B's Summer

I'm ashamed that I have NO pictures of Brycen's basketball camp that he attended this week! He has had quite the summer already with baseball and a two week vacation. He came home and started right into basketball camp this week.

I'm really not a fan of signing kids up for every organized thing there is and really want my kids to be kids while they can, BUT this six year old of mine had a different mind set when it came to all those papers he brought homes about various camps!

He did "okay" in basketball this year, but I could tell it wasn't his favorite so when he wanted to sign up for the four day basketball camp the high school boys were putting on I just wasn't too sure about that, but he kept insisting and so we went ahead and signed up.

I'm SOOOO glad that I did let him do it! He LOVED it! Seriously.Loved.It! I'm still in shock! They went for an hour and a half Mon-Thurs. this week. I got to take him on Wednesday and stayed and watched and he did so well! A big improvement from the winter basketball season. They had six stations set up and went to each one for about 15 each. I think this helped him to keep focus on what he was doing and learn more skills since he wasn't just running up and down the court aimlessly!

When he got in the van yesterday he said, "They said they hope to see us next year... Can I please go back next year?!" I thought that was too sweet!

The first paper that came home was for tennis camp. I knew he would want to do this one and I'm super excited for him to do it! Ryan and I both played in high school and still both enjoy playing. We've taken B to the courts since he was about Corbin's age (even though he just rode his riding toys around at that point). Last summer he really got into it and wanted to go about every evening. Since we were leaving with my parents while building and looking for a rental and Corbin went to bed really early and they live right besides Pride's Creek we got to go a lot.
He starts camp on Mon. and will go Mon. and Tues for three weeks. He asked yesterday, "So I start tennis tomorrow?" lol! Not quite buddy!


Brycen is also in 4H and has been enjoying the twice monthly meetings. We are going to start on his projects this weekend/week. Our fair isn't until the end of July. He's really excited about having his projects on display. He decided to do Space- which didn't surprise me at all because he loves science. He also wanted to do... you'll never guess this one... SEWING! I laughed out at him thinking he was joking, but he wasn't! Ryan told him, "HECK NO!".... He then explained that "Pop Rick" (my dad) had done sewing in school (back then they had to take home ec and he had to learn to sew). He kept insisting on doing it so we signed him up. Ryan's utterly embarrassed, but I think it's okay for a guy to have a skill like that (what if his button falls- he won't be relying on his wife to sew it back on!).

B is doing swim lessons starting in July 11th too. He's actually a decent swimmer, but I want him to be more confidant of himself in the deep end. He does well once he decides to go for it, but I don't want him to have that hesitation! A girl my brother used to date is going to give the lessons at our friends the Doerner's (my parents best friends/neighbors). B swims there almost every day anyway so it's the pool he is used to. He is kind of cocky when it comes to swimming (which is not normally his attitude towards things so it is surprising). He thinks he does not need lessons... I told him even the best swimmer can get tips from others!


I can't believe he already has all these activities going on! He hangs out with my mom and Corbin while I'm at work and plays outside all day... then he comes home and digs in the dirt all evening. I have to drag him in for a bath and supper so he is really enjoying his summer! He said he wanted to stay up later in the summer and I told him we could arrange that and he could go to bed at 9 (instead of 8:30pm). He is asleep on the couch before 9 every night! I think that's def. a sign of fun when you're so worn out you just fall asleep on the couch sitting up! 1st grade/August can hold off as long as possible! Summer- slow down!

Sunglasses and Sweet Tea

He thinks it is hilarious to put on sunglasses :)

Corbin got ahold of cousin Brooke's McDonald's sweet tea at B's game the other night.


He's proud of his new straw skills.

And apparently he likes sweet tea :)

I love that cute face!

Last Game

We had our last two games this week (Monday and Tuesday).

B really became quite the ball player this year- and especially a great hitter.

I was just impressed with how much he improved from last year!

Plus, he LOVES baseball!

I don't know what he was saying to that boy, but his facial expressions were making me laugh!


Getting his medal after the game.

Brycen and his medal :)

Next year he will move up to the 7 & 8 year old league and he says he is ready to "play with the big boys"! He's so funny!

I'm so proud of him and glad that he really loved and enjoyed every minute of baseball this year!

New Pretties :)

I had ordered some letters from a friend from h.s. for the boys rooms to spell out their names before we left on vacation. She had them done when we got back and I'm in love! Brycen loves his too! (His wall isn't that funky orange color it looks in this picture- it's a rusty orange color).

Corbin's turned out super cute too!

I showed her pictures of their beddings and she took off from there!

They were way cheaper than the ones I found on etsy and the detail in them is great!

I am so pleased!


Thought I would show some pictures of my bar stools that you had to hear about in my other post :) lol

And my island b/c a few people have asked to see it. I took this on Father's Day when Ryan's family were getting ready to come over so it looks kind of cluttered.
I love my black island that my hubby made himself :)

Day 13- Airports and Home

Day 13- We had early flights home again so we had to be up at 4:30am again! We were in an area of the Vegas airport that you have to take a tram to get to- the boys that was fun! lol - it was like a ride- really fast! We had a 2 hour flight to Denver and then a 2 hour layover. Both of our flights this time had free DishNetwork access and free headphones so B was liking that :) lol. Corbin thought the headphones were great fun, but had no interest in watching TV- he's way too busy for that. The first flight he slept for about 1 hr 30 min. so that was good. We flew from Denver to Louisville which was about 2 1/2 hours. Corbin decided not to sleep at all and was a veryyy busy boy the whole time. He did fine- we just had to pass him back and forth A LOT! B watched the History channel? the whole time, haha!

The boys waiting to fly home (this was at the Denver airport).

When we got to Lousiville we got our luggage and waited on the hotel service to pick us up and take us back to the hotel to get the vehicle. Corbin was about done by this time and we were all hungry! We got loaded up and grabbed some fast food for the road and left for home!

We all fell asleep on the way home (except my dad who was driving, lol!). I was sooo excited to get home! Especially when we pulled up and had this sign (and brownies) on the garage door!

I have the best best friend in the world - Vanessa (and Tyler and Zane) made this sign and brownies for us and left them for us to find when we got home! So sweet! Talk about feeling loved by your bestie!! I def. did!

That night we unloaded everything and got the boys baths and ourselves showered. The boys were asleep after about 15 min. out of the bathtub and Ryan and I weren't far behind!

We had a great trip, but it was sooo nice to be home in our own beds!

Day 12: Shopping, Hard Rock, and Pasta

Day 12- Corbin got up super early that morning (I'm talking like 3:30- he has NEVER done that before) and so he took an early nap. Ryan fell asleep with him and B was playing with Emma so mom and I took advantage and went to do a little shopping at Ross' and Target :) I got some awesome deals at Ross' and it's my new favorite store... too bad the closest one is Nashville! I have the hardest time finding cute dresses in my size and I got three there- that were all around 10.00 a piece! Awesome! I also got a pair of denim capri's, a dressy black pencil skirt for work and two tops that are dressier for work. (I spent less than 50.00!). I thought that was great!

I got the kids some fun stuff at Target for the plane rides home in the dollar section and Corbin some new sippy cups with straws since he figured out finally how to drink out of a straw and now that's all he wants! lol.

We got back in just in time to get the boys up and head to lunch at Hard Rock.

After Hard Rock we went home and Corbin must of been super tired because he took another nap! I took advantage and read a book outside while he napped. Brycen loved Vegas because he had Emma (cousins that are three weeks apart) to play with!

That night we had what they refer to as a "Pasta Party". All sorts of different pastas, sauces, etc... breads and salads too. Then we had ice cream sundae's for dessert. It was fun :). After that I got the boys baths and got everything packed up to come home. I was so glad to be coming home, but it felt forever away because we still had a long day to come the next day!

Thankfully since Corbin had taken good naps during the day he was able to stay up later and be happy so I could get all that packing done. (So much stuff for four people and two weeks of traveling!).

Day 11: Bass Pro, MGM, Rainforest Cafe, M&M World

Day 11- We got up and had a big home made breakfast before we were getting ready to go to the Bass Pro Shop. We were ready to leave and found Brycen asleep! He must of been really tired because this was right after breakfast! (I don't know why these picture are small?)

Fish motorcycle at the Bass Pro.

Mermaid at Bass Pro

B in front of the mermaid tank :)

Corbin thought all the animals were GREAT!

(he barks at them all, lol)

The boys wanted a boat :)

Precious boys!

B and cousin Emma

We went to MGM to see the lions- they are just so gorgeous!

I couldn't get a good picture.

Then to eat at the Rainforest Cafe.

Corbin LOVED this place too!

(Brycen did too, but Corbin's reactions are so funny at this age).

He was very over having his picture taken!

We ordered a Volcano dessert.

It was pretty much all gone by the time Ryan, the boys, and I finished!

We left there to walk outside a few blocks to get to M & M World.

New York New York- Brycen thought that coaster looked a little too scary ;)

M & M World was veryyy crowded.... and not stroller friendly.

We left with an outrageously priced bag full of M & M's- out of all the colors to choose from B picked blue, white, and brown! I thought that was funny.

Day 10: Pool, YogurtLand, Harley Davidson

Day 10- Us girls and the kids went to the pool that morning while the guys went to Hoover Dam. I wasn't up for splitting up, but didn't have a say in the matter so we went to the pool... I was the only adult who got in so that was interesting because their rule was you had to be an arm lenth's away from any child under 12 (Brycen and cousin Emma) and I also was holding Corbin (who wasn't happy because the water was FREEZING). Needless to say we didn't last too long at the pool. We were all frustrated by the time we left.

We stopped at a place called YogurtLand to get a treat (it was delish!). Corbin was having a veryyyyyyy bad day. He literally screamed the whole time we were at the yogurt place and didn't want any bites etc. I ended up taking him outside and just standing there because nothing would console him and the rest of the women just took the time... ugh! It was not a good day- I was in tears out there!

Corbin did get FOUR teeth while we were on vacation and I think that was causing him to be so grouchy that day... plus not enough sleep!

He got a nap in (thankfully) before we went to the Harley Davidson Cafe that night.

The motorcycles went around the room on a track and Corbin loved watching them!

Brycen would tell us all about each one :)

me
the husband :)

Corbin pointing at the motorcycles.

Sweet Boy :)

Chaos!

On a motorcycle outside the restaurant.

We were going to go to a water show that evening after dinner, but we didn't ride downtown in our rental van we rode with family so we forgot the stroller and there was no way we were chasing Corbin around Vegas so we just ended up going back to their house and going to sleep!

Day 9: Oatman, Laughlin, & Light Show

Day 9- We got up and got ready to leave for Neveda that morning. We stopped in Oatman, Arizona. We missed the gun fights (acting) that day- we were too early. It was still fun to see the burrows (wild ones) who come to town to visit. All the shops/restaurants/etc are original OLDDD western buildings. It's really neat!

Brycen with a burrow

This guy was using our rental van as a scratching post- he was shaking the whole thing!

Too funny!

Corbin LOVED them!
He went "oooo aaahhhh ooooo aaahhhh" :)
He also barked at them, haha!
They liked my boys because they were wearing orange and that's the color they can see (think carrots!).

The post office in Oatman.

The town.

That hotel used to be a happening place back in the day!

Brycen got a real sheriff's badge while we were there- he loves that thing!

Corbin got a shirt that has a picture of a mule (burrow) that says, "Stubborn, but loveable"- that saying fits him PERFECTLY.

View on the way there (Route 66).


We got into Vegas that afternoon. We talked and visted. We grilled out that evening and then went Downtown to see some light shows and wander around. (Old downtown Vegas).

Watching a lazer lightshow- they loved it!

Lazer lightshow- cool!

At the Golden Nugget we saw this shark tank that has a water slide through it- my Great Uncle Bill (where we were staying) designed it!

Our family.