Sunday, August 16, 2015

Moving Week

At the beginning of July, Drew started a new appointment with a new church, about 15 mins away.  This church came with a parsonage.  Part of us dreaded moving but the part of us that likes a free house won!  We could have moved the end of June but because of a couple crazy weeks in June and three camps happening in July, I just didn’t see that happening.  Instead we moved on July 24th. 

Moving with two almost 8 year olds and a dog is hard.  Packing didn’t start until we had a massive yard sale on July 11th and then when it did it was happening between 9-11pm.  It was slow going.  We shipped the dog off to my parents a week before we moved.  Aiden loved grandparent camp because he got to spend two weeks wrestling with his sister!  We couldn’t ship the kids off because we had paid for camps for them. 

The movers came on the last day of summer camp for Will.  GrandBob and Suzette got up early and got to our house in time to pick Will up and take him to camp.  They entertained Lindy for two hours and then they went back to presentation day at Lego camp.  They all had lunch with Aunt Jamie and Molly and then they headed to Charlotte for the first of many stops on their tour.  The kids spent the weekend in Charlotte at GrandBob’s and Suzette’s.  They played tennis, went out to eat,  and Lindy played imaginary everything with Suzette.  They had a blast!  Sunday they headed over to Mimo’s house for a two day stay there.  I’m not sure I heard all the details of their stay  (or pictures, ahem,) but I do know it included seeing the new Minions movie and lots of playtime with Pooka (and Phoebe?) and that they had a lot of fun.  Tuesday Lynn drove the kids up to my parents’ house where they got to spend time with my parents, sister, and nieces who were visiting from Missouri!

While they were off having fun, we got everything moved to the new house and cleaned at the old house.  Moving sucks.  I took a few days off work so we had some good quality unpacking time with no kids and the dog.  Just the cat.  Who thought he was living the good life with no kids and a dog.  He was very sad when they all came back home!  ha! 

Here are pictures I have of the kids’ time away from us.

Last night sleeping in the house!
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Last breakfast in the house!DSC_5478
Last picture of them in every room in the house!DSC_5481DSC_5482DSC_5483DSC_5485DSC_5486
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Lego camp presentations!
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Fun at GrandBob and Suzettes!
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Scary!
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Longest Blog Break Ever!

I’ve never taken that much time off of blogging but life has been crazy the last month.  Mostly because we moved.  A whole post to come on that.

Backing up to where I left off.  July 6th started our three week stint in summer camps.  Lindy went to the same camp all three weeks and Will tried out three different ones.  Two actually being ones he’s been to before and we tried a new one this year.

Lindy went back to her SEE camp.  It’s a camp for visually impaired kids in our area.   This is her third year going and for the first time she went all three weeks.  Usually we have something else going on and she misses a week in there.  She thoroughly enjoys her time at SEE camp.  They work on some independent living skills, in the kitchen for example, and they do arts and crafts, drumming, guitar, yoga, and pottery.  Lindy could not get enough of pottery this year.  Last year it was the drums.  This year it was pottery.  Every day she made something to do with dogs (her latest obsession) and she talked about how Ms. Mary made her dog things, too.  They got to go zip lining the first week – Drew went with her this year and he even got to zip line because they needed help with the kids.  The second week they spent an afternoon at the trampoline park and the third and final week we had a goodbye lunch, watched the older kids in the Jungle Book play they had been practicing and had a talent show.  The little kids had one small part in the play as well.  Overall it’s a great experience for her and she has so much fun.  They have a ton of amazing volunteers that help with the camp each day. 

One of the teachers – who was actually Lindy’s vision therapist from ages 3-5 – has a seeing eye dog.  Lindy became obsessed with seeing eye dogs during her three weeks of camp.  She talked to Ms. Pam about it and learned how Ms. Pam got her dog.  She knows the rules on when to pet and when not to pet them.  She has done ‘research’ on google about them and now has her very own imaginary seeing eye dog, Shadow.  Her imagination is strong.  Very, very strong. 

While Lindy was at SEE camp, Will began his three weeks of camp.  He started with a new to us camp, the Salem Sports camp.  It’s a sport camp where they worked on about 6 different sports during the week.  He got to do things he’d never done before, like archery and lacrosse.  He got to do swimming, golf, and tennis as well.  He had some friends from school in his group which was nice.  He seemed to really enjoy it.  One of the directors from the camp was his old basketball coach (from that one season of basketball at the Y that went horrible because Will hated the buzzer).  He enjoyed trying something new and playing new sports.  Funny story about swimming at camp.  The day before and the morning of his first day of camp I told Will he needed to put all his clothes in his bag when he changed for swimming.  Each day they had to bring a bag with their swim trunks, goggles and a towel.  I kept telling him to put the clothes he took off in the bag after he had his trunks on.  The first day after camp he got to the car and told me he didn’t have any underwear on!  What?!  He said he laid his clothes on top of his bag when he went swimming and when he came back one sock and his underwear were gone! ha ha ha!  Guess who put his clothes in the bag the rest of the week and came home wearing underwear the rest of the week!  He learned his lesson!

The second week he went to a SciCamp at our nearby science museum.  He moved up a year and this camp was now all day for him.  The only all day camp he had.  He picked a camp called the Big Blue Marble because he loves all things earth, space, moon, etc.  He didn’t know anyone at this camp but still had a good time.  Although he said it was his least favorite of the three weeks.

The third week he went back to Lego Camp.  I was kind of thinking this might be his last year of camp but he said it was actually his favorite camp of all the three.   He built much harder things this year which I was glad to see.  The director is super nice and he did have a great time.  Friday was their presentation day and because of moving Drew and I didn’t get to go.  GrandBob and Suzette, and Aunt Jamie, all went to see it though and took great pictures. 

Will lost his fifth tooth on July 23rd.  He squeaked in one last visit from the tooth fairy to the old house.  When I picked him up from camp that day he told me he bit into his bagel at lunch and felt his tooth was loose.  It’s the first he has mentioned it.  Later that afternoon he pulled it out.  It must have been super loose.  Will doesn’t pull them unless they are dangling.  He is happy to have closed the lost tooth gap between him and Lindy just a bit (she is still winning 8-5).  It’s only a contest to them. 

The only other thing of importance that happened during these three weeks was we officially switched the kids to boosters.  Yes, I know they were almost 8 but they hardly weigh anything.  When some kids are getting out of boosters (NC state law of 8 and 80 pounds), we finally went to boosters.  I don’t feel nearly as safe with them out of the 5 point harness but I guess it had to happen sometime.

 

So there you go – three weeks in one post.  Pictures of those three weeks are below.

Getting suited up to zipline.DSC_5407DSC_5408
Daddy and another little girl – because Lindy didn’t want to ride the long zipline with him!  DSC_5422
She wanted to ride with her new friend.  Who Drew said she stuck to like glue!  ha!DSC_5441
Lindy – making friends wherever she goes.DSC_5450
Will before his sports camp.
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New boosters!
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One last tooth fairy visit to the old house.DSC_5457DSC_5459
He lost his bottom tooth – just to the right of his big tooth.  And his top right big tooth FINALLY came in.  After 9 long months!  DSC_5461
The last day of SEE camp included a play by the older kids and a cameo appearance by the little kids.  They were elephants for a song.  Lindy did not like the ears and was most likely asking the girl if she could take them off!DSC_5463DSC_5464DSC_5467
Cutest elephant I ever did see!DSC_5470
She loved taking her bow.DSC_5474
Her ‘talent’ during the talent show was telling everyone how she loves dogs and loves to take care of them ???????  Other kids had legitimate talents like playing the piano or drums.  We need to work on a talent! ha!
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Monday, July 20, 2015

4th of July

The last week of June was as busy as usual.  We had no childcare plans so they stayed with Drew all week. 

Thursday afternoon Drew and the kids headed to Charlotte to see GrandBob and Suzette.  They ate pizza and spaghetti for dinner that night.  Lindy beat her personal record of eating two bowls of spaghetti.  On Friday Drew, Will and Bob went downtown to Discovery Place.  Apparently, Lindy did not want to go so instead she went to Suzette’s knitting circle.  Apparently she wowed the crowds of women. 

Thursday night I loaded Aiden up and he and I headed to Mooresville to my parents’.  Aiden and Sadie got lots of wrestling in over the next few days.  Mom and I got up Friday and headed to Ikea.  We spent a few (maybe more like 4-5) hours there and then headed back to Mooresville and continued the shopping.  I got some much needed stuff so it was great. 

Saturday around lunchtime Drew and the kids came over to my parents’.  Drew hung out for a little bit and then Drew headed home.  The kids and I got to go visit my neighbors in high school when we lived in Asheboro.  David was in my class and Margaret was a year younger than him.  I was friends with both but have stayed in touch with Margaret.  It was fun though because I got to see both – and even their little sister who was about 6 when we were in high school and is now getting married this fall!  Margaret has a new baby so I got to hold and love on him.  It was great to catch up with them!

Saturday night we grilled out, did pop its and sparklers and watched the fireworks being shot off all around us.  We walked to my parents’ dock but we couldn’t see very well.  We walked to one of their neighbor’s docks and we saw a lot of fireworks.  Next time we go there on the 4th of July we are going to make Papa take us out on the boat, even if it’s just to the end of the cove.

Sunday the kids, dog and I headed home.  It was a fun weekend for all.

Lindy’s new obsession is picking up the cat.  For some odd reason, he is letting her!
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She came to me one day and said, “Special Delivery”IMG_7860
Aiden and his sis, Sadie.  Wrestle buddies.IMG_7914
They swam for a bit but it was kind of chilly so they didn’t stay in long.
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Lindy’s patriotic star hairdo.  Yes!  I did that!!IMG_7921
4th of July kids!
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Me and Baby Griggs!  SO cute!IMG_7943
The kids and Katherine.  I will always think of her as a little girl, about the age of the kids.IMG_7944
Pop-its in action
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Sparklers!
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We got home to watch the Women’s World Cup game.  (An amazing game!)  Somehow we all ended up on the couch.  Well, everyone except Jack. 
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