Hitting a triple in joisey

New Jersey baseball tourney

They had one of those artificial turf fields...no grass but just lots of rug burns i bet.

     Being two single men roaming the streets of New Jersey, we had to find a place to eat.  Here was the burger joint that we chose....it was pretty good too!!

Laura breaks record

She broke the club record for the 50 Butterfly and her team broke the record for the 100 free style relay on the same day.  The very next meet she came within 9/10's of a second of the club record for individual freestyle 50yard....so exciting

Another road race...this time 2.62 miles..

  

     For the third time this month we've run a road race.  The gals are such good athletes and run pretty far ahead of dear old dad....at a good pace too.  Cat did have a mishap around one of the corners and fell down.  There was a little blood, a bandaid, maybe a tear here or there but she toughed it out and finished.  Those gals are getting so athletic.  We hadn't let Cat do this race before because there are a lot of hills and the distance but she handled it like a champ.  It is sick how easy she handles these races.  They just keep smiling on!!

Free style sprint

     It was Jack's turn to break out his summer swim season.  His best stroke is the free style.  He sprints across the pool and finished first in this sprint.  He also raced the back stroke and finished first in his heat.  He's so funny to watch as he does these things.  He's so cool

A beach day

     July 5th ended up being a perfect beach day.  We loaded up the kids somewhat early and heady off to the ocean.  We got really lucky on a parking space and stayed for about 5 hours playing in sand, swimming and just plain old sitting out in the sun.  At lunchtime we walked across the street to a restaurant/ice cream place and had some lunch.  It wasn't half bad either and all the kids enjoyed it.  James stayed home because I think he was going somewhere with Charlie and we picked up Erin.  She had a lot of fun and made just enough noise.  I think her and Jack had a noise-a-thon with the winner still to be determined.

     Jack cannot help himself with running in the middle of pictures.  Its a tradition that was started by umple eddie and the world jumped on it and called it photobombing...but the ump was the original photomber.....so funny though.

Even the Seagull was curious as to what Jack had going on

 

Pinata time

    This was one of those things that have been lingering in the house for a while so it was time to break it out.  During the last Christmas party Catherine didnt get her chance to swing at the pinata and being the violent family that we are, we had to give her a chance.  Poor Santa Clause needed to be hung up on a bungee cord and i believe it only took her one swing to bring the jolly ole elf in half.

A busy fourth

     We started this lovely day with a much too early start to the day with a nice little road race.  Its a two mile sprint and the kids get faster and faster with it every year.  This year Lauren ran with them and I took up the rear with Jack, who beat me by a good ten seconds.  He did pretty good this year.  I didn't have to carry him on my shoulders at all....i'm getting too old for that.  Oh boy does two miles feel like twenty though....

     After the race we all went over to Kara's for some ribs, burgers and some water balloon fun.  Nana and Jack were the duo of the day as Nana kept us all in humor making sure that nobody got outside of the rules.  Her and Jack did really good as they went down to the final group on the first game.  Jackie did a great job catching.

     Oh and then it was off to the annual fireworkds show.  This years show seemed to be much better than usual.  The kids were well behaved and enjoyed the fireworks show.

     Laura has me take a picture of her with the fireworks exploding in the background every year.  She is turning in to a beauty.

First Summer Swim meet

     This year its Jack, Cat and Laura on the swim team during the summer.  Laura is taking her butterfly to a new level and is excelling even at the beginning.  Cat is still new to all this and is trying the breast stroke competitively for the first time.  Last year she was loving the back stroke and Jack had his Free style.  The doctor was tied up with baseball so he didn't compete during this meet.

     Below is Cat competing in the breast stroke.  she's so strong from her gymnastics.  Its not an easy stroke to do but she seems to do real well at it.

       This below is Laura in the free style relay match. 

     And guess who came to visit us from Florida, yes, it was Strawberry shortcake.  With her ever sly smile and glowing personality she fits right in, as usual.