I thought summer was for relaxing

We just finished a crazy busy week.    Last Friday was the last day of school.  We had a pool party with friends - and lightning and thunder - right after school.  We had to skip Carl's summer camp at the college for the party.  Even with the amount of time they had to stay out of the water, they really had fun playing with all their classmates one last time before summer vacation.

 Then, Saturday, we opted not to do a couple things (bug kids' music festival and a building workshop at Lowe's ) we thought we might have wanted to do because we had Carl's summer camp from 11 - 2 as a Family Fun Day.  It was outside and HOT!  But, the kids enjoyed using the parachute, playing t-ball, lacrosse with water balloons, other water balloon games, playing frisbee and other fun outdoor games as well as  painting craft project.  One instructor made homemade pizza with tomatoes on it - and Carl loved it!  They enjoyed grapes, watermelon and apples, too.  This group usually meets on Saturdays and they do some kind of juicing for the participants to try.

Then, we left there and headed to our favorite toy store for a Frozen party!  They had Anna and Elsa there as well as crafts and snacks.  TCBY donated a great "frozen treat for everyone as well.  Carl was not so into the sing-along, but he enjoyed the snowman snack and the frozen yogurt!

Sunday was Father's Day!

Then, we started our busy week!  Swimming lessons in the mornings, then on Monday and Tuesday - the college camp.  By now, they were including Gretchen in all the events as well as the other siblings.  They started each day with an hour of swimming!  Then, down to the gym for some tennis with wiffle balls, calisthenics, riding the big tricycle, and some basketball.  Then, off to do a craft!  We had to leave early, though - because at 3:00 we had to be down to the library for stop motion camp.  That was fun.  They had 8 kids signed up and split into groups of 2, but Carl and his buddy Wesley really wanted to work together.  No problem except Wesley's little brother didn't want to work with Gretchen.  So, she and I paired up.  The 3 boys did their Pokemon movie while Gretchen and I got to do whatever we wanted.  We set up a Farmer's Market for our story.

So, today is Thursday and everything is done for the week.  In between swimming lessons and Stop Motion camp, we grabbed burgers at a great local joint on our way to the aquarium for a quick look at he photography exhibit there right now.  My camera club has an exhibit there of local landmarks that runs all summer.  I have 2 images on display.

So, we finished up our movie and got to watch the other groups' as well.  Tomorrow we have nothing on our calendar!  Swimming lessons go next Mon - Thursday as well, but the other camps are done.

So - a few pictures.....
here's a shot Gretchen took underwater of her bff swimming after the last day of school...

lacrosse with water balloons (someone told me Gretchen had a great throw and she should play...  so, whaddya think, Rodney?)  About half of them broke when people tossed them.  Some of her other shots made the target.  

the Frozen party...  craft time

 Carl's favorite - the snacking!  You could make a cute snowman with toothpicks to hold him together and icing to hold on the face things, but he just wanted to eat.  Gretchen asked, "Why is there a bowl of pills here?"  Guess she had never seen tic tacs before.  Ha ha!

 picture after the sing along!

and finally - the 2 stop motion movies.  They had 8 kids in this camp and wanted 4 groups of 2, but Carl and his bff insisted that they be together.  Then, his little brother wouldn't work with Gretchen.  So, those boys were a group of 3 and Gretchen & I got to work by ourselves!  We were psyched!  She was the only girl in the group and based on the amount of killing, ninjas, fire and fighting that went on in the other 3 movies... that was quite obvious.

Gretchen's movie:  The Farmer's Market


Carl, Wes and Logan's movie:  Pokemon Z A battles