Summer of Fun WHAT?

I can't believe I haven't posted any pictures or stories about the Incredible Summer of Fun yet! It's really been a good summer and we've done lots of good things. I was going through getting pictures ready to add to previous posts and didn't find any previous posts! So, to make this easier to view and more accurate for posterity, I'm going to go back and post pictures on the days they were taken. So, you may have to look back a bit for the good stuff.

Yesterday, we went to the Whorton's for the annual pool party. I counted at one point, and I think we had 25 moms and kids! That's a lot of kids! They had so much fun swimming and squirting and eating, as you'll see in the pictures. I think it will end up being one of my kids' favorite activities this summer. Beth was so brave to open her pool for us, and she even mentioned doing it again sometime! Wow! What a woman!

Here we go:

I dubbed Chloe the "Floatie Queen" and I heard her refer to herself as that later!

Amy and Addie

Weston and Kate, pool supply team



"Wow! How does she do that with her foot?!!"

Brothers sharing? This is incredible!

Eating!

More eating fun!

Lunch Box

Sam loves the Night at the Museum movies. Therefore, Kate loves the Night at the Museum movies. Of course, only the first is available on video, therefore when the kids crave Night at the Museum, it's the choice.

Sam's also really good at quoting movies, and one of his favorites of late is something like: "Watch it, lunch box! I once went 8 rounds with John L. Sullivan." I can't remember the exact phrase right now, but he does.

Well, Kate wants to quote movies too, though as of yet hasn't shown a real knack for it. (She did demonstrate a Sharpay pose for me yesterday, though, that was quite funny.) So her version of the quote goes something like this: "Watch out, lunch box. I want two thousand dollars from Jullivan Sullivan."

I know it's not nearly as funny to read as it is to hear, but it was just cracking me up in the car this morning and I wanted to get it down before I forgot. Those Mickey Rooney lines are by far the funniest in the movie. They like to call each other "Snack Shack" too.

BMB: I hate mornings.

Actually, I don't. If I had to characterize myself as a morning or night person, I definitely fall on the morning side of the fence. So does my son. For sure.
So, to clarify, I hate WORK mornings. In order to be at work near the 8 am target, we need to be out the door as close to 7 as possible. No, my commute is not an hour, but the sitter is 10 minutes away in the opposite direction, add in a stop at McDonald's and my 30 minute commute—you get the picture.

It shouldn't be a big deal, I tell myself, because Sam gets up at 6:15 on a Saturday anyway. Murphy's rule applied to children: The child who wakes up at 6 am on Saturday will always want to sleep late on work days.

I remember mornings B.C. (before children). I'd take my time getting ready, stop and watch the news a little bit on my way out the door, grab a leisurely breakfast and read a little before heading out the door. Now, I didn't give myself as much grace in the desired time of arrival, but in general, it was relaxing and a great way to start a day.

Now, mornings are filled with terror, prodding, and frustration. The kids have to be woken to cries of "it's too sunny in here" and "leave me alone" (both from my 2-year-old) and a constant battle with Sam about watching "just one more cartoon" and taking a Wii game to the sitter. I have to look over the banister about every 5 minutes or so while making breakfast, monitoring morning potty stops, and trying to remember all the things we need to take with us for that evening's activities. I look over and yell: "How can you not be dressed by now?" or "We need to leave in 5 minutes! Eat up!" Then, when the clock strikes 7, it's mush, mush, get out to the car, what have we forgotten today?, and is the garage door closed? Heaven forbid that I failed to see the morning forecast, because my drive to the sitter may include a quick U-turn to put the dog back in the house if clouds look menacing.

Does all that exhaust you? It does me too. And it honestly makes me rethink the entire parenting ordeal. Was I this difficult to get out the door? It takes me the entire drive to work just to calm down from the frenetic pace of it all.

I'm doing a Bible study about the thoughts we carry and how they affect our lives. Let me just tell you, the thoughts that are generated between 6:30 and 7:30 each morning are not helpful. God is not being honored. Even our traveling prayer team (i.e. circus) inspires little positive thought.

I'm not sure if I'm alone in all this, but I doubt it. I'm just thankful that it isn't a 5-day-a-week occurrence. For that, I consider myself blessed.

Are we even at the Royals game?

Since I had a little boy, I have longed for the day that we could pick up and go to a day game. Well, today was that day. Thanks to the new Outfield Experience, I think I can safely say we had more outfield experience than game experience, but thus is modern sports. Get used to it. How many of you can honestly say you go for the game, not for the hotdogs, peanuts and post-game fireworks?

They did have a fun time. Only a few families went and once we met up and got the ticket situation all settled, I think we all had a good time. The kids sure were worn out afterwards. All that running around and playing will do that to you.

While watching the game, Sam and I had a memorable discussion about how farts do not really impress girls. I don't think he believes me.

Ticket transition required some waiting. No problem: Sam and Kate show me their muscles!

The wait to bat at the Little K was longer than the wait to get inside! Note, Evan's not thrilled with the waiting.

Sam hitting in the little K! Look at the intensity!

Look at the ball go mommy! (Hee! She really did hit it later.)



The big moment was worth the wait. Especially for us, as Evan took the bases backwards!

Sam on the Slugger carousel. I have to say, I encouraged the horse selection just so I could get this picture!

Food was a big part of the experience for all. Especially Kate. (This is staged, but she had just done this to get the last of the popcorn just beforehand.)


See. We did watch the game for a while.