Soccer Season

Hayden's soccer season was great...but not so great for pictures. My camera no longer takes pictures without blurring them, so there is a huge why-bother factor for me. I wind up taking 100 photos and not even using one. Le sigh.

Gracie's 1st Soccer Season

Grace was excited to be on a soccer team. Not so much on the actual playing of soccer. I made sure to make it look good in pictures, just in case she becomes a soccer phenom in the future.

At practice, she once stopped mid-stride and froze. "Oh, a dandelion!" She liked playing with the other girls, but drills were not her thing.


God bless Coach Tony. He always made sure she was included, and played however much she wanted to. He never once got upset when she stopped paying attention to the game in order to pick a dandelion or greet her friends who were playing on the next field.

She liked kicking the ball across the field, but could not fathom why the other team tried to take her ball when it was clearly her turn.

After each game the girls would sit together for a quick snack. I do think that was her favorite part.

She says she wants to play next year. It may have to do with our team being the cutest one ever - with matching hair ribbons and team sweatshirts!

Kinder Soccer

Gracie was so excited to get to play soccer. She's spent so much time seeing Hayden play, that she couldn't wait for her first game. We got there nice and early so I would have a good place to take pictures from.

Hayden even got to try and play soccer in his crocs with his coach, since he has a daughter in kinder soccer too.

And then...the cloud gathered overhead.

The game started.

And then the rain began. No, that's not the right word for it. The sky opened up and poured!

The girls weren't sure what to do. This was their first game ever, and it was cold and wet and the rain did not let up. I had such respect for the coaches, who stayed right there with the girls as they tried to play.

We tried playing with coats on, their shirts over the coats. At first they had fun with it, but that wore off quickly.

We tried to keep them dry with umbrellas. We tried, and we failed. Everyone was soaked to the skin. Bayley took refuge in the van, but Hayden stayed out. By the time they called the game, the fairgrounds were a swamp.

We raced home and into warm showers. Let's not do THAT again!

Crater Lake

I love Crater Lake. Even though the skies were hazy thanks to some smoldering forest fires, the views were spectacular. Crater Lake has a blue that is singular to it.

I made everyone sit for the obligatory family shot. They were unimpressed because the sun was in their eyes.

We opted to take the trolley ride around the lake, where a park ranger told the history of the lake and how certain events changed the landscape. I'm all about sneaking educational tidbits into our vacations.


I'm not sure all the other people on the trolley were as enthusiastic about having us aboard. Excited kids who like to crack jokes aren't everyone's cup of tea. Luckily, the ranger was a former teacher, so he had the kids enthralled.

They even got to be the live-action demonstration of how a volcano blows up.

Gracie's attention span wasn't much for history, so she had fun finding the chalk in the gravel and hunting down dandelions. Luckily, there were lots of dandelions.

At The Cabin

With six people at the cabin, it's pretty close quarters. Luckily, Grace is always willing to help. She even helped Pop Pop style his hair.

The boys had a project while they were there - building a picnic table. They got to sign their name beneath the seats. You're reading that right. Bayley signed his Mr. Awesomeness.

The folks moved the Skittles game up there. It cracked me up to see the kids playing the spinning top game we used to play on the dining room table

One of the things the boys look forward to the most at the cabin is archery. Bayley spends hours on it every day. The target was shredded by the time they left.

There seems to be a certain time that fishing works. And apparently anyone who gets in the way of said fishing time, is ruining fishing. I think the boys have realized the truth about fishing. It's not called catching. However, it's a great way to sit around and relax.

The boys were sure to show off their expert bacon making skills. I crack up every time I realize Boy Scouts has prepared my boys to make breakfast more than anything else.

Gracie loved it so much, she can't wait to go back.

Getting to The Cabin

The boys spent a week at the cabin last year and raved about it. Now that Grace turned five, she gets in on the week with Grammo & PopPop. The kids and I took the scenic drive to the cabin, stopping to spot waterfalls along the way.

I was excited to see the trails, Bayley was over it after our second stop. He wanted to get to the cabin. Now. Right now. There was a storm on the way and he wanted to fish before it started to rain.

I was fine with ignoring him. Though once I had to drive in the rain, I had to listen to how right he'd been. But I'm still glad we stopped and explored. It really broke up the trip.

We got there in the rain, and rushed inside. Bayley was so happy to finally get there. Hayden headed up the ladder to check out the sleeping loft. Grace was more interested in Pop Pop than the cabin. That's to be expected, I suppose.

Billiards and Bikes and Bullseyes...oh my!



Olive Garden

Physicals              Track Club           Track Meet         Library  7-11 Slurpee Day              Backyard Pool    Hayden’s Bike   Hot Shots Billiards               Olive Garden     Moonstruck Chocolate  Archery                Red Robin           Giant Orange Slug            Bayley’s Metal Detector Boy Scout Elections         Farmer’s Market

shave ice at the Farmer's Market

 

Bayley ::

The fourth week of summer was fun. I felt happy. We went out a lot. My favorite things were playing pool, Olive Garden, and archery.

This week we played pool. At first I didn’t know how to hold the stick so I sucked. But after a game or two I was the best in the family. (I still am.) I just wish the game could end quicker.

After playing pool, we went to Olive Garden. The wait was half an hour, so we walked to Moonstruck Chocolates and had truffles. (Mine was amazing.) When we actually got to eat we had calamari, salad, beef ravioli and the best breadsticks ever. It was amazing food.

sign post found with metal detector

The next day we took an archery class. I was afraid I wouldn’t be as good as everyone else, but I was the best in the class. For the first half, I never got lower than a six. I even got three bullseyes! One round I shot twenty-two points! I’m trying to convince my parents to fence off the side yard so I can practice archery. And maybe tomahawk.

That’s what I did on the fourth week of summer. Pool, Olive Garden, and archery. I hope we do the same things next summer.

 

Hayden ::

This week was filling. I felt happy, We did a lot. My favorite things were archery, Olive Garden, and Red Robin.

At archery class me and Bayley and Dad have a bet. The bet was who gets the high score chooses where we go for lunch. Bayley got the high score of twenty-two. He chose Red Robin.

At Red Robin me and Dad ate wings. I ordered the kids mac and cheese. Dad and Bayley both ordered more wings and bacon cheese burgers.

At Olive Garden me and Bayley had Chicken Alfredo. We had desert and mine was white chocolate strawberry cake.  

Track Meets & Birthdays & fireworks, oh my!

backyard pool

Track Club           Track Meet         Birthday cakes   John’s Incredible Pizza   Monsters University       Birthday Presents            Karl the spider           4^th of July BBQ   hiking @ Bald Peak & thimbleberries         Park Lanes bowling         GameStop          IHOP      BJ’s        Red Robin                Grammo & Pop Pop        Fireworks

Bayley :

12

This week I had my first track meet, celebrated my birthday and then Hayden's, and lit fireworks.

At the track meet I completed in javelin, shot put, and discus. I came really, really close to a ribbon in javelin (4th place); sucked at shot put; won second place in discus! I hope I win lots more ribbons.

10

Our birthday cakes were amazing. Mine was a Reese's cake. It had chocolate cake and frosting with a peanut butter filling. It also had Reese's pieces and peanut butter cups to decorate it. I hope my mom makes another one!

We had a lot more fireworks than usual for the 4th of July. They were pretty cool, but the ones I wanted to see were at a big annual party up the block, but they got busted for illegal fireworks and ended early. I hope they run late next year so I don't miss it.

Karl the spider

Hayden :

My birthday is on the 4th of July. Me and my family lit  tons of fireworks and I had my own birthday barbeque to celebrate.

Grammo & Pop Pop came up for our birthdays. They came to the barbecue and to John's Incredible and also to light fireworks.

Me and my brother went to GameStop. I wanted Lego City Undercover and my brother wanted Super Mario Smash Brothers Brawl. We traded in some of the games we don't play anymore, so I didn't have to pay anything, and Bayley only had to pay twenty buck for his game.

It's a ladybug...no, it's a grasshopper...no, it's KARL THE SPIDER. There was a giant spider on the wall. Pop Pop named the spider Karl. Dad got a ladder and sucked him up in the shop-vac.

At the track meet I did discus and I waited in line for the hurdles. I jumped over them really fast and I think I won, but it was chaos at the finish line and I didn't get my ribbon.

Miniature golf & Bowling & Birthday Parties, oh my!

Aloha Day @ Camp Invention

Safety Town                       Camp Invention (Bayley was a junior counselor)                               Laser Tag                             Bowling                                Track Club                    IHOP                      Hayden’s Birthday Party                               Bayley’s Birthday Party                  miniature golf                    Red Robin                    Big Al’s                  Menchie’s



Too cool for fro-yo

Hayden :

Grace doesn't like miniature golf. She did like finding the frogs there. After, we went to a Red Robin and saw Mr. Pahakula, our principal. They sang us Happy Birthday and he sang too. Then we went to Big Al's.



Hayden hurdles

At Big Al's we went bowling at the bowling alley. When we were done bowling, we played video games. I got one thousand tickets on one game. I have 895 credits left on my card.

Hayden's Party

After bowling, we needed a snack. At Menchie's I got cake batter yogurt and a lot of toppings. Everybody loved to eat the frozen yogurt.


At Track Club I wanted to try the hurdles. After I jumped over them I wanted to do them again. I knew I wanted to try them at the track meet.

These are things I did on the second week of summer.

Bayley :

This week I went to Laser Tag, miniature golfing, and Track club started.

The Scout Troop celebrated shad's birthday at Laser Tag. In the first round I sucked and got about the fifth lowest score out of everybody. On the second round I got the fifth highest score! There was also lots of candy and cake. We let Hayden come along since he'd never been before.

This week we went mini-golfing. We did all eighteen holes, but Grace stopped at two and Hayden started fooling around at ten. I lost my ball in the stream at hole six and had to use Gracie's pink ball. I got second place. Afterwards we went to Red Robin and bowling, which was a good idea. It was so hot outside I almost cooked.

Track Club started this week. We practiced javelin, shot put, and discus. I like all three. I might even win a ribbon in one of them, maybe more than one.

That's what I did this week. I hope I get to do more Laser Tag, mini-golfing and track this summer

Restaurants & Recitals & Christenings, oh my!

Acting Class

This year the boys are taking over the blog for the summer. I'm handing over weekly writing prompts from our week, and they are sharing their favorite events.
 

O’Sushi                 Red Robin                           On The Border                  Juan Colorado’s                                BJ’s                        John’s Incredible Pizza                 Park Lanes Bowling                         Bowling Class                     Swimming                           Epic                        Dance Recital                     Family Dinner                    Feed the ducks                 Acting Class                        Dentist                 Orthodontist                      Clara’s Baptism                 Natalie’s Birthday party                 Grammo & Pop Pop visit

 

Hayden ::

Epic

The first week of summer was awesome. Some think I liked were O'Sushi, Grace's dance recital, and Grammo & Pop Pop's visit.

Underwater

At O'Sushi me and Mom ate a lot of sushi. And if you know Bayley, he doesn't like sushi, but he tried some. And he liked most of the sushi.

We went to Grace's dance recital. All of the dancers were really good. Grace's dance was awesome until she stuck out her tongue.

Feeding the ducks

We ate at a lot of restaurants because we were so busy.

 Grammo & Pop Pop came to see Grace dance, and to see me and Bayley. And also for Natalie's party. And Clara's.

P.S. I hope we can go to Six Flags because they have eighteen roller coasters. I also want to go to John's Incredible again.

Bayley :

I had a lot of fun in the first week of summer. I went to O'Sushi, John's Incredible and had bowling lessons. I hop I get to go to all three places more this summer.

This week we tried a new sushi place called O'Sushi. It was really cool. It had all of the little sushis on a moving conveyor belt. My favorite were the sesame balls with chocolate inside. Afterwards, we all got mochi.

This week we also went to John's Incredible for my report card dinner. I played almost every game. My favorite one is the block stacker game. With a bit more practice I might be able to win a laptop! (If it doesn't glitch out like it did for Hayden.)

We are also taking bowling lessons at Four Seasons. I got the highest scores I've ever had. After the lesson was over, the instructor was really nice and taught me how to throw a ball with a hook. I still have some work to do, but I'm getting better.

I hope to go to all of these places again this summer, and also go to the beach!