Lovin' summertime

We are a summertime-loving family. Always have been. This summer, we joined Lifetime Fitness in part because they have an amazing pool and we have been living there. I'm loving the fitness classes and not loving the couple times I've missed sunscreen in spots.

Kinley can swim so well on her own now and she's even brave enough to do the big slides. Our neighbor joined as well, so we've had lots of pool dates and I've let the kids bring friends. I just love watching them enjoy the water--it's childhood happiness at it's best! They have all been getting along really well, too, which is an added bonus. I think my girls have only slept in separate beds four times all summer.

No fear on the slides!

Best buds

Fish!

Lining up his put

Cooper had a baseball game in Estes Park a few weeks ago and Uncle Bennett and his girlfriend, Shila, were able to come. We spent most of the day up there, had lunch, bought candy, and then watched the team get their butts kicked. Oh, well. Coop loved having Uncle B there helping them all warm up and being in the stands. At least he had a few great plays behind the plate. He has also loved playing a ton of golf and has a few tournaments to go.

Estes fun

Thanks, Uncle B!

Kaiya is excited to have learned how to do a cartwheel on the high beam by herself and that she has started piano lessons.

We are looking forward to boating with the family on Friday and having a fun Fourth with friends and family. In July, we will head to Utah for about a week and then in August a trip to Grand Lake. And, to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary last week, we booked a trip to Hawaii over Thanksgiving with my best friend and her husband. Can't wait! It just doesn't get any better than summertime!!

After a day in the sun

Baseball, baseball and more baseball!

Between Bennett, Cooper and the Rockies, we are enjoying a summer of nothing but baseball. I was missing both of my grandmothers today as I was typing this post. My grandmother on my dad's side used to listen to baseball games on her headphones at night and was known to even stay up late to listen to the end of a Rockies game when they played on the west coast. My grandmother on my mom's side wanted to know who won the Indians game shortly after giving birth to my mom. I guess I come by my love the of the game pretty naturally.

Cooper's season started a couple weeks ago, but their first game was rained out after only two innings. Then, last week, they lost a heartbreaker against Estes Park. Last night, they won a nailbiter in the top of the 7th inning 13-12. Coop had two awesome base hits (the video is terrible, but I still love the sound of a good base hit) and played pretty well behind the plate. He was wiped out by the end of the game, dripping with sweat, but as happy as I've ever seen him. His fist pumps after the game rivaled that of Tiger Woods' fresh off a PGA win. It is so fun to be a part of the same team again this year. His coaches are amazing and the team has good chemistry.

As if little league isn't enough, Bennett's baseball saga has been a week-long event. He ultimately decided to turn down a six figure offer to sign with the Braves and go to ORU to play there. It was a gut-wrenching decision that included some tears, but we all feel very good about his decision. He will be eligible for the draft again in 3 years, so we are looking forward to doing this all over again then! We got to meet his asst coach at ORU and I see now why he feels he belongs at that school. Can't wait to fly to Tulsa next spring and watch him play!

Bennett was selected to play in the Colorado Top 50 game at Coors Field this last weekend. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans and the game had to be rescheduled. But, we did get to watch the Rockies win their 11th straight game first. We sat in the owners' seats directly behind the Rockies dugout. The players were so close we could have reached out and touched them (I restrained myself). Cooper's eyes were pretty big throughout the game.

Focused

Photos of my fav players up close and personal!

Front row, baby!

15th round!!!!

We just watched Bennett get drafted live in the 15th round by the Atlanta Braves. He was Braves' first catcher selected, the first catcher from Colorado selected, the third player from from Colorado selected and the 15th H.S. catcher in the nation selected. He is meeting with a representative from the Braves today at the same time that his college coach is flying in to see him play tonight. No pressure, eh? He will have to make a decision by early August. I completely lost it watching it all unfold. This is all so surreal. No matter what he decides, this is one incredible kid. We love you, Bennett!!!

Stay tuned . . . . Here is the video of the pick:

Recital day at last!

Kinley will tell you that she didn't think her recital day would ever come, but it finally did. After doing a major countdown for the last month, the big day arrived. Kinley has never done dance before, but she has such an outgoing personality and no fear. Dance was kind of a natural fit for her. She just started five months ago and last night was her big debut. She was so exited to have my parents and Uncle Brandon and Aunt Erika there, too. Cooper and especially Kaiya were her biggest fans. I loved watching how proud Kaiya was of her and how nervous she got for her sister. She was a big help during the hair and make-up session. :)

I have to admit, I was a bit of a grouch before the recital about the cost, the makeup (putting makeup on my 5-year-old still feels sick and wrong) and the whole production, but it was cute and funny enough to bring me to tears last night.

Having never done this before, she didn't even understand when we gave her flowers at the end that they were hers to keep. And, my little clumsy one was sporting a huge green bruise in the center of her forehead after running head-first into my dad's sliding glass door that was a bit too clean.The video is forthcoming (gotta borrow a clip from a friend or get the dance studio's copy--it will be worth your wait to see but ours did not turn out good), but here are some pics of the show.

Their dance was to the Wicked song Popular and Kinley got to play the lead role in spots. I was so impressed with these 5 little girls, ages 5 and 6, who all memorized a very long number. At one point toward the end, Kinley was trying to relay a forgotten part to her fellow dancers because her teacher was sitting right by the stage signaling instructions. Hilarious!

Perhaps the funniest story came as we were riding home and she was trying to figure out when we snuck away to get the flowers for her. I told her daddy got them at King Soopers and she

very matter-of-factly said, "Well, for my next recital, would it be too much to ask for flowers and a donut? King Soopers has the best donuts!" What a character and a blessing she is in our home!

I'm a ballerina!

Such cuties!

Hmm. . . maybe a little ahead of the music?

Loving the flowers

Proud grandma

Can't believe this is our baby

Gasping for air!

I like busy.  Busy likes me.  We are a happy couple for the most part.  I thrive on keeping up with the rat race, but I am beat to a pulp.  Done.  Finished.  If you see me curled up in the fetal position on my front lawn, please just let me be.  

In the last week, I/we have:

- Sold 2 cars in 48 hrs.

- Bought one car after driving 100 miles round trip

- Took Kaiya to a gymnastics meet (her last until the fall)

- Attended Kaiya's end of soccer season party

- Watched Coop play in his first 18-hole golf tournament

- Celebrated 2 birthdays with the extended family

- Took 3 kids shopping for said birthday party gifts

- Attended 2 church meetings

- Planted a garden

- Went to the grocery store at midnight

- Took the dog in to get groomed so he could see

- Got rid of bird's nest in our BBQ grill

- Finally learned how to french braid my girls' hair (yipee!)

- Gutted a stand alone freezer after it thawed due to naughty children who didn't close it tight    (thawed popsicle residue is better than super glue in case you wondered)

- Installed landscaping lighting

I might put a DO NOT DISTURB sign on my bedroom door and come out sometime next week . . . about the time that Kinley has a dance recital rehearsal and Cooper has his first baseball game within an hour of each other.  :)

Doesn't even look nervous

Hanging with her gym buddies

3rd place and a sunburn