Summer Wrap-Up - 2010

The entire first half of our summer was spent playing baseball. Both Thomas and Joshua made the All-Star teams for their ages, and Steve coached Thomas' team.







Both the boys and Steve had a really good time with this. Both of their teams won trophies from at least one tournament, and learned a LOT about baseball. But it was really HOT watching all those games!

The next big thing that happened was Grammy and Papa MOVED to Flower Mound. Their car was delivered to our house before they arrived. It was such an exciting event that Charles set up his chair on the lawn to watch.




The boys also did a few of the local Flower Mound high school sports camps. Joshua and Charles both did the tennis camp while Thomas did football. And all three did a soccer camp. I was trying to keep them busy since this was my first summer since I'd had kids back at work...from HOME!



The two big boys went to camp in July (in another post) and we all went on a cruise to Alaska at the end of the month!! There are too many pictures to post here; I had to make an entire scrapbook from that trip. It was fabulous! There was ziplining and dogsleds and glaciers and sushi and formal night and high tea and hot tubs and swimming pools and FOOD! (just to name a few things)We took the trip with all the Wintons. What a fun time! Here are a few pictures.






The last thing before school was a quick trip to El Paso. I had to stay home and work, but Steve took the boys for some time with Grandma and Grandpa Kall. They Celebrated Charles' birthday with a Spongebob cake, went to Western Playland, and played a lot of cards!

The Pines 2010

Joshua and Thomas went to camp again this year at the Pines in Big Sandy. It wasn't so traumatic for me this time around since we all knew what to expect. The boys had a fabulous time meeting friends, hanging with counselors and getting closer to God. And NOBODY got sick this year. Yea!! However, Thomas was really beat when I picked him up on Saturday morning. It took him about a week to recoup and rest up.

Joshua was in Branch this year which is the middle school group of kids. That means he got to do a lot more activities and had to sleep in one of the rustic cabins with no A/C. Yikes! Turns out, that really wasn't so bad.

His cabin was called St Peter.



Here he is on his bunk...



And with his buddies John Ramsey and Adam



He had a great week and turned out to be the king of Gaga. A dodgeball type game that was all the rage. He even beat his counselors and other teenagers around camp!!

Thomas was in the nice air conditioned lodges again this year with his buddy William and Williams cousin, Henry, who became a fast friend too.

Here is Thomas on his bunk right before we said goodbye:



And in the cabin with his counselors and friend William.



This camp does a great job recruiting awesome counselors who are college students that are not only tons of fun but amazing Catholic examples for these kids. Thomas's counselors prayed the rosary every night with the boys. And Joshua's counselors had talks with the boys about girlfriends and God and the Holy Spirit. Pretty cool!

We love this camp because in addition to being Catholic, the camp staff is awesome. And they are so modern too. They communicate "camp news" and upload tons of pictures each days so we get a good feel for what is going on. And even get to see our kids having fun. This year they added a mid-week video update which was awesome!
Here is an example of the camp news one day. You will have to click it to be able to read it.




On the last day, the camp has a morning service and the parents get to attend. This is fun for the kids because they finally learn their counselors real name. Thomas came running to me when he saw me. He was a little homesick at the end and happy to see me. I was was also really happy to see him!



Thomas and his counselors...one final pic and goodbye!



And Joshua saying goodbye to his counselors as well as his friends.



All in all it was a fabulous, fun week.

June Graduates

June has just flown by. Today is July 4th, and we are planning to spend it with friends, but I thought I would get caught up on June blogging this morning.

We had two graduates this year at Bluebonnet Elementary. Charles graduated Kindergarten and Joshua graduated 5th grade. On the morning of his graduation, Charles ate breakfast with his tie over his shoulder just like the businessmen do at lunchtime. Then it was off to school and time for the ceremony.


Each kid got to walk across the stage to get their "diploma". Notice the crossed fingers...hmm..maybe he wasn't quite sure he would get that diploma.


Phew!! He made it. Big hugs from his teacher Mrs. Handel!



Then they all sang a few songs about growing up and moving onto 1st grade. So cute!




Mom and Dad are so proud of Charles! He had a really great year and has grown so much academically. Onto 1st grade!



The following week, the 5th graders celebrated graduation with an awards ceremony.



Joshua got an award for almost everything there was possible and was even chosen by his teacher to receive the prestigious "Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence" The certificate even has Obama's signature on it!!





After his ceremony we came home and he opened a present from mom and dad. Some new shades!!



The 5th graders have a special party/cook-out on the last day of school. Then they parade through the halls to "Pomp and Circumstance" while the rest of the students line the halls cheering. Then they head out to the front lawn for one last time singing the Bluebonnet song together!!



And a final hug to Mrs. Vaughn and Mrs. Lampe his classroom teacher and his LEAP teacher.



Off to Middle School!!!

Piano Recital-June 2010

It was a very busy Sunday for us. Thomas had a baseball tournament and both the older boys had their piano recital. So, in between Thomas's games, we were thrilled to hear the boys perform. They have come such a long way in only 1 1/2 years of piano lessons!!!

Enjoy the music!

Thomas started us off with "Flashy Fingers"


And next Joshua played "Midnight Journey"


Here is Thomas playing "On Track Boogie"


And Joshua's last piece "Buckeye Rag" which he also played at the Bluebonnet Talent Show:


Oh...about that baseball tournament. Thomas's Allstar team came in 2nd place and he came home with a huge trophy! It was a good day.

Flower Mound City Champs

We did it!!! Thomas's baseball team, the Storm, not only finished the regular season undefeated but won the city tournament. After a REALLY tough game Wednesday night, we beat the #2 Cardinals in the finals on Friday for the win. It was an emotional week for the parents as the kids learned to work through nerves and jitters they had never felt before. The boys pulled through finishing 16-12 against a really tough second place team. Way to go boys!

The team celebrates after the final out.


Steve received a team plaque for the first place win and all the boys got trophies




Thomas was so excited about the win. He said it was the best day of his life.




The 1st place Storm and 2nd place Cardinals. What a game it was!



Joshua wasn't feeling well, so he stayed home, but #1 Fan Charles cheered from the dugout. Thomas later said "you know I think it really helped us win because Charles was wearing my old shirt" Maybe so. All of us parents have a long list of superstitions, so Charles my have to wear that shirt to every game from here on out!