A Sunday on the Mountain

I guess the much awaited week at Yosemite Bible camp began yesterday, but I wasn't up and ready to catch any of the action until today, plus all the real excitement starts on Sunday anyway!  Breakfast was great, of course the oatmeal is better than anything that I can make at home, don't know why, even from scratch it's not the same; must be the pots.  I can say that Aidan gave it a couple shots in the morning to master the game of ping-pong before he gave it up for the day.  Logan kept telling him that he can't hit it that hard, because he would swing with all his might and needless to say the ball went flying.  Aidan had to be apart of every aspect of camp, he was everywhere all at once almost.  He got taught a couple new handshakes from Jeremy, and Justin; the jellyfish and the fist bump.  He felt very important, which doesn't take much since he thinks he is the most popular little guy up here.

Daddy and his boys on the Sunday morning

Let's play ping-pong

On the Mikyla front, or should I say Aubrey and Mikyla front since they are glued at the hip when ever they are together.  Which is great now, but oh the trouble when they become of the teenage.  She had a little issue with some blisters on your heels, which could be a problem since it is the first day of camp; but Miss Sharon introduced us to mole skin and everything was better.  There was a dog "Rocco" who lives near by that frequented camp numerous times today and it caused quite a commotion do Mikyla and Aubrey decided to make something in the dirt.  When I asked her what she made she said that they were making something to, "kill the dog", made with coconut and sugar.

Aubrey and Mikyla, BFF's

Ethan was glued to Samantha, he loooved his cousin; and she was more than happy to be the boss of him.  And truly by the end of the day he was following her around like a little puppy dog.

Nothing better than cousins

One of the only days Ethan was awake for swimming

Ethan loving on Grammy

   And Aidan got his first invitation to go on the midnight hike, with Garrin Martin, she is in 8th grade.  She went up to him and asked if he wanted to go on the midnight hike with her, his response was, "Well I need to go and ask my mom first".  It was too cute, and it lead to him crushing on her for the rest of the day.  He also was very excited to have not one but two jokes to tell at campfire, they were cheesy but he was too cute telling them and loved the high fives as he ran up the isles.  One day down and five to go!  Daddy isn't up until Wed. so we'll see how it goes, I'm sure we'll be fine with Papa and Grammy who can assist.

Aidan's first midnight hike date, Garrin

Our family at campfire

Maddy and Aidan durring church

the golfcart was irrisistable

Aidan telling the first joke at campfire

Watermelon Summer Days

On hot summer days what could be better than ice cold watermelon and swimming with friends?  Aaron came home with three huge watermelon and you can only eat so much watermelon by yourself, so we invited the Ferguson's over to help us out!  First came the swimming, then the watermelon, and after a while we busted out the ice cream.  I asked if anyone had room for ice cream and they bombarded me with screams of yes!  Ethan loved the watermelon and got as much in his mouth as he could and was a complete sticky mess, face and belly covered with juice!  It was sweet and juicy, yum!

so good it won't all stay in his mouth!

Macy and Aidan enjoying the fruit

Sneeking another piece

My Little Fish Out of Water

The kids have become fish this summer, loving everything to do with the pool and swimming.  I guess it shouldn't surprise me since I was the same way when I was there age, only pausing the swimming long enough to get food in my belly to power more swimming.  In a way I suppose it's natural for kids to be drawn to water, because of this I am religious about swim lessons.  

 

Ethan and his teacher Miss Kalie

Our first session of lessons has come to an end and of course that means jumping off the diving board, candy and certificates.  Mikyla did so well her teacher, Mr. Josh, says the next session she needs to go into the higher class.  And Ethan now thinks he is invincible in the water, and wants to do what ever he pleases as well.  He was so bold he even was doing head bobs on the wall, each time coming up with the biggest smile on his face thinking he was just like the big kids.

Mikyla and her teacher Mr. Josh

 Aidan's last day of his class also included relays with the other kids in his class, for fun, although I don't think he got the fun factor.  You see, for a relay they had to take turns getting out and waiting on the side of the pool, this for Aidan, was freezing!  As he was jumping up and down with his hands clasped together and teeth clenched together he informed me that, "We need to have hot chocolate when we get home today".  He forgot about it after drying off and getting his sucker.

Aidan and his teachr Miss Jen

I mentioned jumping off the diving boards, this is the highlight of swim lessons and Aidan's class got the choice of jumping off the high dive or the low dive.  When I saw him in line for the high dive it surprised me so I went over to him and asked him if he was sure, of course he said, "yes Mommy".  A few minutes later, he climbed three steps, and then came back down those same three steps and slid over to the other line telling me with a sheepish grin he, "changed his mind".  You see Aidan is a bit afraid of hieghts, just like his Daddy, it was too cute.

And of course all sessions end with candy, sugar them up and send them home.  Now we have two weeks break and then have one more session of lesson and one more session of fun!

Blueberry Summer Days

Ready, set, pick!

 Last year a group of my friends and our kids went up to Ripon to a blueberry patch to pick baskets full of the lovely blue berries.  This year we decided to stay a little closer to home, with the soaring gas prices and all, and found a farm right by the river in Livingston.  Given it was a little late in the season due to the case of pneumonia that hit Aidan, but we found plenty of great blueberries and the kids had a blast tromping around the bushes.

While they were still fired up about picking!

The weather couldn't have been better, it was only in the 80's, but the kids only lasted about 20 minutes;  and let me state that they wouldn't have been paid much if their wages were gaged on the amount of berries picked. They all were more interested in exploring the field and cherry trees for caterpillars and looking for fire ants that we were warned about, which were never found, although Aidan and Garrett swore that they found a caterpillar's chrysalis.




Ethan, got tuckered out and just plopped into the grass to wait!

 Poor Ethan just pooped out and followed me and plopped down in the grass, although he was very set on carrying the bucket of berries that Mommy picked saying, "Me, me, me!"

Mikyla and Jenna, taking a break.

 And of course my little precious princess who is obsessed with public bathrooms saw the port-a-potty and declared her need to go to the bathroom, I knew she didn't have to go because I've played this little game of hers before, so I just told her to wait until we leave; and of course she forgot about it.








After the picking was completed we came back to our house and were joined for lunch and swimming by our friends Jenna, Garrett, and Haley, and of course their driver, Kristi.  So much fun in the pool and the blueberry fields meant for some tired kiddos, but oh what fun it was.



Aidan and Garrett, best buddies!



So proud of what Mommy picked!

Brother's Love

The fruits of our labor!

Poolside fun!

I don't know what we would do without our swimming pool, because when the temps get hot, we take a dive!  The past few days have been 100 plus degrees and if we are outside, we are in the water.

 The kids love it and the only complaints have come from Aidan who isn't allowed to go swimming under water until he gets the clearance from Dr. Comilang that his pneumonia is gone.  Ethan has gotten so headstrong that he pushes me away when I want to help him swim, he points to the steps and says, "There Mommy, there, sit".  He thinks he is invincible with his water wings on his arms, I don't know how much mommy likes that.  They all seem to revel in the ability to perform the perfect cannonball, to me they are all perfect especially when I see the utter joy it brings them.  I know that in the valley a lot of people dread the summers but I am truly a summer girl and it looks like I'm passing my love for the water on to my kiddos.

The Making of a Dancer

I can't believe Mikyla is having her first dance recital.  Getting ready the night before as I was putting her curlers in she was having such a good time she was singing, "Build Your House on the Lord", to herself in the mirror and smiling and talking to herself.  There is something about pink spong curlers that makes a little girl feel like the Queen of the world.

My little dancer!

The night of the special even Mikyla was so excited because not only were Grammy and Papa, and G.G., and our family coming to watch, (Grandma and Nono were in Mass.), but Zia Lauri was coming to watch and visit one more time before she moves to Europe.  She said, "Really but Zia lives far, far away", it meant so much to her that everyone was going to be watching HER!

Mikyla and her class backstage waiting for "Colors of the Wind"

Down stairs in the dressing rooms Mikyla was all lit up with excitement, the big girls were around and she couldn't wait to go on stage and it was too cute in her four year old glory!  Most of the little girls, Mikyla included, were looking off stage the whole time to watch their teacher so they knew what to do.  But truly, overall she did great!  And then of course to celebrate her phenominal job on stage we all went out to frozen yogurt to celebrate.  A great end to a great night. 

A special visit from Zia Lauri!

All to see the special dancer!

Trisha's Wedding in Tahoe

We all traveled up to South Lake Tahoe for a wedding weekend to celebrate Trisha and Frank's wedding.  I can't believe my baby cousin got married, and it was a great excuse to get away to relax.  I never thought it would be as cold as it was though, there was still so much snow on the mountains and it was the middle of June.  We started out Friday night with some buffet and there were these great bicycles decorating the streets of Tahoe that were begging to be mounted.  I laugh in the face of a challenge so I conquered not one but two different giant bikes by the end of the weekend.  On the second Lauri was kind enough to give me some help, after all what are sisters for!

The wedding came on Saturday, and you couldn't have asked for better weather. The scenery was gorgeous next to the Lake and it was sunny and warm.  Trisha looked amazing in her wedding dress and was a touching ceremony! My cousins looked amazing as well as her bridesmaids, not to be outdone by the bride of course.

The bride and groom exchanging their vows.

All my beautiful cousins and their little ones.

We took the opportunity since there was a built in backdrop with gorgeous South Lake Tahoe to take a few pictures of our own.  Aaron hates when I make him take too many pictures, but sometimes I just have to force him, and he can thank me later!  And since it was the last family event we were going to be at before Lauri moves to Europe we snapped a family shot as well!

The reception was nice, but a little cold, and it got colder and colder as the sun went down!  Everyone kept saying, "Who would have thought that in the middle of June we would be wearing jackets and freezing?" We didn't stay much longer after the cake was cut, and oh what great red velvet cake it was!  Then I was snatched against my will to miss the dancing because my ride was getting colder by the minute.  I had to take one more picture of Lauri and I before her departure from the states, a wedding is a great place to take pictures!  The guys fit in a round of golf while soaking in the magnificent scenery in celebration of father's day, and Aaron got his first birdy! Over all it was a great weekend and a great excuse to celebrate with family, but I would be lieing if I wasn't in a rush to get home to my little ones.  It is great to get away every now and then, but it is even better being welcomed home with little arms, big smiles and even bigger bear hugs; and all the chatter that follows of every minute you missed!