Bay State Games at Harvard

Laura is still in recovery from her shoulder injury and this was her first major tourney on her route to recovery.  You wouldn't have known it from her results.  She ended up with a Gold, Silver and Bronze

medal.  Saturday meant getting there at 7am and going home at 830pm and Sunday we got the same start but got home around 7....though we went to dinner at the Shake Shack in Harvard Square before we went home.

Cat came with us on Sunday.....Her and I played some

whiffleball at the football stadium...i was waiting to get thrown out but it never happened.

Bay State Games Day 1

Road Racing on the Fourth

We usually do a road race on the fourth, only this time it was up north at the lake.  Laura and Erin took the race off because they had the Bay State games to prepare for but the rest of us were ready to go.

Laken it for the fourth

My little angel wanted me to take pictures of her on the dock.    Her moves are incredible

 Our annual Fourth of July picture with Laura and the fireworks in the background.  This year we went to the lake and there is this guy who lights firworks off of his own private barge in the lake.  His show was as good as any, really entertaining for the kids.....and adults.

      Nana decided to take a ride on the paddle boats with Laura.  She did very well and thankfully didnt fall....Umple Eddie was up a couple of days earlier and couldnt say the same.  He lost his expensive  sunglasses in the lake, to never be seen again....poor ump

      Jimmy and Jake took over the garage and made it into their own little video gaming area.  I was told by both that i'll have to increase the power of the internet at the site...oh boy

      On the third they had an awesome setup of jumpy jumpies and competition courses that Cat and Erin took part in.  They had a dance at night too...I didnt get to bust the move with them because i was off with the other kids....

Last day of bus

      If its drama you want, look no further.  I am keenly aware that we are coming across the lasts of things here.  Today marked the last day of putting kids on buses to school.  Can I tell you something?? Its horrible!!!  Every morning, like it or not since Jimmy was in kindergarten we have made our way down the corner of the street and played catch with a tennis ball.  All of the kids joined in on it through the years and it was just something that i took for granted.  It was just part of my day.  ohhh its hitting me that its over!!  I suppose its just time for new things and guess what Jackie asked me today??  He said-Can we still play catch every morning next year before I go to middle school??  Well, of course we can Jackie!!  I just have to go to sleep earlier....New traditions!!!  okay, now i feel better!!

Annual bike ride to school day...

      Ahhh, is this really the last annual bike ride to school day.  He talks about it all year long.  It is a fun thing to do, just different.  We get to ride on the main street and see the bus ride by us. 

Laura's semi-formal...

     Laura was all set to go to this semi with her friends and no date.  Most people dont have a date for it.  But then......word got leaked that she was going with Will.  Such a wondrous change of events.  I'm told they are just going as friends but he is such a good boy.  When we were taking pictures he actually gave me a hug.  What a great kid.  We've known Will for quite some time and he and I used to share a secret handshake.  Laura looked so beautiful too.  Just look at her, always happy and smiling.  Umple came by and shared in our excitement of sending her off.  I think Laura got sick of taking pictures.  

Oh my little hippie angel.  She was so beautiful.

Oh look at them...!!!

undefeated champions

     The Hurricanes went through the year undefeated!!!  They have such a fun group of kids and Laura and Cat played really well all year.  Coach Mark is such a great guy and has alot of patience with the kiddo's.  They have fun and thats what matters!!

Field Day

I was lucky enough to be chosen to chaperone twice in one week.  This time i was with the Big Bertha game.  There was a big ball and the kids were given soccer ball size balls and they were to keep the ball from going in their square only by throwing balls at the bigger ball.  I was there to chase down the stray balls that get thrown and miss Big Bertha.  I was exhausted by the end of the field day.  Jacks friends were all funny because now they have seen me in school a number of times and we are like old buddies.  This game is another where the students can go under the multicolored fabric and when they all stand up the softall sized balls on top go flying.  I did that one before too.  How sad that this will be the last field day i'll be able to chaperone in grade school....

D

Field Trip with Jackies fourth grade class

Jackie came to me last week all excited and told me that I had been chosen to be a chaperone to the Mills in Lowell.  I had done that trip in years past but i didnt exactly remember signing up.  Thats okay, I just got 'chosen' to participate in field day next Tuesday and I swear I didnt sign up for that one either.  Believe me, its awesome that he still wants me to go and I only joke about it because i love it......But he is a riot.

Jackie in between all the big machines.

     I remember this exercise from the other kids where they had to pretend to be engineers and build a way to hoist baskets up a ramp.  They get forty five minutes to figure it all out.  They did a great job working their way through it.

     There was a very good crew of kids.  They were all well behaved and I  didnt lose any kids in my group.  Thats always a plus..

They were all showing me their best photo bombs

Memorial Day Weekend 2017...The sumnmer begins

Erin can cook....and she loves doing it.  Here she has a breakfast waffle with a whole can of whipped cream and strawberries on it.

  Erin in the Kayake and Cat and Laura on the boards.  They went around the lake like pro's.

Jimmy caught on with a volleyball game with the big boys.  He was making the old dawgs tired.  

It was a great weekend, the weather was great and there was plenty of food and fun for all.  I think Erin is putting in papers to be adopted so she came with us...She really loves it up North.

   Jackie was kept busy with some games of newcomb and was fetching the ball for the big kids game.

     Eileen and Jack, Kyle and Kaylee and Trevor came to the beach on Sunday.  Eileen played Uno with the kids and Lyn and Jack and I kept watch of the lake...its still there!!  Trevor was so good playing with Jack..there was some game that is all the rage now and of course we have it too...but it looked like Jackie held his own with it.

Erin  and Cat on the boards

     We also had a nice fire at night on Friday and the kids made some great s'mores.  I love the burned ones.
  On sunday we also had a serious game of cornhole that I think Jimmy and Catherine beat Jackie and I in the finals.  These kids don't like losing!!!  It was fun !!

boy, can i light a fire !!!