More Summer Fun

I have not been blogging, but not for lack of things to tell or record.
We are having a great summer.
Our schedule is working out really well, a good balance of things.
We go to swim practice each weekday morning and then stay at the pool playing, come home, have lunch, Esmé naps, and we do some reading and quiet time for the big kids and I work or tidy up. In the afternoon we might go to the library or back to the pool, Mondays are swim meets etc.

Swim team has been really fun this year. The new coach has worked at team building and the kids have swim buddies that they cheer for and trade small gifts. Zaven has been swimming the IM, breast stroke, butterfly and doing a leg in the 200 Freestyle relay. His relay team often wins, which is fun. He has gotten 1st in butterfly and is doing great in the others with several 2nd place finishes. Nell continues to be a backstroke powerhouse. She has gotten several 1st place finishes and has "champs time" by more than 5seconds (a qualifying time for the champs meet, what was the city meet when I was a kid) it is hard to believe that there is just one more meet.

Esmé loves the pool and the baby pool. She would love to be able to swim. She will happily jump in from the side to me and paddle around, floating proves a challenge, but she loves to out on her suit at home and talk about going to the pool and. " baby pool" which she says so cute with the emphasis on ool in pool. However when we get to the pool she wants to just wealthy swim diaper, she objects to her bathing suits being wet, or "bet" as she says.

We did celebrate Esmé turning two. We had a little party here at the house with the O'Neills and the Brewers. We were out in the back yard until the rain came and we had to cut the cake inside. Dinner was a taco bar. And the cake had balloons on it. Esmé loves balloons, but her favorite thing todo is to pop balloons. Nell helped me decorate, we made a bunting banner with patterned paper and pictures of Esmé, we found some flowers and hung those around, we had balloons and pool noodles to play with. All in all I think it was a nice celebration for a sweet girl.

We also took a trip to Charleston to visit the Webbs. We were so happy to meet Beckett, he is adorable. Quinn is as cute and fun as ever. She and Esmé had a good time playing. Nell and Zaven loved holding Beckett. I loved seeing everyone together and getting to sit on the back patio and chat with lex. I love that we are close enough to get to see each other a couple of times a year. We got to see Kendall and the adorable newborn Annie.

Wrapped is coming along. We have almost finished initial sourcing for the Realtor market and are hoping to get our baskets together and set up some meetings. We are also moving forward with our plans for the college market. It has been a little slow with summer and kids but we are inching forward, so that is something.

Here are pictures.

Summer!

The kids finished up the school year.

Zaven had a school performance, where he sang in a trio, "who killed the robin",

he also had a piano recital duet. His class took a field trip to Monticello

Nell had a class picnic, a field trip to the Waterman's museum. Milla and Poppy were her and Milla went with Nell on her field trip!

Which is a good segue into saying Mom and Dad were here for Auntie Bob's funeral. It was fun to go to Urbana and hear mom and dad's memories of being there. Laurie and Jim came for dinner and it was fun to have them here.

We had a great visit with Pat Kiley. We did some sewing projects and some crafting it was fun to catch up with her.

We also went to Busch Gardens with the Brewers, that was fun.

Now we are onto summer.
Zaven is off at camp Chanco. We dropped him off on Sunday. He was excited. William Morris, Jack and Will Snead were all in the same campsite, so that seemed to have him at ease.

Last night we had the first swimmer. Nell did a great job getting 2nd in freestyle and backstroke.
I volunteered. To be ribbon writer for the second half, well let me tell you that was a mistake. The ,set was really long and Nell and I did not leave the pool until after 11pm! Luckily Chris had picked Esmé up at 7:30 and taken her home. I think I will work on the first half !


Ellen Morris and Evers were in town after having dropped William at camp, so on Monday we had a great tie visiting with them at Jan's house. jan has 9new chickens and the girls enjoyed feeding, petting etc her.

It happened

Yup, Zaven turned 10! Double digits!

He went from this

To this 

I don't have regrets or complaints. I just find it so surprising that I have gotten enough older to have a ten year ok. That the sweet little boy that said

"What hoppened?" And "mommy say hallo" and "Paci in the hole" now plays lacrosse, has his own taste in music, his own style etc. I guess the next ten years will bring even more of that. 

He is a great big brother and he and Nell, even in the midst of fighting, have a lot of fun together. 

Esme has been caught eating the icing off of Zavens birthday cake with a candle. She is pretty funny 

On Monday we went out to walk around CW a d we watched the auction for a while Nell and Esmé were chosen to demonstrate the drums. 

The other day E was so excited when Chris was on his bike that I decided to get out the tricycle, that we got Zaven for his 3rd birthday, she really likes the idea of it

. 

Fun fact about Esmé she is really into pants these days. She insists on wearing them most of the time. I am not sure why but as temps rise into the 90- a hopefully she will let it go. 

Nell and Zaven hav started swim team practice and seem to be enjoying it 

Growing up

I must say I am pretty nostalgic. With Zaven's 10th birthday coming and Esmé about to turn two. It is so clear how quickly the years slip away with these sweet little people. 

We had Zaven's birthday party today. We took 5 friends to Busch Gardens. It was really fun. We all met here, had cake and opened presents the. Headed out 

Everyone had a good time. We rode some good rides, had some pretzels and corn dogs and headed home just as it started to rain. 

Walker rode his first big roller coaster, the Loch Ness Monster he loved it!

Esmé is really growing up. She is talking a lot more now, really expressing herself. Insisting on doing things for herself and her own way. She still loves to hug and snuggle but certainly has less time for it. I guess that is the way it is. We have been having some great walks lately. The gardens in CW are beautiful. 

Happy Mother's Day

What a great day, a day to celebrate mothers. We are awesome! We deserve the day. I got a great card from Meghan, wishing me a relaxing and nice day saying is deserved it, that I might not get it but I deserved it!  So true!

The kids sang in church and did a great job. We went to Panera for lunch I came home and took a nap. The weather was hit and miss but luckily cleared up and we were able to go to the rectory back yard and get Cheese Shop for a pic nic. The kids played on the playground and then we played jackpot together. 

May, already?!?

Well time keeps rolling on! We are doing well. Recent fun things, Nell had her Kindergarten play. Mattey's Garden. She was the carrot. It was a great show and she did well. She even got a speaking part because someone did not show up. Esmé loved the show too.

Zaven has continues to do well with Lacrosse. He had a game today and took a hit. His ribs are hurting, we will see.

Chris has been really busy with work between services, funerals and discernment for the capital campaign he has had a lot going on most everyday of the week.

The weather remains a little cool and iffy a lot of days. But we are taking advantage of the nice parts and getting outside. Esmé is loving going out and about. She says "go!" And gets her stroller.
She is also taking a lot more. She is funny

And it's official Katherine and I have formed our gift company, Wrapped. We are putting together our sample baskets and making some good contacts and hope to be selling soon! It is all pretty exciting.

Last weekend we went over and visited Camp Chanco. Zav is excited to go and it looks like William, Jack, and Will are going to go too. So that should be fun.

We are looking forward to Zaven's 10th birthday. It looks like we are going to do a Minute to Win it themed party.