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.  

On Friday, we checked off one of our summer to-do list items: a train ride to Raleigh. I got the idea from a few other friends who had planned similar day trips with their families, and I was excited to do it with my own crew. I purchased the Amtrak tickets a couple of weeks ago. On Friday morning, we left our house around 7:15AM and arrived at the station in Greensboro around 7:45AM. There was a short delay in departure; originally the train was supposed to depart at 8:24AM, but it departed about 15 minutes later. No biggie; the kids had fun exploring the train station. Once on board, it was about a 2-hour trip, and we arrived in Raleigh around 10:30AM. We walked the short distance to the Museum of Natural Sciences, a free museum with four levels and tons of exhibits about the coastal, Piedmont, and mountain regions of North Carolina. We covered the 1st Floor and then headed to the 4th Floor for lunch at the cafe. After lunch, we worked our way back down through the 3rd and 2nd Floors. At 3PM, we watched the T-Rex 3D movie, which was very cool (and a little scary!) We left the museum shortly after 4PM and had dinner along the walk back to the Amtrak station at The Pit. Boomer and I both realized we had eaten at the restaurant separately in the past when we have been in Raleigh for various work-related conferences. It was delicious! On the return trip to Greensboro, there was a similar short delay. We arrived back around 8:45PM, just a little later than the original time of 8:07PM. The kids stayed awake during the entire train journey, but they fell asleep on the last leg of the trip home to Kernersville. We all had a blast and loved our day traveling by train!

Yesterday, Emmy and Eli were invited to a birthday party for our friends Ellie (7) and Landon (5) Mast. The party was at HorsePower Therapeutic Riding Center in High Point. Boomer took them to the party, and I loved seeing the videos of them on the horses. (Just to clarify, Boomer did not ride, just the kids! haha) While Boomer and the kids were at the party, my mom and I went to Blowing Rock for Macy and Dalton Walter's wedding. The wedding was at Chetola, a beautiful resort nestled into the mountain landscape. The ceremony and reception were outside, overlooking the pond on the property. There was a threat of an afternoon thunderstorm, but luckily the rain held off and helped to lower the temperature to a more comfortable upper-70s. Although Boomer had been the original invited guest, I really enjoyed having Mom with me in his place. I figured she would know many more people there, which was definitely true. We both had a great time celebrating the new couple and reconnecting with all the Morganton/Burkemont folks!

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.

On Thursday, I left for my annual trip to North Myrtle Beach with my girlfriends. I rode to the beach with Emily and Carrie on Thursday and returned this evening, catching a ride with Kelly to Raleigh and then getting picked up by my parents for the rest of the trip to Kernersville. When Emily, Carrie, and I arrived on Thursday, we met up with Casey, Caroline, and Coley for a late lunch at Landshark at Barefoot Landing. Then Kelly joined us later at the house, where we were all seven reunited. We had two full days at the beach on Friday and Saturday, followed by delicious dinners, at Crave on Friday and Oyster Rock on Saturday. We are planning an even bigger trip for next summer to celebrate our 40th birthdays, but I do enjoy our beach trips each year. I sure love these girls!

 

While I was away on my girls trip, Emmy and Eli had no shortage of fun with Grammy and Daddy. Grammy watched the kids on Thursday when Boomer was working. They went to 4th of July Park and then to the YMCA pool. On Friday, Boomer was off work and took over as "cruise director."  Unbeknownst to me, he had researched activities ahead of time, and he took the kids to a neat "adventure" putt-putt course in Greensboro called Partee Shack. The course was indoors, and each hole had unique features, like swings, slides, a basketball goal, and even a billiards table for the tee. On Saturday, they went to the movies to see Elio and then to the Science Center after that. Judging from the pictures, they were quite spoiled in my absence. I enjoyed the time away with my friends, and now I am looking forward to another summer week with my kiddos. 

Happy Father's Day!

We had another fabulous week of summer! On Tuesday, we went to Top Golf in Greensboro with the Houstons and Grandpa. It was an early Father's Day celebration with my dad, and the grandkids enjoyed playing Grandpa's favorite sport. At first, Emmy and Eli were a little hesitant, since they thought that we were doing putt-putt instead, but once they warmed up to the idea of hitting the ball further and with bigger clubs, I think they had a good time. I love exposing them to new activities so that as they get older, they are not shy in trying different things. After Top Golf and lunch at Freddy's, we got some donuts to celebrate good report cards, and then Emmy and I got our big summer haircuts - 7 inches for Emmy and 8 inches for me. We both had a bounce in our step after leaving the Great Clips. Eli wrapped up his swim lessons through the YMCA on Thursday. At the conclusion of the six lessons, he can now put his face underwater and can swim for a couple of yards, but he still needs close supervision when in the water. I am considering a second round of swim lessons, but for now, I am trying to be intentional with practicing in the pool when we go. It can make for some tiring pool days for Mommy, but I am hoping all the practice pays off!

At the end of this past week, I attended a two-day induction class for my role as Career Development Coordinator. The classes were at the Department of Public Instruction building in downtown Raleigh, and I drove back and forth both days on Thursday and Friday. The class lasts for 10-weeks, with a final in-person meeting on August 22nd. The online assignments are reminiscent of my graduate program, which admittedly does not bring back the best of memories, but hopefully I will be able to successfully juggle the classwork with my Mom duties this summer. While I was at my class, Boomer held down the fort in Kernersville. He took the kids to the pool on Thursday and then the Science Center on Friday. I was pretty jealous seeing all the fun they were having. I returned home on Friday in time for Maddox's All-Star Game. On Saturday, we were back at the pool during the day, and then we went to the Dash game that evening. It was Little League Night at the ballpark, so the kids wore their jerseys. 

For Father's Day today, we went to church this morning, and then Boomer went back to the Dash (his second game in 24 hours!) with his Dad, Goosie, Kyle, and Trivett. They were up in the fancy Flow Club, and they enjoyed all the food and drinks they could want. In the evening, the kids got in some swings in the backyard. I think it was a rather perfect Father's Day for our favorite Daddy!