Capturing the Memories

Although today is officially the first day of summer, we've been busy with summer activities for several weeks now!

We started out the season with a week of soccer/basketball camp in the mornings for Chicklet7 and Bantam5, and afternoons for Bantam11.  At the end, everyone got a participation award, but Chicklet7 also earned the Outstanding Shooter award for making the most baskets of any K-5th grader, boy or girl.  She also was given the Best Offensive Player award in soccer.  "She's really aggressive!" her coaches commented, to our surprise and Blondechick's delight, since that's what everyone says about her as a player.

B5 also was given an award of distinction; he earned the Most Improved Player for soccer.  This award was less surprising, however, since on the first day it was all the coaches could do to get him to stop dribbling the ball with his hands. 

In swimming lessons, which started up the next week, he had a better first day.  He ended up as the youngest child in Chicklet's 6-7 year old class, since the 4-5 age group was full, and I was hoping he'd be okay.  Turns out he was the only child that was swimming by the end of the first lesson!  Chicklet was so proud of him.

That same week, we went to Six Flags Great America with some other friends from church.  Without enough free passes to go around, I ended up buying season passes for myself and Bantam19, since it made more sense to buy them for the adults in our party.  So I am now the proud owner of a season pass to Great America!  I figure we'll go four times this summer, on the four weeks that you can "bring a friend for free."  One of them was this week, so we went again today, just B19, myself, Chicklet7 and B5.  Next time, in August, B15 will come with us and bring B11 for free; in the meantime, B15 has gotten his money's worth, and then some, out of the pass he bought for himself a month ago, along with all his best friends.  Living only 25 minutes away is pretty nice!

But the memory I wanted to capture was when I told the younger two that we were going to Great America, and Chicklet excitedly said, "I can't wait to go on the American Eagle!"  I responded, "Oh, no, honey, that's the one that you were so scared on last time."  (She had cried and screamed the whole way.)  "I know!" she replied, eyes sparkling.

(Must be her aggressive streak.  And when she rode it this year, she was fine.  She loved it!)

This morning, we drove to a nearby church for Vacation Bible School, and B5 was a little hesitant going in to the unfamiliar building.  "Will you stay there?" he asked, concern registering in his young voice.  "Yes, I'll stay for a few minutes," I said.  I watched him find a seat among the large class of kindergarteners, near a little friend of his, then get up and form a line to head to the church sanctuary for the opening time.  I walked near him in the hall, then said, "Well, I think I'll go now."  Without looking at me, he said, "See ya, Mom" with as much unconcern as though he were just heading out to our back yard.  My baby is a big boy now!

Yesterday, for Father's Day, I spoke with my dad on the phone, but spent the afternoon/evening with Papa Rooster's family--his parents, brother, our sister-in-law and niece--at his brother's home on the north side of Chicago.  It was a picture-perfect afternoon in their lovely little back yard, which my sister-in-law has landscaped with love and a great eye, where Musician Brother grills the most succulent steaks.  We sat outside and listened to recordings of Dad, made in the 60's when he was in his thirties and in full voice, singing songs from popular musicals of the day.  Musician Brother danced with his mother, while Papa Rooster took pictures, and Bantam15 sat around with the adults and listened to the old stories, and it was a perfect day.

And today we bought our friend's 2002 Kia Optima.  Tomorrow the dealer will begin the needed repairs, and maybe on Wednesday, Blondechick will have herself a car!