Start of Summer

So...Summer has started.  We started it with a trophy for Kylie for TBall, immediately followed by a strep throat diagnoses about 30 minutes after this picture was taken and it was discovered she had a 102 degree fever and couldn't swallow.  Nothing says Friday night like antibiotics, right?  She was quarantined for Saturday but came right back at in on Sunday for a big outing.  

On Sunday, we went to our normal Team River Runner kayaking with Wounded Warriors.  Dad has decided to become the Veteran Liaison for that group and actually learned how to Scuba Dive on Saturday night with the group.  On Sunday, the whole family went to the pool to kayak and then we headed to an amazing local place called Pitt's Pond with our friends.  This is someone's backyard!

And the guy who owns it lets certain local church groups like our friends' church, use the entire place for free!

There were paddle boats, kayaks, water trampolines, a waterfall, volleyball, diving boards, a fountain, a rope swing, and a million other things to do and explore.  

The whole family had such a great time here with our friends.  

Especially our little Mermaid.

And that kid, who has no fear again and did the rope swing.  Ahhh.  

On Monday, we went for a family bike ride/run.  Mom ran while the kids and Dad biked on one of the trails downtown.  Then the kids and Mom headed to the waterpark for the first time this season while Dad met up with one of the River Runner guys to kayak on the river.   

Team River Runner has been a very good thing for Josh.  He is very capable and knowledgeable with kayaking and it is such a great family activity for us to do.  The kids are really gaining confidence with paddle sports and on the water and bonding with Josh over it at the same time.  Plus, look at that smile.  It's nice to see that again.

On Tuesday, Swim Team began.  Kylie has been waiting "My whooole life for this".  Will is signed up, too.  To put things in perspective here, Kylie still takes her regular swim lesson class on Tuesday afternoons.  She was swimming from 1:30-2:30 today and then again from 4-5.  From 4-5, both kids swam laps back and forth.  I have no idea how many they did, but I could hear my grocery bill growing with every lap they completed.  

Kylie is the youngest on the team, but that did not stop her from blowing past other kids, including her brother, in the lanes.

They had a great time and got to hang out with more Y kids they already knew.  They can't wait to do it again tomorrow.

More Baseball Pictures

Kylie had a game on Tuesday and Will had one Wednesday.  On Tuesday, our friend Kristen came and took pictures of Kylie for us since Mom is always coaching, and on this particular night, Mom was the only TBall coach for the Angels.  Phew.  

Will played against the Yankees on Wednesday night and his buddy Logan, from the Y and preschool, was on the team.  It is so fun to watch these kids all grow up together and play with and against each other.  They still cheer for and tease each other even when they aren't on the same team.  It's awesome.

Even more awesome was when Will caught his first pop fly for an out.  The entire team cheered like it was the World Series final out.  It was really the 2nd out of the inning, and Will had just gotten the first out on his own, too.  He was playing first base.  

He is so positive this season and hasn't had that quit attitude he has had in the past.  He's growing up.  

There was a lot of good base running in this game, with sliding becoming more necessary and learning when it is a force and when it is not.

Back to Kylie.

She is also very good at baseball.  Her team has 5 girls on it and they are, by far, the best kids on the team.  It's fun to watch the other coaches realize what girl power looks like.

She hits it up the middle to the grass many times a game.

and she can blow bubbles now with gum.

Many nights when we are not at baseball, the kids want to play in the front yard after dinner.  Recently, they like to play kids vs. parents.  It's fun to have an activity everyone in the family enjoys and excels at.