Basketball Anyone???

 Gabe loves basketball- LOVES basketball. We love GABE so we SURPRISED him for his birthday and put in a basketball "court" in the backyard. It was not easy but somehow, everything worked out. I stole, I mean borrowed, the concrete guys from my next door neighbor mid way through their patio project. The concrete guy just happened to work for the Great Escape installing, none other than, Gorilla Basketball systems!!!! So less than a week later we were playing basketball! We still have to stencil the lines and landscape around, but Gabe and Ben do not seem to mind! I think Gabe's next love should be hot tubs don't you???

Last Day Of School 2013

Last day as a 2nd grader and a fifth grader!

 The last time Ben and Gabe will be on the same bus. Next year their pick up times are an hour apart-

Yippeeeeeeee!

Welcome to SummerI

Celebrating our 5th grade promotion

Upward Flag football 2013

Baseball Summer 2013

 Our regular season of baseball is winding down here.Gabe's team played their first tournament game tonight and won. They  will play a second game late this week.  After the regular season wraps up, Gabe will be continuing baseball throughout July on one of the  All Star Teams.We are so proud of Gabe. He will be traveling to several tournaments in Indiana and Michigan.

Ben's 5th Grade Promotion

Walking in- I think he really wanted to run!

 Singing the Northpoint school song one last time!

 Ben received the presidential award for academic excellence- we were so proud of him!!!

 Ben and Payton

 Ben and Mason

 Ben and Nicholas. The very first friend Ben met when we moved to Indiana

 Ben and Dominic

 Ben, Dominic and Jasmine

 Daniel, Dominic and Ben

 Ben and Riley

 Ben and Justin

 Ben and Ms. Ruthig. Ben's favorite teacher.

Summer Bucket List

Every, single time I am on Pinterest lately I am bombarded by cute summer bucket lists. I am ashamed to admit, I have fallen victim to past summer bucket lists. However, I am older and wiser this summer (or maybe tired and old) so our summer bucket list is easy- SURVIVE!
This summer I refuse to feel like I am not enough, that my momhood is in jeopardy if we do DO things. I will not let a list run my life especially one that will surely fail.
If that means Pop Tarts for breakfast-OK
If that means video games for hours on end-OK
If that means no showers-OK
Pajamas all day-OK
Wear your clothes to bed- OK
Turn those clothes inside out and wear them the next day-OK
Brush the jelly of your face with your toothbrush and then use it to brush your teeth-OK

Summer is not about lists- mine or another Moms. So what if I do not take a trip on Tuesdays or have any fresh fun on Friday.So what if  the only thing I will make on Mondays will be breakfast and then they are on their own.
We MIGHT think to
 go to the beach
go to the zoo
learn to knit
collect flowers
sniff flowers
press flowers
eat flowers
But--- I doubt it.

When August rolls around and all of the overachieving moms with lists are exhausted and unfulfilled, I will be smiling inside because I just had to do one thing-
SURVIVE!