Lately- as July slips past

We have not had any big excitement since the concert but it is a fun summer. 

Nell has been doing great work with her summer reading. 

Her tutor Mrs Scherling always sends a great a recap of their time together and loves how clever Nell is! 

Regular swim season is over. It was a lot of fun. The team finished 5 and 1. The coaches were great this year. Nell is swimming in the Championship meet for the third year in a row. She qualified in backstroke and freestyle. Zaven was very close to the cut and had a good season. His coach said he has very good form and potential. But he does not love it like he loves soccer. 

Nell also took a volleyball camp and really enjoyed that. I think she will try a team in the fall. 

Nell has also had fun getting to know Mia better and having some sleepovers and play dates

We had a fun going away party for the Lockemans. We will miss them here in Williamsburg- but are glad they are just in Richnond and hope they will come back for some SMC or Poker nights

Zaven made an awesome Minion cake for Amy for the party. He worked really hard on it and planned the whole thing himself. Chose the recipe. Figured out how much he would need - went to the store and did it. Saturday he coed it and did all the detail work. It probably took 8 hours all together. It turned out great. 

This week Zaven is taking a tennis camp and seems to be liking that. Cannon is also home and they have been hanging out a lot. 

Esmé is continuing to do her thing. She loves to be outside. She has a new hooks hoop 

She is trying to learn to do a cartwheel. 

This weekend she went to Quinn's bowling birthday and was glad to see some friends 

She and Nell are good buds- most of the time 

Taylor Swift Concert

We had a very exciting trip to DC to see Taylor Swift in concert.

 Zaven Nell and I went up and stayed with Meg and her boys. It was such fun. 

Meg rented a party bus to get us there. 

We arrived at 6 and had three opening acts. Shawn Mendes, Vance Joy and Haim. Taylor came on about 9:30 and put on a great show that went until almost midnight.

 

By that point Michelle and Meg had left with their boys. Nell, Zav and I stayed til the end and loved it all. She closed with Shake it Off. We took the party bus home and got to pick up Keving and Patty for the ride back to George Town. The next day we stayed and visited but everyone was super tired and fussy. But all in all a great time.

Nell loved holding and hugging on sweet George. He is getting so big!

4th of July in Williamsburg

I have to admit that this is a great place to celebrate the 4th of July. We had a very nice long weekend. Full of friends, swimming , bake sale and of course fireworks! 

The Lamperts treated us to our 3rd year of party at their house with great food and a perfect view of the fireworks. 

The kids had a big sale in front of the house. Zaven made red and blue zebra cupcakes, Nell sold thumbprint cookies and watermelon slices. They made a bunch of money. $55 for Zav and $35 for Nell! 

Models

The kids were trotted out as models for Colonial Williamsburg again. This time they were participating in the new Archealogical dig site. 

The finished product was in the Rochmond Tomes Dispatch, the Virginia Pikot and the Newport Daily News 

A painting birthday party for Esmé

On the Tuesday after her birthday we squeezed in a fun party for Esme's birthday. We invited Quinn from school, Hawley and Taylore Anne and Kate. Plus Zaven and Nell. All the parents stayed and Meghan came. It was a fun party. Anna was a big help getting everything set up. The kids painted in the backyard and had hotdogs for dinner and then decorate your own cupcake for dessert. Here are some photos. 

Hawley

Quinn

Nell and the whole set up

Zaven getting ready to present Esmé with her cupcake. 

Make a wish!

Cupcakes on palettes with decorations all around!

Taylor Anne and Nell. 

Esmé is Four!

Zaven and Nell were out of town for the week before Esme's birthday. It was fun to have just Esmé for a few days. She enjoyed the extra snuggle time, though she also missed them. On June 20th we had a lot of time to enjoy Esmés last day being 3.

 We talked about doing the last nap and how she would be 4 the next day. It was fun. Sunday morning she had pancakes with a candle in them- and opened her gifts. She really loved all her gifts and was very excited. She got a Barbie with a horse,

 roller skates, new underwear some Legos and a dress. Later when she was roller skating she said "mom, do you know that roller skates are the most fun thing in the whole world!" It was also Father's Day and Esmé was happy to share the day with Chris! We had Chipotle for dinner and Esmé helped me make her cake. A chocolate cake with pink and purple icing with flowers. 

At four Esmé loves snuggling, her packs, reading, riding her bike. 

Summer is coming!

You can tell it is the end of the school year. Things are very busy. We have had a lot of things going on and are having loads of fun. 

Zaven had his year end choir concert. He did a great job. He has decided to continue choir next year. After the concert we went to Plaza Azteca to celebrate. 

Esmé was the first to get out of school for the summer. She had her last day last Froday. It was a good year in CH 1. Her friend Calvin is at the pool and they are very excited to see each other so that is fun. 

We recently had John and Kate to spend the night and went to a Japanese Steak House for dinner. They all loved it   Not only were they enammored with the show of cooking they all ate up their food 

Zaven had a Sand Soccer tournament in Virginia Beach. It is a huge neat tournament. It was a little rough driving back and forth but I think he enjoyed it. He got to meet some of the Barcelona FC guys who were here for it and he played goalie for 3 halves and really enjoyed it and got good feedback. Nell and Esmé enjoyed being on the beach. 

In anticipation of Esmés 4th birthday I took the kids to Build a Bear. It was something we had done when Nell turned 3 and the kids both still love Peanut and Hoot Hoot they got then. Esmé seemed to enjoy the whole experience and we came away with Heart, Rainbow and Papo. 

Esmé had a great time driving the Ice Cream truck. When I walked in front she said. "Step out of the way young lady"

After our time in Va Beach we headed back to Williamsburg for a going away party for Isabel Snow. Her family is moving to Columbus Georgia she and Zaven have been good friends and will miss each other. Below is a picture she posted on Instagram. 

Then last night I went out with my girl friends to Le Yaca. We had a great time and a delicious meal. Should have taken a photo. 

That was the weekend. Chris has headed to TN to visit and the kids and I have a busy schedule to maintain here. Monday night was time trials for swim team. Nell and Zav both swam really well. They had not made it to practice last week but it did not show. I think that Zaven is getting really good coaching and should have a great season. Nells time on Coast Guard certainly showed. Ee and Hawley had a great time playing while the big kids swam. I love this picture of them. And what a beautiful view we have from our pool