Longview – Track and More

Made a trip to the Smith side of the BS Family for a weekend of play, work, more play, including swimming and birthday cake!Lanna’s birthday theme was “In the Kitchen!” What fun it was for the kids, decorating aprons, cakes and then a hunt in the yard for kitchen items. Who knew spatulas grew on trees?

The weather was not hot enough to swim the whole weekend but when the sun finally came out and the pool was ready, in they went! Almost a whole day in the pool. What a good life.

Maggie & JoNanny and Gpa bought this neat blow up Habitat Maze for the pool.

Lanna & JoColorful and fun!

While visiting, the twins each lost a tooth, the same day. Jo lost hers while eating blueberry buckle cake in the morning. Her words: “I took a bite and then I bit some thing hard, I pulled out my tooth, it had a blueberry on it. I ate that again”Cole bumped his teeth in the pool and it hurt so he got out of the pool and pulled the tooth to eliminate this issue from happening again.

TRACK
Our second track meet was again fun. A little better planning on our part, Oma brought a chair, we packed a dinner and lots to drink.

Long Jump, Softball Throw for all of them. Jo also did the 60m and then the twins did the 200m as well. Jo has a nice stride to her run, not fast but smooth and consistent. Cole ran hard and fast taking third place at the finish line.


Our Athletes
Derian placed 7th in her long jump, her form and understanding was so much better this week. Impressive! She threw 53’ in the softball throw which earned her a 3rd place ribbon!Cole threw around 53’ and Jo around 30’.
Smiles all around and very tired little people when we got home!
(working on Oma to participate in the adult All Comers Meet on Thursdays so we can see her throw)

THE LAKE!
We made our first splash at the lake again! Full day of water skiing with only one boat from 11am – 4pm on the lake…and that boat would be the boat we were using!

More photos of the knee boarding and water skiing at a later time. We used another camera for those shots.

Just know…We played ALL DAY in the water while you were at work! ;O)

First Track Meet

The kids participated in their first All Comers Track and Field Meet all learned what it means to actually compete in this sport. We might have found Jo’s activity. Yippy!

They could choose three events in which to participate. This being our first meet we stuck to the same three events but will change it up for the next one.

Long JumpDistance not measured for Cole and Jo.Cousin Derian participated too with a jump of 6’4”.

Softball ThrowCole: 50’
Jo: 30’
Derian: 54’

200 Meter Dash

Our Athletes and their Ribbons.Derian earned a 4th place ribbon for her softball throw!
You Go Girl!

Orange Ribbons are Participation Ribbons, six & under all get these no matter where they place in events. Seven and older earn placement ribbons we think up to fifth place and then the rest earn participation ribbons as well. All kids come home with a ribbon for each event they participated in.

Weekend South

We were planning our first camping trip but decided to book rooms at the Belmont B&B instead. The accommodations were adequate enough, hot showers, good food and just a good time all around. (Thanks Mom and Dad)

The kids have been asking to make ice cream and I knew Gma Marie and Gpa Norman could help with this new inquiry. Jo and Gma blended things together while Cole and Gpa prepared the ice cream maker.Vanilla was the flavor until the chocolate syrup was added.
Home made sure is the bestest ever!

Gma made some diapers for Jo’s baby and that led to the kids getting to try out the sewing machine. First was just trying out fun stitches on scrap fabric, stars, flowers, suns and leafs to name a few. After this, new pillowcases must be made.



The other activities we managed to squeeze in this weekend:
Connie’s softball game and singing her Happy Birthday.

Half of a Hawaiian concert, Gma was ready to head out after the third song or so and the rest of us could take it or leave it. So at the break we left it.

Burgers at the Elks lodge and then watching the Graffiti Cruz. Oma and the kids were treated to flames out the exhaust pipes. This brought smiles to their faces.

Quite a few garage sales from which we all came home with at least one thing we really needed and never thought was invented before! (Gma was the only one with the will to keep her pocket book closed)

The first Lord of the Rings movie, Cole just has to see the rest now because the ring has not been destroyed yet!

I guess that’s about it. We are now catching up on laundry, watering, cleaning, general work and our lives for a few days. Then off we will go again, north to the Smith clan….

4th of July & Golfing

We did our front yard neighborhood bbq again for the Fourth this year. We tried to invite a few more neighbors this time, kids from the street came and went as usual, which we just love.

Cole helped Mom bake a cake before our noon meal.

Do I need to caption this photo?

This was part of our dinner group, we had others for our lunch group but we didn’t grab the camera for that meal.Most are neighbors; two are good friends and then one family from Cole’s baseball team. Good times.

Cheers to you Stan!
You know who you are!

Coffee all day.
(prove other wise)











We lit off our fireworks along with watching Daniel’s (neighbor kid) much larger loot, and turning often to see the BIG bangs of those who didn’t buy from the same fireworks booths we did.
We then turned our attention to Dale & Francis’s front porch to see the city’s fireworks show over the river. They have the best view through the trees and we are planning on letting the city know that some of the trees need some pruning up to keep them healthy and beautiful. (ok, not really) In a few more years and we will actually have be at the park to see the show the way things keep growing.

Sheila and Lori invited the family for some par 3 golfing.
As you can see, we said yes.

Jo was tired when we got there but perked up at seeing what was going on. She did awesome! Showing no interest with golf at home in the yard she was excited about this golfing. The wood was too heavy for her so she stuck with the iron and putter and by the end of the nine she was doing great! Asking how to hit it farther and knowing how to line up her feet and hold her hands on the club. She is ready to go again!


Cole has gone with friends to driving ranges and putting greens but I believe this was his first nine holes as well. He, of course, enjoyed himself too and after every green he would say “I had a double boggy” or throw out some other golfing score term he has heard before. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know what they mean but he threw out a score none the less.

Catching Up!

Busy weeks since school has let out. All of it fun and good but howdy have we been worn out for quite some time. Things are slowing down again, we’re planning the rest of the summer and that feels nice.

I wanted to post this a while ago but had forgotten about it.
Just a loving photo, don’t you think?

The kids ended the school year with high marks and we were told they are more than ready for first grade. They are both excited to start school again and have been told they will have different teachers next year, no more sharing a classroom. They don’t really seem to care one way or the other and that is what their kindergartner teacher told us as well. They knew the other one was there but they were very independent, and when they had to work together on a project they collaborated well. (should I keep bragging?)

WE LOVE OMA!

I just had to grab the camera
when I saw her mowing the
neighbor’s lawn in this outfit.
We are truly working on
embarrassing our children
one day. Functionality and
comfort have become more
important than any
fashion statement.
Though I think this
is screaming fashion!

It’s truly thrilling when you get to watch
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus in 3D!

Rachelle and Connie enjoyed it!
If you would like to experience this type of magical moment just stop on by. Cole and Jo would love to spend that time with you too.

Ultimate Video Game
The first two weeks of summer the kids spent at a music, movement, art and acting camp. They had a good time but we all became worn out. For two weeks the kid actually had to have a routine in the a.m. and they haven’t done that before. The first three days were a little rough going but after that mornings rolled right along. Mom was also the teacher for the art and acting side of this camp. (Yes, Mom worked for two weeks) Very stressful for me but was rewarding at the same time. (thank you Lori for asking me to teach with you)This is the cast of Mario Party. Cole as Dry Bones, Jo as Daisy and then we have Luigi and Mario. The kids designed their t-shirts which doubled as their costume.
The play was about four friends who got pulled into the tv by The Hulk and they had to play the games to finally earn their way out.

It was really the first time the kids had been on stage and they both really enjoyed it. We might be seeing more stage in our future. (Oh, there was the time Jo was a lamb)

We walked to town on a Friday night to watch Satin Love Orchestra (throwback to the 80’s & disco). We packed our wagon and made camp on the corner, played a little Pass the Pig and enjoyed the music! A needed down time for all of us after two weeks of camp, track, baseball, softball and all the other things life tosses our way.I drug each kid out to the street for a little dance as well, though they were cranky and didn’t want to do it they smiled the whole time, both singing SLO songs ever since.

Baseball is over and Cole ended on a high note.
They earned marks on their hats for their play on the field.

10 White = Hitting a pitched ball

7 Green = Coaches award

4 Orange = Team award (overall good team play for the game)

7 Silver = Fielding

3 Gold = Golden Glove (catching fly ball or line drive, or making a good play)

Around the sixth game or so Cole told me he wanted to earn a golden glove mark. I reminded him what he had to do and for a few days before his next game he worked in the yard catching and throwing. Game time he played outstanding, aggressive on defense and was rewarded by catching the only fly ball this season by his entire team. The smile was larger than any this season when his hat was marked with the gold pen!

He hit at least one thrown pitch every game and most games he hit one batting left and one batting right handed. Switch-hitter already!!! (he wanted me to make sure all of you knew this)

Next? Track and the rest of our summer fun!