Foul OUt

The highlight of the Champ's tournament game today was when he was playing catcher and caught the batter's foul ball to get him out.  Very impressive for a 6 year old.  The opposing team's coach got off the mound to give our son a high five.  Champ's coach said it was the play of the game.  He told our team that the Champ had talent, but he was also paying attention.

The Olympics began last night.  Champ and I made Olympic ring decorations.  He aslo made an American flag to hang up.  We made an applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting and turned it into an American flag.  We put 50 marshmallows in the corner as stars.  We used blueberries for the blue background around the stars.  We used red sprinkles to make stripes.  Now...don't tell this to the Champ, but I was teaching him about our country's history as we made the cake.  You probably shouldn't mention to him either that I am secretly teaching him Social Studies and math during the Olympics.  We have downloaded some apps to the iPad to help us learn.  Today we were using Google earth to figure out where the countries are located that are in the competition.

Daddy and I missed the opening ceremonies of the Olympics last night because we were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary.  We went to dinner at Shula's and then did some unsuccessful shopping.  The kids enjoyed their time with the babysitter. 

Our Prayer

This is the new way that we are getting Princess involved in prayers:
Champ:  Dear God, Thank you for sheep
Princess:  Baa
C:  Thank you for cows
P:  Moo
C:  Thank you for ducks
P:  Quack
C:  Thank you for horses
P:  neigh
and on and on the prayer goes till
C:  Amen
P:  Amen

Princess started climbing a climbing apparatus today at the school's playground.  She got about halfway up.  We are going to really have to watch her.  She is always trying to climb.

Surviving Summer

This has been a low key week around the house.  One thing I did try was putting in a video that I thought Princess might like.  We've had the TV on before while she has been in the room, but nothing has interested her.  Well, that changed this week.  She loves Champ's old Bible video....He will watch it with her now though.  That gives me a little break.  However, I may have created a monster between showing her that video and showing her how to do an app on the iPad.

My sweet friend Mandy came over Friday afternoon.  It was good to catch up.  She is so sweet to love on my kids too.  We went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday.

Saturday evening we headed to the Worgess house with the Toth family.  We love when Caleb uses the smoker, especially if it is to make us dinner.  Everyone has someone to play with there.  Princess has started saying, "Abby."  Once she warmed up to the setting, she showed off her new word as we tried to show her who Abby was.

Today was church.  Daddy brought home fish from Target that we threw in the oven.  After Princess's nap, we went downtown to take a leisurely walk on the canal.  As we were heading home, we stopped at Steak N Shake for dinner.  Next, our group shopped at Kroger.  Princess threw a jelly container out of the cart, and it shattered.  Oops!  Since it was a lot cooler when we got home, we read our books tonight outside.

July 7

Last Saturday we topped off the day with my cousin's wedding.  There was a beautiful ceremony in Richmond that Champ and I enjoyed up close.  Daddy and Princess enjoyed the ceremony from afar in the cry room.  Princess loved that everyone blew bubbles as the bride and groom left the church.  The reception was at the bride's family's residence.  It was in a very nice barn.  My parents liked taking turns caring for the kids at the reception.  Princess also really enjoyed spending time again with my dad's cousin, Keith.  Daddy loved the delicious pork chops for dinner, while Champ loved the cake so much that he ate crumbs off his shoes.

I have been helping in Champ's Sunday School room over the summer, so that is what I did again on Sunday.  Then we were off to more of his baseball tournament.  We played a crazy team, and they demolished us.  The other team was chattering while our players were up to bat, plus they are in tournaments every weekend.  I think some people may have lost site of the fact that baseball is supposed to be fun and the kids' ages.  Champ struck out twice, and he was bummed.  I was excited that we were creamed quickly and got to get out of the heat.

This week the kids and I did story time at the library.  They also went to child care a couple times while I exercised. 

My in laws came to visit on Thursday night through Saturday morning.  We spent quality time around the house together.  Plus, Champ took Daddy and my mother in law to Super Hero day at the library.  We also went bowling on Friday night.  The kids were especially grateful to have extra attention and surprises.

This morning we went to play basketball at the CLC.  Princess was cracking me up.  She desperately wanted to dribble the ball, but couldn't get the hang of it.  The ball would roll across the floor while she would bounce her arm up and down.  She couldn't seem to understand why it wasn't working for her.

Princess seems to be saying "my turn" a lot.  Ironically, she is at the point where no one else really gets a turn.  She just wants you to know that it is her turn...perhaps permanently.

I have been busy organizing and cleaning this summer.  I think the inside of the house looks good.  I'm trying to teach the kids to help me keep it that way.