Summer 2009 Wrap Up

Yes, I know its been a long while. I thought about deleting this blog. There isn't much I've written these past few months. Summer has been crazy, fun, and exhausting. The boys and I have packed it in and loved mostly every minute of it. This summer has presented some challenges with certain behaviors and somehow I can't help but think this is what it will be like when we hit the pre-teen/teen years only on a much larger scale. And I have to tell you, I'm a little worried. Ok, I'm a lot worried. So, I'm just praying about it, standing firm even when that means a major meltdown in the ice cream shop, and trying not to slap anyone.

We went to Disney the last week of May and it was phenomenal! I think we had just as much fun as the kids. If you are thinking of going, I would have to suggest the last week of May. The lines were minimal(utilizing fast passes at the more popular rides) and the weather was good. I hope when the boys are back in school to do a post on Disney with my pictures. It truly was a magical vacation.
I attended my 20 year high school reunion in June. It was so wonderful to reconnect with some people I had been very close to in my past life. :) It was a blast to catch up with everyone. Its funny how you remember people the way they were in high school and if you haven't seen some of them for almost 20 years, that is the picture you have of them. It was also great to just spend time with some of my friends who are long distance now.

Me and Tootsie Roll (Donna)

Amanda, Chermelle, and me. WKU girls!

Donna, Luther, and me Robby and me. I've missed you Hortense! :)Dani, Donna, me, Beth and Chermelle at the HLHS family picnic

The boys and I went to Cheekwood. If you are not familiar with Cheekwood, its a botanical garden located in the Belle Meade area. I have lived in Middle Tennessee most of my life and had never been here. My friend and I took our boys even though we were a bit concerned as to whether or not this location would hold their interest. Cheekwood currently has what they call "Backpack Adventures." We checked out backpacks for the boys and headed out on our "adventure." The backpack included a map with designated stopping points and crafts, games, etc to do at each stop. I think the boys really enjoyed it.

The boys looking for frogs in the pond

The boys completing our first activity at the first stop.

Chaney's Dairy Farm was another one of our summer destinations. We did this last year as well. The Farm is located in Bowling Green, Ky and you get a wagon ride, a visit with Ms. Glimmer the cow along with an educational and interesting presentation on feeding, milking, and other aspects of farm life, and time to play on their cool playground. Also included in the $5 fee is a scoop of Chaney's Dairy Farm ice cream- I would suggest the How Now Brownie Cow. :)

Aidan milking a cow for the first time.

Me and the boys on the wagon after our farm tour.

We also discovered the Maryland Farms Y this summer thanks to our good friends and neighbors, the Smiths. Its like a mini waterpark with a big bucket of water that dumps periodically, a double slide into the kid pool, two bigger slides in the deeper end, and a huge swimming area. My boys loved it!

In between these excursions we had free movies, visits with friends, VBS, lots of Avery spending the night with friends and having friends over for playdates, a game night with our neighbors and friends, hiking a trail, and thanks to my good friend and her sweet husband I got to see Josh Turner at the WildHorse. And we wrapped it all up with a trip to Chattanooga and rafting the Hiwassee river.

Monkey Joes

Making S'mores with our neighbors

Blueberry pickin'

Chuck E Cheese with friends

Playing a little Eye of The Tiger with Rock Band

Kinsey's Birthday Party

The Meerkats at the Nashville Zoo.

Avery and the Traywick boys monkeying around at the zoo. :)

Rock Band with our friends and neighbors- I believe Stacey is bolting out Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf.

Ready to raft the Hiwassee with the Smiths

Avery and daddy kayaking on the Hiwassee

So now, summer is winding down. School starts in less than a week. Avery will be a big third grader and Aidan will start kindergarten. And for the first time in eight years, I won't have any kids at home with me. Still praying about what that means for me but looking forward to this new phase of life. I'm ready to work on multiplication tables with Avery and study site words with Aidan- after that- well... I guess we'll see.
That's our summer in a nutshell. Hope you had a great one too!