A Ton of Fun in 2021: Week 22 Recap

 

If you see me running around this summer not knowing if I'm coming or going, it's ok to ask if I need help.  I do- and I'll tell you I don't.  But I need friends and moral support that there is a reason we run ourselves ragged.  I'm actually reading a book about Ennegrams that Joe Clarkson sent me. Oh.M.GEE. Ok, I pegged myself for a perfectionist before reading the book.  Turns out I'm a performer- #3 on the chart. It's fascinating, but here is one thing I take from the book that hit me like a ton of bricks. When talking about us and stress it reads "They retreat to the couch with the remote or lose themselves in unproductive busywork." I could list all the unproductive busywork I've made for myself in recent weeks, but just trust I have been swamped and it's time to get back on track. 

Monday kicked off with Isaac's baseball game at Shawnee.  Olivia's game at Bath was cancelled due the the rain we got shortly before the game. Isaac had all of us there cheering for him since no one had to drive to Olivia's game.  Olivia also was excited to see her dance friend at the game.  

Volleyball camp started Monday-Wednesday for Olivia as well.  Her first volleyball camp. You know how bad I wanted to sneak in and watch?! She got camper of the day and won some setting competition. Apparently she did great in setting and loves it. I tried to play it cool and not drill her all the way home or make her practice for an hour when we get home, yet SHE asked me if we could practice. Gahhhhhhh, you all know I’ve been waiting for this day. Too early to learn the jump serve? Just Kidding...kind of.

Tuesday night was the kiddos last home track meet before the big invitational that happens next week at Columbus Grove. It's been a really fun season to watch the kids grow. I'm not sure that Olivia loves track, but Isaac sure does. You'll see all these amazing pictures here and I didn't take one of them. So thankful for Christie Foxvog. Seriously.

Ok OHSAA track season is also wrapping up for me personally. This week I agreed to work two regionals- Troy and Piqua. It was all good clerking both, really enjoyable kiddos and colleagues, but the WEATHER. UGH! Are you kidding me? Friday night I brought a blanket to Troy, bundled in it hiding under a tent as the 48 degree monsoon swept through. It was so awful. Then Saturday I bundled myself like March. Two layers of long-sleeved shirts and jacket, boots, gloves and head warmer. I'm not joking. It was high of 48 today. Just stupid.

After I was finished in Piqua, I drove to the lakehouse, which my entire family was already present. In fact, Isaac and Jerm had been at Cedar Point and back already. Too windy for any of the rides to be open. But Isaac decided that he wanted to have summer camp every time we went to the lake with themed-weekends. Of course this was right down Grandma Barb's wheelhouse. So to kick off summer camp on Memorial Day Weekend it was themed Super Hero...complete with capes that Grandma Barb had sewn for each camper and they got to decorate themselves. Complete with campfire and s'mores, the weekend was off to great start. At the 'concluding ceremonies' speeches were made a medals were awarded to the campers for their enthusiasm and helpfulness as super hero's.

Memorial Day was fun too. We finally had summer weather again- yep like a 30 degree shift from Saturday and we found ourselves back in swimsuits and down to East Harbor. Isaac and Jeremy went fishing, so it was just Olivia and I who headed to the beach. Frankly, there is not much beach left at East Harbor (comparison to when I was a kiddo), but she seemed to get along just fine digging holes and making water traps.

72 Days of Summer- East Harbor State Park

Summer Sand and Sunshine!

East Harbor State Park is located in Marblehead, Ohio. It's the spot my mom would take us to when we were little. Now it was time for us to take our kiddos down there for a day of sand and sunshine. 

Now the waters aren't crystal blue and the sands aren't white sand, but the kids have never seen either so to them it's the ocean. LOL. I make them wear the lifejackets in the Lake water because I can't see the bottom and it drives me crazy. Remember this rant? I still have nightmares about it so if you're at the Lake and you're heading out in the water- Lifejacket!

I should have taken a picture of Olivia's sand castle.  After about 20 minutes working hard on her own, she placed a stick at the top and declared she made the Disney Castle. Yep, looked just like it. The boys wouldn't be outdone they embarked on their own sandcastle. Below is their masterpiece.  A smiley face. Well that's close right?

After about two hours swimming and playing in the water, our burnt cheeks had seen enough sun and everything we had brought to the beach had sand in it. We packed up and headed back to my parents. 

If you are camp-out type of person, you can also do that at the East Harbor. There is a great running trail too that I hop on every morning that spans two miles from end to end. If nature is your thing, there are plenty of trails throughout the woods, but I'm afraid of tics right now, so that isn't happening. We need to be better prepared for that adventure, but the hope is to do that later this summer.  Oh and we collected flat rocks for a project later this summer too!  Stay tuned.