Reds Game and City Swim Meet

OK, WHERE did July go??  I feel like we just got back from vacation, and now it's the end of July!  With football and field hockey gearing up, it feels like our nights have been busy, but we've still managed to squeeze in some summer fun.  A few weeks ago we went to a Reds game with a few of the families from John's baseball team.  I had never been to the Great American Ball Park, and we loved it. Actually, I had never been to a major league baseball game, other than one time as a middle schooler, and I don't have any memory of it.  I loved this ball park because it's right on the river, and this is the view I got to see all night.

The Reds played the St. Louis Cardinals, and it was a great game.  We stayed until the very end to watch the Reds sweep the Cardinals, and it was well worth getting home at 1:00 in the morning.

All American Boy

Reds win!

Last weekend was our city championship for swimming.  The kids did so great this year, and we had a great weekend at Big Spring watching them swim. Sarah's relay team dominated their age group in both the medley and freestyle relays, winning both by several seconds.  

These are some super star girls!

Sarah then went on to win first place in the backstroke.  This is the same stroke she won first place in when she was ten years old, so it must be her specialty!

Spoiler alert: the girl in the blue cap wins!

Proud dad

John did great too...he came in second place in the freestyle, and his relay team came in 7th.  

Go John!

It always feels good when city meet is over because now we have a few more weeks of summer with no swim practices or meets.  School starts in two and half weeks...supplies and new uniforms have been bought, we're a tiny bit behind on our summer reading (ok, a LOT behind), but we have a few more items on our summer bucket list that we need to get to.  Oh, and they Olympics open tonight - go team USA!

John Turns 11 and Other July Fun

A lot has happened in the last few weeks since we returned from Wild Dunes.  First, my mom and dad bought a new house!  They've been talking about "downsizing" to a ranch for years, and they have looked many times at various houses around our neighborhood.  Our neighborhood is fairly close to where they live now, and there are many one story homes that are ready to be updated (just what Papa specializes in!).  We had lunch with them the day after we returned from the beach, and they told us about a home they had gone to see a few days earlier.  They really liked it, but after discussing it, they decided to stay put (which is what I've alway thought they would do!). We said we wish we could have seen the house because it sounded great, so my mom called the realtor and she let them in again.  Something must have took the second time around, because less than 24 hours later they made a bid and it was accepted.  The house is just what they've been looking for...good layout, good "bones"...all it needs is their special touch, and I think they are looking forward to making it their own.  And I'm looking forward to having them down the street!

The new homestead

It did feel a bit strange to pull up to their house a few days later and see the For Sale sign.  

I'll be sad for them to leave here, but excited for
the fun times to come in the new place

On Friday we celebrated John's 11th birthday.  He was so excited to get the present he asked for - a bow and arrow.  He's been learning to shoot and has recovered most of the arrows he's lost in the ground!

Who too!  Just what I wanted!

That night we had the family over for a cookout.  John got some new UK items and the gift that always fits - cash!  

Every year I make my little jock a different "jersey" birthday cake.  Since he turned 8 I've done the Lakers, the Celtics and last year was the Red Sox.  This year he decided he wanted a Team USA jersey for the 2012 Olympics.  Since the jersey is mostly white, I got off pretty easy this year!

This was also the first night we got to see Taylor since he returned home from Romania for his summer break.  He's all finished with his first year of school there, and it will be great to have him home for a few months.

Being silly with his mama

On Sunday we had a swim meet against the Boat Club.  Lawrence got to assume his role as the "Voice of the Hurricanes", and the kids had fun swimming.  

Love my Hurricanes

The meet ended up being called early due to an incoming storm, but this actually worked out well because I needed to have John up to Country Lake for camp by 6:30 that night.  He was so excited to bunk with his buddy Daniel, and when I picked him up on Wednesday he couldn't quit talking about how much fun he had.  He loved every minute of it and can't wait until next year when he can go for a whole week.

Happy campers

While John was away, we celebrated Meme and Papa's June and July birthdays with dinner at Corbett's.  Lawrence had to miss it because of football practice (he's coaching this year!), but we enjoyed having a delicious five course meal.  

Happy 69th!  

This week football and field hockey both start up in full swing, and I feel the summer racing by.  Sarah and I bought her high school uniforms last week, and I know school will be starting in the blink of an eye.  Gotta keep checking things off our summer bucket list!

More Beach Fun

Wow, did I take a lot of pictures in Wild Dunes!  I've been sorting through them all, and it's impossible to pick out only a few highlights - there are so many of them!  On Tuesday all that wind we had been getting turned to rain, so we headed to the movies (a few of us saw "Brave" and a few saw "Men in Black 3").  By the time we returned to the house, the skies were clearing and the kids headed down to the beach.  The sky was still dark, and I love this picture I got of the four of them.

As soon as this shot was over, Tanner turned around and proceeded to throw Sarah in the water, which then turned into her trying her best (yet failing) to catch him and turn the tables.  I don't think she ever did get her revenge.  Maybe next year...

Down she goes!

The next day dawned bright and beautiful, and we all enjoyed having a full day on the beach.  There was boogie boarding, sand dollar finding, horseshoe playing and general all around relaxing.  

Sydney is the master shell and sand dollar finder 

Beach beauties!

Tee Tee braves the waves with the girls

Catch that wave girls!

Highly competitive horse shoe game

I think Rich and Lawrence were the winners

Our nights were very low key...playing games, enjoying dinner in (we have some good cooks in this family!), watching movies and making late night batches of cookies.  

Tanner and Sydney get into some baking 

Rich and Lori made several yummy meals for us

On Thursday we went into Charleston and enjoyed a carriage ride through the historic district (actually, I think most of Charleston is considered historic!).  We saw some beautiful homes and heard lots of neat stories about the city.

That afternoon we all went to the beach for some late afternoon relaxation.  We were all down there at one time so I grabbed someone near us and had them take a group picture.  I've seen lots of pictures on Facebook lately of families having these gorgeous family photos taken on the beach at sunset, with everyone in coordinating outfits.  I have to laugh at our group shot because there's nothing coordinated about it!  But it's real, and I love that.

Our last day on the beach was great.  John had an ear infection, so since he couldn't go in the water he took on the project of creating a few miniature golf holes for the group to try their hand at.

Future golf course designer 

Didn't take the guys long to start playing

We hung out on the beach for most of the day, horsing around, playing in the water, and we even got in a kick ball game (my foot still hurts!).

Sarah and Tony...part time circus performers?

Me and my girl

Badoo was all time roller in kick ball

That night we all went to Shem Creek to have dinner at The Wreck (last night of fresh seafood!).  We took some great pictures of the family before we left, and it was a perfect way to remember the week.  Spending time with family is a blessing that never gets old.  

Rich, Lori and Tanner

MT, Sydney and Tony 

The cousins

Badoo and the grands

Badoo and his favorite three folks

Mi familia

Hello Wild Dunes

We arrived in Wild Dunes on Sunday afternoon and MT, Dick, Tony and Sydney were waiting for us. Soon Rich, Lori and Tanner arrived and we all got settled into our wonderful beach house.  We had three floors to enjoy, all with beautiful views of the ocean and beach.  

Our house is on the far right

The view from our deck

After unpacking and checking out the beach we headed to dinner at one of our favorite local spots, Gilligan's, for their yummy all you can eat shrimp.  Thank you, Dick!

Time to have fun - the gang's all here!

The next morning Uncle Tony and Aunt Lori went on a run with the kids...just because we're on vacation doesn't mean they can stop summer conditioning for their various sports (although this was the only morning that some of them made it out there - yes, Sarah, I'm talking to you!).  While it was warm out already, the winds were strong so running along the water kept them all nice and cool.  If only it was like this when you run in Kentucky!  

Uncle Lumpy was in charge of making pancakes this morning, and he couldn't resist adding some M&Ms.  He didn't eat any of course, but they were a hit with the kids (and maybe some of the grown ups).

He wants one of these griddles on our stove now

Sweetening things up

After breakfast Tanner taught the gang how to play "Slap Uno".  This became a favorite game of the week!

Uno!

Soon it was time to head to the beach.  We were getting the remnants of some storm (Hurricane Debbie maybe?), and the winds were high the whole day.  High winds meant high waves, and we all tried our hand at boogie boarding throughout the day (mercifully there are no pictures of me when I tried - it was ugly!!).  

When the waves got a big too rough, Uncle Tony and Syd decided to hang on the beach and play some ball.  Didn't take long for John and Tanner to find their way over there.

Our first day on the beach was a great one (other than our refrigerator not working - thanks Tee Tee for waiting for the repair man all morning!).  That night we grilled steaks, hung out and watched the Olympic swimming trials, and even got to visit with Taylor via Skype.  

Taylor, can you smell the ocean??

I went to bed that night with the windows open...there is is nothing like going to sleep to the sound of waves.  More pictures tomorrow!