Where Did the Summer Go??? Recap Part 6

 The final camp of the summer was Bella's band camp.  She worked very hard but had a great time too.  I'm so happy that my kids found band/marching band.  What an amazing group of people with whom they get to associate, and what amazing friendships they are developing, and what amazing skills and character traits they are developing as well.  Sadly, her band leaders/chaperones didn't post any pictures of camp with her in them, so what I have is from the events since then - concert for the parents and their day at the University of Michigan.

Other random happenings this summer:

Benjamin got his wisdom teeth removed.  He walked around in a zombie walk with his bloody mouth and looked sooo realistic.  Hearing Benjamin speak with a numb mouth full of gauze is absolutely hilarious, but sadly he was never loopy enough to say anything truly embarrassing.  I'll spare you the bloody pictures.

Benjamin also got his patriarchal blessing.  What a momentous and special occasion!  It's so incredible to remember your own experience and then watch your child receive one too.  His blessing was beautiful and inspiring.  I hope he will always cherish it.

Kelly and I and the younger two participated in the yearly Huron Valley River Clean-up project sponsored by the Milford Chamber of Commerce.  I've been doing this with my kids for years and years but covid put a damper on things and it was so fun to get back into it and have Kelly along too.  Float down the river picking up trash, enjoy the beautiful scenery and screen-free family time and get a free breakfast and lunch for it.  Christian was the hero of the day diving into the river and picking up things our nets and grabbers couldn't reach.  Even other boats were calling to him and having him get things for them.

I took the boys to Spring Mill Pond many times this summer.  We love our new paddle board that we bought just before spring break.  Our last visit was the best because the weather was cooler and overcast so very few people were there.  We love nothing better than having the lake to ourselves.  Christian's favorite thing was to play football from the paddle board.  It just got tricky if you missed a catch.  Then you had to go swimming for it.

I also took the boys mini golfing.  Peter refused to be taught correct form.   Any effort I made to show him how to swing was met with a club throw and a frustrated stomping off.  So we gave up and let him do whatever he wanted.  By the 5th hole he'd had enough of any kind of swinging and proceeded to jump in and out of the water hazard at hole 17 and to steal our balls and throw them around the course.   Thankfully the course was empty except for us.  I tried all my best parenting tricks but nothing really worked so I finally locked him in the car while we finished holes 17 and 18 and then we let him put the balls into the little ball return.  He enjoyed that as much as any of the game.  In the end, we all had fun and left happy and I discovered that Christian is a much better golfer than I thought.  I was impressed.

Our trampoline finally reached it's end this summer with a hole big enough for Peter to fall into.  So we got a new one. 

We also got a new piano after Peter poured a glass of water over our old one.  No matter how often you tell kids not to put their water glass on the piano, they will still put a water glass on the piano and then little brothers just can't wait to see what will happen if you pour it out.  For the curious: the electric piano makes really funny sounds, even while no one is playing it, for a few days and then never makes another sound ever again.

So we got a new one which came in a VERY large box.  What did the boys do with the box?  Of course, a marksman's hideout.  Ankles beware if you walk past this one.   We had a great time rolling things in front of the box and trying to see if we could hit them.

Where Did the Summer Go??? Recap Part 5 - Birthdays

 August in our house means birthdays.  Peter turned 4 and Christian turned 13!!   I realize that I also didn't write about Benjamin's birthday in July!  He turned 17!! 

Peter didn't want a cake, he just wanted pancakes.

He also didn't want a party.  He asked only that I read as many books to him as he wants all day long.  Poor 4th child.  So I made sure he got lots of attention on his big day and so did Christian.

Funny story - he was captivated with the idea that people give you presents on your birthday, so he decided to go around telling people it was his birthday so they would give him presents.  He went to his favorite neighbor's house, Parker, knocked on the door, and proudly told him it was his birthday.  Parker wished him a happy birthday and told him he'd find him a present and should he come back later to get it.  However, when he went later to claim it, Parker wasn't home and there was no present.  He was so heartbroken that he cried harder than I've seen in a long time.  I felt so bad.  Luckily, he shares his birthday with a kind woman in the ward, Thea, and I invited her and her friends out to lunch on the big day.  Each of the ladies remembered that it was Peter's birthday too and came with a present for him as well.  Such kind women.  It made his day.

Christian also didn't want a party for his birthday.  He wanted to go to a trampoline park and to MOD pizza.  

Perfect for everyone.  I asked him if he wanted to invite friends and he said, "I don't need to.  I have Peter."  So cute.

Benjamin also didn't want a cake or a party.  So I got brownie bites from Costco and made a cake-ish stack and he spent his day at church and traveling to FSY camp.  

Peter gave him some of his favorite toys as a present.  Such a sweet gesture to be so generous with his favorite items.  

Where Did the Summer Go??? Recap Part 4

The first week of August, Benjamin went off to band camp.  Those are a lot of work but this year they were at Saginaw State University rather than D-Bar-A scout camp so it was much nicer accommodations.  He had a great time as the new captain of the drumline and a senior in the band.

Bella had fun with friends going to Cedar Point Amusement park.  I didn't go this time so only a couple pictures from other moms.

I love what a great group of friends Bella has and that she's such a go-getter event planner.  All summer she's been planning Cedar Point trips, pizza parties, and group hang-outs.  Her friends are lucky to have her and I love being the witness to her growing up.  Thankfully she's also always volunteering me to drive/host and so I get to be a part of things most of the time.  It's nice to know she still wants me along, at least in small measure.

Where Did the Summer Go??? Recap Part 3

 The third week of July the kids all went to Young Mens and Young Womens camp (church camp).  So it was just me and Peter all week.  The girls' camp had a professional photographer which posted all her pictures online.  The boys camp however, didn't, so the two pictures I got of the boys' camp was from a mom who dropped off on the first day and got some pics before heading home.  Everyone had a fantastic time, though.  Bella was a youth leader at her camp and the planning meetings and prep were no fun at all, but she really enjoyed camp.  I'm proud of her for doing it and putting in the effort, even when she didn't want to.

Kelly and all the bishops came to visit camp one night.  Such a great group of men.

                                     

The fourth week of July, Bella went to another scout camp, this time on the Ohio/Michigan border and Benjamin attended a motorcyle class so he can now legally ride motorcycles on public road.  May he never actually do it.  

Some time this summer (it's all blurring together), I borrowed a whacky water sprinkler from the library and Peter, Christian, and I had some fun around here.  Peter thought it was such a blast to jump over the spraying arms and Christian and I developed a version of football around it. We also went bowling, visiting Greenfield Village, etc.

Christian also kept up with his saxophone lessons all summer.  He's really enjoying it and sounding good.  His practicing takes on some creative forms.  He came home from Young Mens camp with some GI issues and so he was too tired to practice upright.  He strung his book from the ceiling and played laying down.  Whatever works.