Weekly Wind Down {18th Anniversary, Xavier's Camp Week, Garden Harvest!, Pond Fun, Pool and Park with Friends, Full Week!} June 25-July 1

June has come to an end and I'm not sure I even caught it whizzing by.  We are living in a beautiful whirlwind.

Sunday Mike and I celebrated 18 years of marriage.  

We partied by taking our kid to camp (ha!).  Our sweetest years of marriage - chasing kids.

The line to check in - it went quickly!  We brought the whole family so that the others could see the camp.

The view from Xavier's cabin room.

The grounds are beautiful, the camp runs efficiently, the staff was plentiful and well trained.

The boys from our church.  How I love the memories they made this week.

Having a child out of the house is such a strange sensation for me.  We got through the week with too much food at every meal, lots of prayers, and part of my heart feeling displaced.  Xavier got through the week with so much fun, too little sleep, daily trips to the canteen, and excellent Bible classes.  We are thankful for the opportunity for our children to go to camp.

Monday we went to play at a park with friends.  I took zero pictures but the kids had a wonderful time and I enjoyed visiting with a couple of moms.

The weather was cool - sweatshirt weather!

Dolly fell asleep on the way home.

We made a stop at the library and came home to eat spaghetti that Daddy had made for supper.

Tuesday Natalee had early morning OT/PT.  I picked her up after her sessions, and then grabbed Evalynn and took her to the chiropractor.  She'd taken a tumble off the climbing dome Sunday evening and was complaining of her back still hurting so I decided an adjustment was in order.

My favorite lunch lately.  Chicken salad stuffed in small bell peppers.

Our friends, the Van Ee's invited us to come to the pool with them Tuesday evening.  The kids and I went at about 4:30 and Mike came after work.

The kids are always asking me to take videos of them on the slide and diving board but I don't get my phone out when I'm alone with everyone at the pool.  Since Mike was there I took the opportunity to video their "tricks."

Zayden did a somersault!

And, since Dad was there, he tried the diving board with no life jacket.

A late afternoon with friends at the pool was a perfect way to pass Tuesday.  How thankful we are for friends.

Supper was a quick meal of pita bread pizzas with raw fruits and veggies.

Zayden told me his ear was hurting after swimming but I couldn't see anything amiss so we did a warm compress and he was able to sleep all night.

Wednesday morning we had the Fross' to play.  Their youngest three came over and Jessica and I hardly saw them they played so hard.  We divided for lunch and for them to get their niece/nephews and then accepted their invitation to swim in the pond at their family's house.  What a blast!  The weather turned windy and chilly but the kids weren't bothered.  Evalynn made me a little nervous because she was so extremely brave, but she proved herself.

Zayden did pretty fair in the kayak.

Natalee did extremely well in the kayak!  Her friend, Ellie, gave her a short lesson, helped her get pushed off the bank, and off she went.  I was so impressed!  They went to the other end of the pond and back twice.  

The oldest girls also swam to the other end of the pond while the middle girls paddle boated and back.  So pleased with their strength and bravery!

Boys doing ornery boy things.....Zayden tried to paddle over his big sister kayaking and dump her but he did heed my holler.

Beautiful water lily brought to me by a sweet boy.

The children were well spent after a full day of fun and our hearts were very full from our time with friends.  Natalee and Mike went to youth group after everyone gobbled down an omelet.

The evening was just quiet play, reading, and resting until bed.

Snap circuits are offering a lot of fun at our home lately.

Thursday was a stormy day.  Because of the weather, Natalee's hippotherapy was on ground work only so, when given the option, she decided not to keep the appointment.  

As is the treat during a rainstorm, the kids got to play video games/electronics for an hour Thursday afternoon.  We enjoyed our quiet day at home.

Mike had a double header for church softball league Thursday evening.  I decided to keep the children home as the first game didn't start until 7:30.  Zayden was doing snap circuits and luckily Mia smelled the burning before it became an issue - one of our circuit lights got burning hot!

Winding down with a book before bed.

I got everyone tucked in Thursday night and little Zayden came back out shortly after in tears about his ear.  Poor poor buddy.  Oils on the rice compress and some pain reliever helped him sleep.

I got up early Friday morning and got him in "virtual" line for the walk in as our family doc didn't have any appointments.

The tube is out of one ear but the ear that was hurting him was infected (and still has a tube).  My poor guy.  We'll be glad for the ear drops to do their job.

I had a couple hours at home helping the children tidy house before picking up my friend, Susie, and driving up to get a bus load full of boys from camp.  The five of them we brought back were chatty but not too loud on the drive back - I think they all seemed tired!  Evalynn rode along and was so glad to have her buddy back.  She was a very good girl on the drive.

Xavier showered and worked on his other birthday Lego set before we headed out for our last week of homeschool softball.  

I sat near him while he built and listened to his camp stories.  

Sweet rain shower....so grateful for the rain we got this week and that our Missouri hometown got some, too.

(Camp pictures taken off the public FB page.  I was so thankful for a couple of pictures here and there throughout the week - it helped with missing my guy.)

We treated the family to Domino's for supper and ate at the park before the softball games.

I visited with friends and watched the kids' games but didn't take a single photo.  Mike decided Jersey Freeze shakes were in order on the way home.  I got just one for Evalynn and I to share as she never finishes her ice cream and I don't need a whole one....as she was drinking her fill she quipped, "well, you shoulda probably got your own, mama."  Turkey.  She did drink a lot!

My camp boy was glad to shower first and sleep in his own bed.

Saturday the kids slept in and then we went to Missouri for a family gathering on my Dad's side - a celebration of life for my great aunt and uncle.  I didn't take pictures but we had a good visit with extended family and friends.

Lemonade chuggers in the heat...

Before we headed back to Iowa we stopped at Uncle Bob's for ice cream with the Smith crew.  Papa Curtis treated even though he didn't come along.

Goons...

Oh these beautiful children.  Blue eyed blondies with stubborn as mule tendencies - not that you could tell it from this sweet photo.

My friend Twila, who also taught Lauren and I piano as girls, stopped for an ice cream cone, so we let Papa treat her, too. (wink)  She and I had a good visit at the celebration of life and it was so sweet to catch up with her.

Camp recovery on the way home...

When we got back, the younger three, Mike, and I went to the garden to tidy the weeds, check the plants, and see how happy the rain had made things.  Mike had to drive a fence post beside my cucumber trellis and I had to mound dirt around the peppers as they were leaning in the soft dirt after all the rain we've had.

Evie got new crocs in the mail (she'd outgrown her others) and chose them to wear in the garden.  Then she was very distressed by how muddy they got.  Luckily crocs hose off well.

Right after these pictures she took off the crocs and went barefoot.  So we had muddy shoes and muddy feet.  She's a joy.  Luckily little girls hose off well, too.  Actually she stripped herself down and was hosing off in the front yard when we got back to the house....some people just weren't made for town living.

A harvest!  Two cucumbers and a pepper.  One cucumber was much too large but it was still good.

I always say "I should wear gloves and keep my nails clean" and then I never do.

Just like that June is gone and July has begun.  Supper was leftovers and everyone was to bed by 8:30 for some good rest before a new week!

We reached 500 hours outdoors this week.  Halfway to 1000 and halfway through the year.