Camp...Finally!

Our big girl had been counting the months/weeks/days/hours until she got to go to overnight camp.  She had a packing list made from the day she found out she was going.  She was packed (as much as she could) several days before the big day.

So when THE Sunday finally arrived, she could barely eat.  She was so excited!

After church we headed home to check over her packing one last time and load it in the van.  After lunch and a little waiting, it was time to leave.  (Little did we know, there were some folks standing in line for over an hour before us.)

We stood in line in the heat for about 45 minutes (there were lots of eager campers) but once the doors opened, registration was quick.  It wasn't long before she and her two friends were making their beds in their cabin.

Our big girl by her bottom bunk bed sporting her day camp shirt from last year.  Her brother missed her although you can't tell that he would from this photo.  Her little sister was not real thrilled with the fact of leaving H for a whole week.

H with her friends, Lizzie and Alexa.  (Alexa got the top bunk that her big sister, Emily, had at camp a few years ago.)  It's a tradition for the campers to sign the walls and beds when they are in that cabin.  They found Emily's name from when she had signed it.  And needless to say, these three girls left their names all over the cabin.

Our last glimpse of the girls as we were walking to the van.  One whole week without H at home.  It was going to be a long week for us! :)

Flag Football State Championship

Saturday were the state championship games for B's flag football team.  Everyone on the team was there to enjoy the day.  They played their first game at 9:30am.  It rained some but they kept going.  It was their first time to play on a wet field.  They still pulled out a win 18-7.  So then we *got* to sit for 1 1/2 hours while another game was played.  Then it was on to game 2.

B is #4.  He's blocking the other team there in the middle of the photo.

B played quarterback for a quarter (or most of a quarter) in each game.  On the play in the photo above, he did some kind of trick handoff then ran the ball himself.  He gained quite a bit of yardage.  The very next play he threw the ball for a touchdown.  They won this game 27-0.

So since they won that game we *got* to sit for another 2 hours before playing the final game for the championship.  Unfortunately, things did not go as well for this game.  The guys were tired.  (It was 4pm and they had been at the field since 9am in the heat.)  The other team had all older, taller boys (not sure where their 6 and 7 year olds were) which made it more difficult for our guys.  But even with the obstacles, they still played their hearts out.

We are very proud of Team Gray coming in 2nd for the entire state!  They are all winners!!

Team Gray

Part of the fun this spring was being on the same team as his buddy, Ian.  They are the Dynamic Duo on the football field!  (And their dads were the master minds behind the defensive line.)

League Champions

B's team won their game today 18-12 so they are the League Champions.  Next week they will go to the State playoffs to play for the championship.

It's a happy day here!

Photos and more details to follow once my friend who had a working camera gets the photos to me.

Update

My camera is not working so I don't have any photos to post.  Hopefully, I'll have a new one or the old one will be working by the weekend.

But life continues with or without a camera...B has LOVED his flag football games this spring.  His team is in 1st place.  They play for the *championship* this Saturday.  (Camera needed!)  He is very excited.

We are wrapping up our school year.  If the weather cooperates, we'll finish our science co-op tomorrow at a local botanical garden (we're studying botany).  Our Tapestry co-op finishes next Friday with our end of the year unit celebration. 

Brent is still the interim pastor at a church about an hour from here.  The children and I had planned to join him for Mother's Day but three of us got sick Sunday morning (two were in the van ready to go!) so we stayed home.  H leads in worship this week for "big church" so we'll try to join him again in two weeks.

Our summer days are filling up fast.  H goes to camp in June, VBS in June, a trip to TN hopefully in June or July, B goes to camp in July, a beach trip to VA somewhere in there, and before we know it...well, lets not go there.  :)  I'm determined to not fill the entire calendar with activities so we can just enjoy the summer.  And of course we'll do some school during the hot afternoons. 

E is reading now.  She read Genesis 1 to me with little help.  She just picks up books now and reads with little or no help.  C is learning words.  It won't be long before she is reading as well.  I'm not sure how it happens but it does.  Our babies will be kindergarteners soon.  We won't go there either right now!

That's all for now.  Happy Wednesday!

Sunday in the Gardens

We ventured over to Durham Sunday after church to visit the Sarah Duke Gardens.

Wow!

Dad and his fan club.

Bamboo in the Japanese gardens.

Beautiful C

Lovely E

Lady H

The bridge (one of several)

Handsome B

Mom and E

Mom and B

Mom and C

Mom and H

Funny faces.  It happens every time.

Happy spring!

Square Dance

We had a square dance for our unit celebration today.  One of the families in our co-op hosted the dance at their home.  (Quote by E:  "They live in a log cabin like Abraham Lincoln did".  Fact:  It isn't exactly like Abe's log cabin, but it's a log cabin.)

We had beautiful weather and lots of fun with friends.

The caller.

The spectators.

Mom doing a little "left-right grand".

H dancin' around the square.

Mom with her dancing partner, Will.  (B wouldn't dance so I grabbed one of his friends.)

More square dancing.

The view from the porch.  The caller "called" for almost 2 hours.

Not everyone danced but there was a nice tree to climb.

After the dance we enjoyed a pot luck dinner together.  Then most the kids headed down to the creek.  I didn't take my camera but they have a nice area to play in the water.  Needless to say, our kids felt right at home in the woods and the water.

Mom had to pull B out of a football game on the lawn for us to head home.  It was a fun day in every way possible.

(Didn't get any photos of Dad and Mom dancing together or of Dad and H dancing together.)

First Flag Football Games

There is a home school football league in our area.  B has been asking to play football for a while but Mom had visions of tackles and broken bones so she never checked into it much.  Then we found out that some friends were letting their son play flag football in this league.  Since B is friends with their son, we decided to give it a try.

So here we are...

B had his first flag football game today.  After a few practices and the Father/Son game, this was their day to play some football!

The boys rotated playing different positions.  B was quarterback for several plays.  His buddy, Ian, was the center (known as the "hiker" by Ian's big sister - haha) and they did great!

B and Ian doing their thing.

If you look carefully, you'll see the ball in mid-air.  B was throwing it to Ian on this play.  Ian caught it and ran the ball.

They won this game AND their second game.

Needless to say, it was a good day of football for our little guy...who isn't so "little" anymore.

Resurrection Sunday

Easter Sunday was a busy day.  The children and Mom were at Faith at 8:00am for the first service so the children could sing in the Children's Choir.  We stayed for worship then the younger three sang in the choir for the second service.  In the meantime, H headed over to KidzTown to participate in the Large Group service.  She was singing with the worship team as well as reading some Bible verses.  Mom gathered the children all together and they dashed to the van to drive to Apex to join Dad who was already at a church there.  He was preaching for their Easter service (they are without a pastor right now) and we wanted to be with Dad.  After church we had a yummy lunch at Pizza Inn.  (thin crust is the best!)  We finally made it back home to have some easy time before Mom and H went back to Faith to see the Easter production.  It was a wonderful day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus!

Sunday morning baskets are so exciting...

H and E checking out their basket contents.

C was excited to find chocolate praying hands.

Each one received a cd of classical music.  Four children = four different composers

Easter Sunday

(Notice the UMHB colors?  I didn't plan it but it worked out nicely.  Still a Crusader 20 years later!:)

Miss E

MIss C

Mr. B

Miss H

There's always a silly photo after the "good" ones.

Twin silliness

More silliness.  Love the looks on their faces.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Saturday Happenings

Today was a "divide and conquer" day.  Mom took the girls to Faith for the Resurrection Egg Hunt so they could sing in the choir while Dad took B to the Father/Son flag football game.

Our girls in the choir

Once the program ended, we dashed to the van (no egg hunt for us yet) and went to see the end of the football game.

B on the football field

After the game we had a picnic lunch at the park.  Then we went to the church where Dad is the interim pastor to participate in their egg hunt.

Our kids have always been afraid of mascots so Mom was quite happy when all the kids ASKED to have their picture made with "the Easter bunny".  (Our kids know Easter is not about the bunny.  They just thought she was a very nice bunny.)

Twins with the Easter bunny

H and B with the Easter bunny

Full baskets with way too much candy!

Good Friday

Dad did not have to go to work today for Good Friday.  We did not have co-op either.  So the kids planned a "party" for our day.  They made up all the games.  They also baked the cake "all by themselves" with Dad close by.

I didn't get a photo of the first game which was a rock toss.  Mom won, by the way. :)

Our second game was to dig for "gold" coins in the sandbox.  The kids hid them and we got to find them.

Then there was the cake walk.  Mom was the first one out.  B hummed the music (imagine that) while the rest of us played.  C was the winner.

So after the cake walk, we ALL got to have a piece of cake with ice cream, cheese puffs, and orange soda.  (Guess who took them shopping at the grocery store?!)

H cut the slices of cake.  She said, "This is the way you should always cut our cake!"  But then a couple hours later, they all had tummy aches.  Hummm...I wonder why! :)

Just more fun memories from our sweet crew.