Summer is my favorite!

This past week of summer was the perfect mix of activities. We returned to some of our favorite places and visited some new places too. Earlier in the week, the kids and I went to Reynolda, where we enjoyed walking down to the waterfall and then of course getting fresh doughnuts from Dough Joe's. On Tuesday, we went to the downtown public library and the nearby Dinosaur Washington Park. Midweek, we did a pool day with the Houstons and Williamses. Pool days now last almost five hours and can fill the whole afternoon between lunch and dinner. It's funny how the rhythm of the summers have changed over the years, depending on the kids' ages. Gone are the days of rushing home by 1PM to put babies down for their naps. While some days (okay...most days!) my body still would like an afternoon rest, we usually go hard until sundown, when we all collapse from a day well spent. 

 

This week saw us accomplishing several of our summer to-do list items. On Thursday, Megan and I took the four cousins to Great Wolf Lodge. The kids received free passes from a fundraiser at school, so we planned a day to use the passes when the Dads would be at work. After an essential stop for coffee, we were on the road by 8:30AM. Our planning was perfect; we arrived to GWL just before 10AM when the water park opened. We did it all: the slides, the wave pool, the outdoor pool, water basketball. Although the park stayed open until 8PM, we were changing into dry clothes just before 7PM, which meant we still enjoyed 9 hours of water park fun. After a dinner stop on the way home, we returned to Kernersville around 9:15PM. It was a full day, and the cousins sure had a blast! (And the moms too!)

On our Friday with Daddy, we checked off another summer to-do list item: Bethabara Park. Emmy went to Bethabara during a recent field trip with school, and she was excited to be our tour guide. We walked around the original settlement, the gardens, and to the cemetary called "God's Acre." There was an informational demonstration on colonial medicine, and it was interesting to learn about the early uses of plants and herbs. After Bethabara, we went to lunch at The Daily Basket in Germanton, which was another to-do list item. We were on a roll! A mix between a general store and a sandwich shop, the Daily Basket had indoor and outdoor seating and a delicious menu, perfect for a summer lunch. We enjoyed our meal and then purchased some candy by the pound. We love our Fridays with Daddy!

This weekend saw us back at the ballfield for the conclusion of the 8U All-Star Tournament. The team played their fourth pool play game at 11AM on Saturday, and after that game, with a 4-0 record, they secured the second overall seed (out of 13 teams!) Eight teams moved forward to the bracket play, and our Walkertown boys immediately played again in a nail biter that ended in a 6-5 victory. In the last inning, Rowan had the bases loaded and only one out. Coach Boomer called a well-timed meeting at the mound, and the Walkertown infield excecuted the two final outs to secure the win. Four teams advanced to today's semi-finals, and our Walkertown boys faced a tough team from East Chatham. Although it was a pretty ugly loss, we are so proud of the team for making it so far. It was exciting to play on the final day of the tournament, especially as the host site. The boys were 5-1 over the two weekends, and in addition to the baseball, we enjoyed the time with family and friends...not to mention, the sweet treats at the ballpark! The good news is: Eli's baseball isn't over quite yet. He will be playing next weekend in the 7U All-Star Tournament hosted at Southwest Little League in Clemmons. The boy loves baseball and will be ready to take the field again on Friday!