We've had another fun week of summer! Have I started all of my summer posts with that same sentence?? It's true though; each week has been packed full of fun. This week, we had three pool days: two days at the YMCA and one day at the Branchwood Pool with Emmy's softball friend Eva. On Monday night, Boomer and I snuck in a dinner date thanks to Aunt Megan. She had graciously been offering to watch the kiddos for a sleepover all summer, and it took some finagling to coordinate our schedules. In the end, we found a date when unfortunately the eldest cousin was away at church camp. The other three missed Zander, but they sure had fun making a fort, eating corn on the cob, having Drumsticks for dessert, and watching a movie, complete with popcorn. With our kid-free evening, Boomer made a reservation for a 6PM dinner at Hamilton's Steakhouse. He had the ribeye with a loaded baked potato, while I had the shrimp scampi. For dessert, we ordered the Bananas Foster, and it came out in the tradition flambeed style - on fire! On Tuesday morning, we further capitalized on being kid-free by going to the gym together and even stopping for coffee afterward at a new coffee place called Savage Roasters. It was a treat to enjoy some one-on-one time together. Thank you, Aunt Megan! I met back up with her and the kids on Tuesday morning for a movie at the Grand. We love the cheap summer movies!
Friday, July 11, 2025
Pool Daze
Sunday, July 6, 2025
4th of July
We continued with a full line-up of summer activities this past week. On Monday and Tuesday, we spent back-to-back days at the pool. Then on Wednesday, Grammy and Grandpa took all the grandkids to Kaleideum. We spent several hours exploring all the exhibits. The kids especially enjoyed being creative in the MakerSpace and in the theater. From the Kaleideum, Boomer picked me up so that we could head to a double date (and a double header!) at the Dash with our friends Brian and Michelle Moore. While we were at the ballpark, the kids spent the rest of the evening with Grammy and Grandpa at the church's 4th of July picnic. On Thursday, Emmy, Eli, and I went to the Science Center. We had fun walking around the zoo outside first and then cooling off inside at the aquarium, reptiles, and dinosaurs.
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Train Ride to Raleigh
Temperatures this past week tipped into the upper 90s, and at certain points, even into triple digits! With the heat, we spent a lot of time at the pool. The first four days of the week followed the same rhythm: Emmy had a basketball camp in the morning 9AM - 11AM, and then we headed to the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Emmy enjoyed the basketball camp and picked right back up from the skills she had during the Upward season last winter. The camp was hosted by Coach Robinson and the Winston-Salem Stealers, and it was all-girls, ages 1st through 8th Grades. Emmy's friends Heidi and Smith also signed up for the camp. It was great for Emmy to brush up on her basketball skills, after several months of softball. Other big events this week included Emmy losing not one, but TWO, teeth and celebrating Aunt Megan's birthday. This time last year, we celebrated her birthday in ENGLAND, so by comparison, it was a simpler affair, with dinner at East Coast Wings and a cookie cake.
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Girls' Beach Trip
There was only one day this past week that Emmy, Eli, and I were all three together, and that was on Monday. We met up with Megan, Kathryn, and Kennedy Roberson for a play date at Hanes Park. We walked around the Reynolds track, and then the kids splashed around in the creek. For the next two days after that, Emmy had a softball camp at Starmount. Since the camp was close to Boomer's work, Emmy rode along with him, and after the camp was over, she spent the rest of the afternoon at his office. I think she equally enjoyed the time with Daddy as she did at the softball camp. Through these camps and the experience of All-Stars, Emmy is definitely sharpening her skills and improving in her hitting and fielding. Boomer recently made some equipment upgrades for both kiddos. When they originally began the sport, they were using borrowed, hand-me-down items, and now they each have a new glove and bat. Both kids continue to show a lot of interest in sports, and as long as they do, we will continue to encourage them. During the two days that Emmy was at softball camp, Eli and I spent one day at the pool and then the other day at the movies and the park. If I could describe Eli in one word, it would be "joyful." He is so pleasant, always energetic, and so excited to do anything. He is all-around a happy kid, and the one-on-one time with him reminded me of his joyfulness.
