Summer 2012

Do not panic. This is not a figment of your imagination. This is an actual NEW blog post from the Skelton casa. I know my last post was in May, but I swear in my time frame that was like 2 weeks ago!! And I truly have about 100 other things I SHOULD be doing right now...but alas, I'm doing somthing I WANT to do. You  might want to get a cup of coffee, turn a show on for the kids, whatever you need to do as this is a long one...So here goes...

A day after school was out we headed to California.  We traveled to the Newport Coast area.  Between LA and San Diego.  Wow.  I've never been to the west coast.  Gorgeous.  Not what I was expecting.  We were right on highway 1.  Little coastal towns and not much traffic.  We spent a lot of time in Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar. 

We attended an Angels game...for Evan....they were playing the Yankees.

Spent one day in LA. Took the kids to Hollywood walk of fame (Yikes and more yikes. Not a kid friendly area. But very eye opening for E and H.); saw the Hollywood sign; Capital Records and then on to Santa Monica Pier via Beverly Hills and Rodeo drive...and if you love Rodney Carrington like we do...it is Rodeeeo drive. ;)

We spent a day on the ocean on a whale watching trip.  Seeing the whales and the dolphins was really cool.  But I had a major flashback to Disneyworld...at one point Evan and Haley were both asleep, one laying on my shoulder the other on my lap.  E, especially had bad sea sickness.  Of course Sophia LOVED it.  Ran all over.  Went up front, went down below.  Our little miss no fear.  :)

The resort we stayed at was wonderful.  Beautifully landscaped with awesome views of ocean.  We spent one whole day just exploring it.  Very family friendly. 

OK...that's most of vacation...too much to put all on here.  I highly recommend the area we went to for anyone wishing 70 degree temps, sunshine and lots to do. 

And then there was baseball....Lord help us.  We started baseball practice in Feb. with games starting in March.  We just finished last week.  Can you feel my enthusiasm?  Evan enjoyed it though and I'm happy to say he played with a great bunch of boys.  He played the first part of season with a 14 and under team and then played with a Jr. legion 16 and under team to finish the summer.  It was strange to watch him go from the oldest to the youngest.  He did a great job.  Of course most moms do say that about their sons..I'm no different.  :)

Here is E with 2 of his best buds after last baseball game. They were the "babes" of the 16 and under team.

Haley went to K-State camp again.  She went to church camp from Mon. to Fri. (They maybe sleep about 4 hours a night at church camp).  Then left for K-state camp on Sun.  Unfortunately she got sick and had all kinds of other excitement...like losing her meal card, breaking her phone, not getting the right roommate...but she survived like a trooper and wants to go back next year.  :)

I keep telling Jon to hold onto his hat because his little Miss Haley is about to turn into a young woman...she's grown up so much since getting those braces off.  I feel sorry for any boy that asks her out...gotta go through major screening from dad, but then also Evan and all his friends who are like brothers to her too...

Got her to try on my wedding dress...

Sophia Paige has kept busy this summer with swimming, biking, gardening, book club, coloring, painting, watching Little Bear and WordGirl and any trouble she could get herself into.  She starts kindergarten in a few weeks and Jon and I really hope we get along with the teacher because we're fairly certain we'll all be on a first name basis rather quickly.  :)

Trying on Mommy's wedding dress too...

And this about sums her up...a princess about to karate chop you.  ;)  Her uncles will appreciate the hissing face....

And now for a right of passage moment...  E drove all by himself to work and practice today.  He's been working on a farm all summer and he got his farm permit yesterday.  A friend of mine told me several years ago "God has a funny way of cutting the apron strings."  And a year ago I would be having a panic attack thinking about him driving by himself, but after a summer of 6 am weights, 8 am out to work, back from work, baseball practice, summer basketball, summer football evening practice and just life as a teen...I am so ready for him to drive himself and me to take the taxi job to part time.  His great grandad cannot drive his 5speed truck anymore due to neuropathy in his feet and hands so he gave his truck to Evan.  What a gift!!  And Evan loves it!

 

I'm sure by now your eyes need a break from the computer.  Thanks for stopping by and catching up on about a fourth of our summer!  Haha!  Here's to the last 3 weeks before school.  I am about to be the mom of a kindergartener, middle schooler and high schooler...holy smokes...I may have to invest in some 5 hour energy drinks!

Stay away from fast summers...and run to being ornery, growing up and driving for the 1st time!