Dancing with Daffodils

 Last Friday we had Joel here for the day and we tried to go to the pool until a random rain storm kicked us out after 20 minutes. So we came home and made peanut butter Oreo ice cream that was so delicious! I had invited Sam and Joel to stay for dinner so Josh grilled us some delicious fiesta lime chicken and we had dinner and then Emma, Brandon and I went to see Ethan in Bye Bye Birdie. It is not my favorite show and I really would not have gone unless the Howells offered us free tickets but Ethan really wanted Brandon to come see it so that was sweet. Rachael and Ethan were both great and the show overall was well done; it was just far away and late and some parts of the show really bug me but Ethan was so happy to see Brandon afterwards and it was so kind of them to share their comp tickets with us.  Saturday morning we went over to the Hendersons for some wake boarding. It was such a beautiful day and a perfect one for sitting on the dock and watching the kids go zooming ...

 I love summer. When my kids were younger I enjoyed the freedom from a school schedule and being in charge again. I feel that I've lost that as my kids all go in different directions and I don't get to plan fun outings anymore but it is still wonderful to relax and sleep and play.  The last week of June Brandon did the county's summer arts camp Monday through Thursday. I was excited for him; his major was band and his minors were percussion ensemble and musical theater. He enjoyed being in the play so much this past year I thought he would like theater but he was the only boy in a large group of middle school girls so that was a bit awkward for him. He liked percussion ensemble and band a lot though and was happy to find some of his neighborhood friends were also at camp. Bummer then when the AC broke so they couldn't have camp Wednesday or Thursday because it was also like 100 degrees that week. But they were able to do camp on Friday and we got refunded for the one da...

 After such a cool spring we are not having a HOT summer! Wednesday I went to the gym and picked up groceries and then came home to shower and finish packing up. I left for the airport and it was all nice and sunny but around Bowie there was a crazy thunderstorm that shook my car and freaked me out. It was a stressful drive but I made it in time (after running through the food court and down to the gate because I made it through security when boarding started). Then we sat on the plane for 45 min waiting for luggage. But I still thankfully made my connection in Denver by getting off the plane first, walking straight to my gate while talking to Josh and then boarding my second plane. I picked up my bag and my car and drove to Cindy's house where we stayed up talking for a bit. Thursday Cindy and I went for a walk and ran some errands and talked and then she left to take Abbey to a soccer tournament in Boise and I decided to go get myself some TCBY. Cindy worked at one near my dance ...

 After my piano recital I spent all day Tuesday cleaning and then I planned for our Relief Society game night. Noreen had asked me to do it and I can't say no to her, but I was kind of wishing I had kept the night open since it was our last free evening together as a family for awhile. But I put together some games and I think it went pretty well and that we had fun together. Then Wednesday I went to the gym and quickly to the grocery store to get home in time for early dismissal on the last day of school. Emma came home first and was quite happy, then Lily and she was happy too. Then the three of us waited for Brandon. One of my favorites is when we can hear all the buses honking as they leave the parking lot but our neighbor across the street had music playing loudly so we could barely hear it. I was sure he was going to be sad because he really loves his teachers but he was fine. I played What Time is It each time a kid got home and had a little dance party and I had drumsticks ...

 What a week this has been. Brandon's minor league had playoffs. His team has been very good and consistent this season so I figured we were in for some good games and it turned out to be so. Tuesday was the first one and they won 14-3 so they got to play Thursday against a team they had lost to by one run previously, but this time we won 8-2. Brandon hit a double and got two RBIs and then he pitched the last inning and struck two kids out. It was a great game for him and so fun! So that meant he got to play in the championship game Saturday and it was quite a game. There was so much back and forth and good hits and awesome plays and I was on the edge of my seat the whole game and in the end we won by one run, 11-10. It was intense and fun and I was so proud of the kids on the team. They are all really nice boys and the parents are all super supportive and his coaches are just the most positive coaches I've ever seen. Even when the kids totally messed up, Coach Jason would find...