95 days of summer

On the first day of summer, I got the calendar out and counted how many days there would be of summer vacation.  95.  I had already written out a summer "bucket list", and I promised myself to make every day count.  I was so excited for my kids to be home! I meet the 95th day with mixed emotion - sadness, anticipation of restoring some order and routine, more anxiety than I care to admit, and...I'm tired.  I told Reggie on his first day of school, I'm going to take a nap. (But I probably won't, because I start school too - and last week when I went to the grocery store with the kids, I vowed it would be the last time I'd take them along for 9 months.) The kids are ready to go to school and have some different play mates than each other.  I can't say that I made every day count, but we did check off almost everything on our "bucket list". 

Here are some of the highlights:





Lydia and Reggie played for the Rivercats

My grandparents celebrated 70 years of marriage at our Okoboji family reunion.

We rented a camper.   The kids loved the three-level bunks.

While camping, we got to see MeeMaw and Papa and cousins.

Bowling and other fun with Grandma and Grandpa!

We love Sonic!

Backyard campout!

Green Bay!



Vacation Bible School was a blast!

Let's read about volcanos and build one!

4th of July Up North

Lake Superior

Brett played for the A's

Fun at MOA

 

 

 

Maybe too many pictures - when I try to add captions, my pictures jump to another spot in the post.  So the pictures aren't in chronological order.  One big highlight and something new we did this summer was rent a VRBO cabin.  It was on a golf course and happened to be right behind a small private airstrip.  There was a pool and nearby beaches, etc.  We had a lot of fun, in addition to swimming and putt putt, having movie nights, watching planes take off and land, and just relaxing together!

These 95 days of summer have been a delight, and the memories will hopefully last a lifetime, but I think we are ready for the next season.

Reggie is 6 years old!

(And has been for a month.)

Reggie's birthday landed during our Packer's Training Camp vacation, so we kept it simple with a WWE-themed cookout at the park.

Reggie always likes to have his own cake.  He chose cheeseburgers, potato salad, Cheetos, and watermelon for his menu.  Some of his gifts were a John Cena t-shirt, a world championship belt, transformers, and wrestler action figures.  As you can see, he likes them!

 

Just for fun, a throwback pic from when Reggie was one year old!  Oh my, how time flies...

spotlight on Brett

(I'm just going to completely gloss over the fact that I haven't blogged in over two months.)

Brett on his last day of First grade
 

Brett's school year had it's ups and downs, but he worked hard, learned a lot, and had fun.  He has become a good reader and loved his teachers. 


Brett showing his baseball trophy

Brett has participated in two activities this summer.  First off, he was on a baseball team.  In first grade, the coach pitches.  They still batted through the lineup each inning, and outs and runs didn't mean anything until the tournament at the end of the season.  The team finished 3rd.  The coaches were incredibly supportive of Brett and another child with special needs and Brett became a pretty consistent hitter. 

Hey! Lydia took this picture of us on the Ferris wheel

Second, Brett has been taking swimming lessons.  He has gone from being afraid to even enter the pool to bobbing is head under water with no hesitation and practicing many strokes!  We are so proud of him!

When asked what his favorite thing to do is, Brett answers going to the playground.  He also loves playing catch and wrestling.  He likes to draw and make things.  What a fun, fun kid.

spotlight on Lydia

Lydia graduated from kindergarten!

 Last day of school.

 

Lydia loves school.  She excelled in learning to read.  She made good friends, and she loved her teacher.  On the days during the year when she had to miss school, she would cry and cry.

One day the last week of school, I asked her what she did during "choice" time.  She said, "I wrote a love letter to Alex because I didn't know how to spell Nathan"!  Monday's were her "sharing" day, so every weekend she would spend a great deal of time thinking and talking about what she would share.  Her goals for the future include going on the rides at Mall of America and meeting the Disney Princesses!

 Lydia with our babysitter.

Outside of school, Lydia loves swimming and is also playing t-ball.  She likes to color and create, watch movies, read and swing.  My goal for her this summer is to get her to take her training wheels off!