouldn't be too tired.  He had fun.

 One of the drills happen to pit brother against sister in a scoop race to score a goal.  Liz would have beat Pat if she didn't get such a jumpy ball :)

On top of all the running around both kids had a sleepover.  Pat went to Kayden's and Sarah Jane came to our house.  Liz squeezed in a pool party too.......to get all the kids (who weren't on vacation) from her class together at her friend Ella's house before school starts.  She had an absolute blast. The only drama of the week was a trip to the dentist for what we thought was a filling for Patrick.  Turned out to be molar sealing and the filling next week.

Summer Vacay- Week #7

 The beginning of the week was dedicated to getting ready for the end of the week.  Patrick had football - and they started practicing with pads!!  Liz had her first night of cheerleading, although they didn't end up practicing because there was a coaching issue.  Thursday was our 9th wedding anniversary and also the day we headed to Cranberry Lake in the Adirondacks for our summer camping trip.  Daddy got me flowers that were so pretty that we packed the whole car around them so I could enjoy them camping!

 Home sweet home, ready for the soon to come RAIN.  Boy did it rain, on and off, all weekend.  Oh well.  We made the best of it and had a great time!

 As soon as Sarah Jane and Will arrived the kids were off, without a care in the world!

 The boys played basketball,

 and the girls cheered, while Mark and Amy set up camp.

 It was awfully rainy on Friday so we took a drive to check out Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.  We shopped and saw the Olympic sights, and conquered some fears, all in one day!

 Fear to be conquered - Brian on the chair lift.  The only reason he did it was because Patrick wanted to.  What a good lesson to teach your kids :)

 I was totally amazed that there were kids practicing ski jumping at the Olympic ski jumps in the summer!  I shouldn't be surprised - after all technology allows Jamaica to have a bob sled team!

 Future Olympians???

 Patrick would prefer to be standing in the summer Olympics after playing for Team USA Basketball.

 Foofa faces.  They're goofy.

 Louer Olympians.

 Other Louer Olympians.

 High above the world overlooking the high ski jump.  120 meters!

 Summer practicing includes a special pool to practice jumping.

 Cheers to Ben and Jerry's!!

 There were some brave chipmonks when we woke up on Saturday.  They had gotten into some s'more chocolate the night before when we were off exploring.  Now the kids wanted revenge and were determined to catch a chipmonk.

 Uncle Mark helped them build a trap baiting it with marshmallows and chocolate.  They were close to catching him twice!  I was amazed.

 Waiting for chippies to take the bait!

 There was some nice weather on Saturday and we were able to get out and fish, swim and play in the sand.

More foofas!  Despite the rain it was a great trip.  Great family/friends made it all the better.  Can't wait for next year!!