AFTER SCHOOL ANTICS

We went home early today, after the heat of field day wore us all out. We relaxed inside the air conditioned house for a while, but were eventually lured out by the sweet kitty that seems to be making our yard her home.

Since we were up and moving again, I decided I should get my 5K in (on the bike, because I was too hot and tired to run in the heat of the afternoon) and the kids decided to join me. Miles are always more fun with company!

STRAWBERRY CUP

James' Rec+ team, The Intruders, played in the Strawberry Cup down in Hammond, Louisiana this weekend. We went down Saturday morning (noon-ish game meant we didn't have to spend Friday night down there), the boys played a couple games, we grabbed a quick lunch and visited a local brewery (Gnarley Barley), then went for a run/bike ride over at Fontainbleau State Park with a stop at the Mandeville Bake Shop for the best donuts ever before their final game and medal ceremony (in Louisiana, there are no semi-finals or finals, or officially recognized placements - every team gets the same medal - but if you're really curious, you can always look at the standings to figure out who the top teams were). The boys played better as the tournament progressed, but again, they really need more time to practice all together if they're going to earn the team skills (and resulting rankings) that the girls team has. Regardless, they learned a good bit and had some fun (we all stayed at the same hotel so that the boys could swim together Saturday evening).

Cora requested this picture and pose, then wanted me to make it "dramatic"... She made herself a flower crown while the boys were warming up for game two. 

Fontainbleau State Park trails:

Taking a walk around the 1.5 mile complex loop while the boys warmed up for game three:

All the teams in James' team's bracket:

I have a feeling our 4th quarter of the school year is going to feature a lot of these incidences:

FINAL DELIVERIES

Today I was a lazy mom. I didn't want to get dressed or deal with people (people meaning my lovely neighbors who would invite me into their homes and chat with me for 20-30 minutes per house because, The South), so I sent the kids, alone on their bikes, with the last 4 cookie deliveries in their backpacks, down around the corner to Tower Drive. I had them take a Walkie-Talkie for safety and they checked in with me before and after they walked up to each house. They were home in less than 10 minutes (I was shocked - I'd have been out for at least an hour) with all cookies delivered and the correct amount of money for each order. So, today's laziness was also a success story. 

I promise not to make a habit of it though ;-)

GETTING BACK IN THE HABIT

Now that the flu is GONE from the house, we celebrated with a running and biking adventure this morning. Now to stay healthy and enjoy this weather!

RUNNING BUDDIES

If Jay and/or I need to squeeze in a few miles after school/work the kids are (usually) more than willing to do a neighborhood loop (1-mile) with us running, then another loop or two on their bikes. Now that it's getting dark so early we've resorted to putting them in the super bright soccer pinnies to make them more visible to drivers coming home from work. While we honestly trust them at home alone for the 10 minutes it takes us to do a loop (we just check in between loops), it's even nicer having the company out there on the road!

SUNDAY STUFFS

Helping mama decorate:

Taking Tenney for a ride around the neighborhood in the new seat Auntie Margie bought her:

Finishing the Lego set Auntie Margie bought him:

Enjoying some afternoon ice cream (because it's warm again already...)

CARA BETH TURNS 9

First, a birthday party at River City Tumble...

...then a sleepover with SIX girls! (Miss Sarah is crazy!)

SOLO SUNDAY KIDS

The kids were gone for HOURS today. (Not GONE, but not at the house or well supervised by us, other than a couple bike rides down the driveway and a lunch break.) They spent the afternoon with our across the street neighbor and his siblings and cousins, running through yards, building forts, riding bikes, and all the fun kid stuff I remember doing when I had hours of (mainly) unsupervised freedom back in the day. They stayed within ear shot, and since we've exchanged phone numbers and Facebook pages with our neighbors, we were able to keep track of them without actually interfering in their play. It was cool to see them do so well with the freedom, and nice to see them SO HAPPY (and exhausted) when they came home for dinner. (We made them hose themselves off outside first, since they'd been playing in the mud, post rain storm.)

LABOR DAY LAZIES

We had planned to camp down at Fontainbleau State Park this weekend (we camped there once before during an ice storm and declined to stay a second freezing night, so we've been itching to go back ever since), but the pouring rain and potential for flooded campsites kept us home. We tried to keep the kids outside as much as possible anyway (despite a good bit of rain at home too) and they ended up spending almost an entire day playing with our across the street neighbor, so that was cool. Lots of yardwork, bike riding (both solo, with the neighbor kid, and following mama and/or daddy while we ran), and Lego play.

(Making homemade shower bombs with the new essential oils Jay ordered)

(Lazy Lego play...)

(Skyping with Grambot and PawPaw)

(Putting up the Ninjaline slackline)

(Trimming small trees and bushes that were in the way of the new swing)

(Showing us how strong she is)

(Riding bikes at work while mama and daddy ran, just after a storm blew through)

(Posing for mama after riding up and down the driveway a million times, then bravely riding around the neighborhood - well, to the stop sign - all by themselves!)