Let the countdown begin!

To say that I am just a little excited to be an aunt again would be an understatement! We are lucky to have 23 nieces and nephews on Doug's side and now I get to have one on my side, too! We found out on Father's Day that Brandon and Erika are expecting a baby around Christmastime. What an awesome surprise!! Here is how we found out . . . .

Needless to say, when they pulled the cover off the cake, it was a big moment around here. I was completely overcome with emotion. Can't wait! It's great timing because Bennett should be home, too. Speaking of Bennett, we got this photo from him today . . . he and a teammate standing inside Fenway Park in Boston, MA, where he got to take batting practice. He is playing in the prestigious Cape Cod league this summer and finally getting his bearings on the east coast.

Our other countdown around here is for Kaiya's and my trip to Cable, Wisconsin at the end of July for gymnastics camp. I'm a little nervous about what I've gotten myself into, but we're really looking forward to it. I'm going to spend a few days at our church Girl's Camp to get tuned up as camp RN. I hope I'm ready!! Spending the last 9 months as an ER nurse should help, but I'm still not feeling super confident.

Our summer days are going by too quickly! Cooper lives on the baseball field and golf course, Kaiya has gym 4 days a week, and Kinley is doing gym as well now. I have never seen Cooper so tired as I did on Tuesday night. He played 3 hours of baseball, 3 hours of golf and then went to a Rockies game with Papa. Rough life he has! It's been a learning year for baseball playing all of these high school kids, but his team has really improved and Coop just keeps getting better both behind the plate and at the plate. He could play all day, every day.

We've squeezed in a few fun pool days and time with friends, but it's all going by too fast. :( The girls have not spent ONE night in their own beds alone this summer--they've bunked together anywhere and everywhere--the basement, the floor in their rooms, etc. Fun to see them being buddies! They've been so good that I rewarded them by taking them to get feathers in their hair.

Getting ready to catch some air from dad

Their beloved feathers

We're looking forward a fun 4th of July weekend as a family. After Cooper's double header in Cheyenne, we may have stopped at a fireworks stand on the way home and we MAY be planning a little show in our driveway.

Pyro Jr. is a little excited about Wyoming fireworks

Girl's got moves!

Miss Kinley had her big dance recitals on Saturday and I'm telling you--this girl's got moves! We didn't realize that her 4 performances would be split into two different sessions, so we literally were there most all day! As exhausting as sitting through all that has been in the past, I have to say (as did my mom and dad) that the show was actually quite entertaining. The studio had its big 25 year celebration and the talent from the older kids was amazing!

After multiple studio changes and drama trying to fit in, I am so proud of this girl. We almost threw in the towel a few months ago when the drama was at its peak, but I'm so proud of her for sticking with it. She was the very youngest in her ballet and her hip hop dances (a couple of the girls were Kaiya's age!) and she not only hung in there, but she really knew her stuff!

She is going to take a break from dance and try some other things like soccer and volleyball and if she wants to come back to dance someday, she can. We all just needed this break!

Here are my two favorite of her performances. The videos are horrible quality, but you can see enough to see how great this girl did.

Belle of the Ball

Imma Bee

September

Ready for the show

My cute bee

After the show

Lots of proud observers

Meanwhile, Coop has been so knee deep in baseball, that I don't know how this kid does it. He has at least 3 games a week and another 6 hours of practice. And he still can't get enough! He played in a tournament this last weekend with all sophmores and juniors in high school with a handful of freshman and incoming 8th graders and just did great. Even had a 2 RBI double to help his team win one game. He is being coached by the high school head coach and getting some amazing exposure. Crazy to think that high school is just not that far away! He wasn't thrilled to leave baseball, but he's off to scout camp this week. I'm not as nervous as I was last year, but I still don't love him being gone.

Just a slight height difference

Our other big event of the week was Bennett's homecoming. He brought his girlfriend, Casady, home with him and we got to spend a whole day with them. Bennett got to see a little of Kaiya's gym practice, Kinley's recital rehearsal and one of Cooper's games. The kids were in heaven! He is off to Boston now, playing in the prestigious Cape Cod league until school starts. What a week it was!!

Snuggle time

Watching Kaiya at gym

Just the girls

Sibling shot

A rare time with all of us together

Coop and Papa