Summer 2014

Now that the Fourth of July is in sight, and the fair falling just beyond that, it's that time where you better start enjoying every single sunny summer day (what few there are) because soon it's going to be Labor Day!

Summer for me means a few things -

No socks, just flip flops.

No pants, just khaki shorts.

Two Fridays.  Since I teach at the ALC in the summer, we don't have classes on Friday.  So that means Thursday is really my first Friday and everyone else's Friday (like today) is my second Friday.  I can live with that.

No worries on Sunday.  Usually I spend Sundays lesson planning, correcting papers, and so on.  In the summer, though, I don't have any worries about that.

Coronas as I make supper (often on the grill).  Actually, now that I'm running seriously and trying to lose very stinking pound that I can, I drink Michelobe Ultra.

Parks, parks, and more parks.  So far this summer the only park we haven't made it to is Lions park.  But we might just hit that one today.

T-ball.  Kenz is in her second year of T-ball.  Wednesday was her first practice.  It started off a bit rough because she was super shy since her best buddy, Gabe, isn't in it this year.  So now she's all on her own.  But once her coaches, Megan and Josh, made her feel comfortable, she was having a great time.  As an added bonus, Mr. Nodrine's son is in it too, so each time we get to spend the practice BSing.  It makes the practice go by in about ten minutes.

Reading.  It seems like I can never do enough reading.  Each day I try to knock off a couple chapters of whatever book I happen to be reading (now it's Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge From Small Discoveries by Peter Sims).  The only problem is that as soon as I read something interesting, it sparks an idea of something I want to try in class.  So then I'm off to the computer.  That usually leads to a series of Tweets or a blog post or emails.  Thus, I don't get enough reading done.

So far, though, here is the focus of this summer -

Hulk, Smash!

Cash is wondering what happened to his S'more! While Kenz grapples with how to eat hers without her front two teeth. 

All cheese!

She's an expert already at roasting marshmallows. Our first bonfire of the summer.

All cheese again at the park.

Kenz smiling too.

Trips to Playland are a must.  Cash came up to me and informed me, "I'm not a little boy anymore!"  Apparently, he braved the highest part of Playland.  It  must be a rite of passage for the little ones.  He was quite pleased with himself.

It helps to have his big sister helping him too.

And this is what happens when Cash gets hold of my cell phone.

Selfie time.

Kenzie with coach Josh. He's a brave man to stand close to her with a bat.

Kenz heads for first (with a bit of urging from Josh).

Kenz was pretty excited to reach third.