Turns out when I'm with my Activity Days girls I'm so busy I don't take a lot of photos. Here is one at the terrific Stake Activity Days event that I am so glad I stayed for. I was the only ward leader there and I had a blast following Natalie's group around and driving four of our ward members home. There was a literal collision during one of the games so I am no longer allowed to play Traffic Jam. Just ask the smallest girl in my ward. Luckily I could still get her to laugh through the tears but I was a tiny worried she would be scared of me the next time she saw me. Luckily she showed up to our next ward activity and didn't need an ice pack. Of course, we didn't play Traffic Jam either. lol. Brother P. and I planned on celebrating the Primary's birthday with both the boys and girls together again and it was so much fun. This year our four stations for over 20 kids were horseshoes, potato sack races, a Primary trivia game I made, and a team building game I stole from the before mentioned Stake activity. Of course the pizza Brother P. brought was the star of the show and we all wished Primary a happy birthday before I let anyone have the cupcakes Natalie and I made. After the success of both last year and this year, Brother P. and I are convinced that the combined event with the AD Boys & Girls is definitely tradition worthy for our ward.
Evening bike rides are even better with the wheel lights Danny gave to Natalie.
PSA: a lot of the maple trees in our neighborhood are looking like this. We love our maple tree and Hubby realized it was an iron deficiency. So, last Friday night, you could find Hubby and I drilling holes in the ground around our drip line, pouring in chelated iron, and watering the holes. We plan on doing this again in September and again in April once the buds on the tree show up (according to what the expert at the nursery told me). There is nothing that will get my husband moving faster than that maple tree being in danger of dying. Well, other than his family & work & pets. lol
When I went to pick Natalie up from a play date I cracked up when her friend's dog took my visor as an offering when I walked in the door. She was so darn excited to have another human to pet her. She gently held it until I asked for it back. Retrievers are just the best. Most of Natalie's time with friends this summer has been more impromptu, like when a she and a couple of the neighbor girls baked peanut butter blossoms with me, ate Mac and cheese for lunch, and watched a movie in our basement to keep busy until it was time for their class lists to be posted at the elementary school. It was magical to have them working together and overhearing how much fun they were having. I am so grateful these families have moved into our neighborhood. I think my favorite sight is when I see all five of them riding around on bikes or scooters together. Such good, clean summer time fun! Oh, and if you look closely you'll see the Goldfinch that we could see out the window as we made cookies. And the class lists? Natalie got the teacher last year's teacher wanted her to have and the kids in her class are pretty amazing. It is very similar to the group that was in kindergarten together and that was an incredible group of kids. I think 4th grade is going to be good!
Below you'll find pictures of a party Hubby, Danny, and I went to. I have gotten to know one of my co-workers better because our sons are on the same baseball team so when she threw a party with coworkers and neighbors we got to come have fun too. We only stayed for a couple hours because Danny also had a birthday party to go to (actually Kate's friend P's party -- where she already was) but I'm so glad we went. And just for roll call, Michelle was boating with friends from Church and Natalie was at a friend's house. Wait, maybe boating was the day before. Oh, yes, it was, and both Michelle and Natalie were at a neighbor's house together instead of partying with us. They had fun, but Michelle was sad she missed the opportunity to see her orchestra and science teachers. On boating night I was attending a dance parent meeting for her competitive hip hop team for the upcoming year. Oh, my. Our calendar is already starting to look pretty full again.
Sister O was nice weight to send me photos from when they went to the lake. Looks lovely! Michelle did report she got thrown off the tube by the boat a couple times but no action shots. Good. That means the adults were concentrating while my kid was in the tube/water!
Danny's baseball team had their end of season celebration at a teammate's house and their backyard is perfection! Danny and I were there over five hours when his best friend's dad and I convinced them they had to get out of the pool and go home. I think everyone had a great time and we are all looking forward to fall ball beginning soon. I know I've said it before, but I am just so grateful for these coaching and the families of these wonderful boys.
And what did Danny do when he had a month off of baseball other than hang out with friends? I’ll give you a hint:
What Maisie does while Danny is playing video games and I’m putting away clean laundry:
I can't finish this post without mentioning volleyball. Kate has been working hard all summer training with one of her best friends to keep in shape in the off season. She also went to CU volleyball clinics/camps and the camp for her new high school. She made the JV team! We are so stinking proud of her! They have been practicing every weekday since tryouts and even had their first scrimmages already last Saturday. And, we got an email offering her to be on a traveling club team again this year and she said yes! Let's go, Kate! She is seriously amazing! I hope high school and volleyball is everything it is meant to be for her. I am looking forward to the next four years for sure. And way too excited to start watching her play volleyball again. It's been a few months!
P.S. Kate and Danny had a blast with their friends at the County Fair. Kate took this picture from the car for me after I picked her and A up. (:
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