A weak review of the week

The first week of summer vacation is already in the books and we tried to keep the kids busy and edutained. Soccer was still in full swing and only last night concluded for the season. Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Bob made it over to see one of the last games and Grandma kept her streak alive and brought the rain. In fairness we took some rain ourselves to the air show when we went to see them (as well as a jet bus and the blue angles). Gymnastics started for Sophia and Merrick started swimming lessons again. Both sessions are at the same time freeing up some of our weeknight time. Merrick is the only boy in his class and given that it is at the downtown Y it is Merrick and the chicas. He has really taken to the class as well as shopping as it he likes to ride in the cart and look for the 'fancy girls." His little boy eyes really light up if we happen upon a pig-tailed girl. We also managed to get down to the WIAA state baseball tournament to watch Joel play. The weather was great, the stands looked like a family reunion and the game we watched, Joel's team was able to beat DePere and the umpire. Sophia just wanted to talk to grandma, and Merrick liked to hollar "it's outta here' for each foul ball. We headed to the game after a family photo shoot at a local park. Sophia eats up the camera and I am excited to get the pictures back. The photographer was doing a single pose of Merrick and asked him to "give me a big smile" so obligingly Merrick reached out his hand with writhing fingers and said "tickle, tickle." We found an excellent little ice cream shop about 3 or 4 miles from the house along the bike trail so we are able to ride the bikes down. Sophia's bike usually gets strapped to the back of the rickshaw for the return trip and her and Merrick have a cage match all the way one--but at least we are staying active and are outside. There have also been a lot of campfires at night, in part because I have wood that is rotting and needs to be burned and in part because so many of the nights have been just gorgeous. Plenty of smores to go around. We also were able to watch a beer bottle melt in the hot coals so the kids are getting some lessons on rheology and phase changes. We spent some time along the river fishing spawn sacks off the bottom, but there were no bites. Still in the early stages of potty training with Merrick so I pretty much let him pee where we are. He peed once on a tree near the river next to the bike trail and then again on the park sign. The park sign was also near a geocache that we found last year so the kids were able to revisit that treasure as well. As for the public peeing I figure he pees less than a German Shepard (the dog not the occupation) so we should be fine. We have already had two trips to the library again it is along the bike trail so that I get to count that as a double activity. The first day down there a kids program about the "Hungry Caterpillar" was taking place and a becostumed caterpillar was walking around. After Merrick punched him the second time I thought we should leave. Sophia has been enjoying reading chapter books and is staying up late to read them as well as hanging around in the hammock in the afternoons. Tried to go to a drive in but it was filled up--over 300 cars were already there more than 2 hours before the movie started. Saturday was also Sophia's party for her school friends. We went to a local version of chucky-cheeses (but edible pizza) great service, great fun -- pizza, games and ice cream. If every week is this busy I am going to need a vacation at the end of this vacation.