Summer Bucket List Days 1-7

Each summer Eli and I make a Summer Bucket List of all the things we want to do while we're on summer break. Most of things we list aren't elaborate or even expensive but they give us purpose while we're home for 2 months. Each night he crosses off the things we did on our list that day until we're all finished. We count up how many days we're out for summer vacation and then try to list something for each day. This summer I chronicled our adventures on Instagram and I loved looking back at all the collages I made of the summer fun we had. 

The night before summer break started Eli and I sat down with our markers and made 

Our Summer Fun List for the summer. It was as long as our refrigerator! 

Day 1: We visited The Sno Co., a local snowball stand that sells THE BEST

snowballs around! 

Day 2: We rode our bikes to the library to do some reading and 

then came home and spent some time by the swimming pool. 

Barkley even joined us for some fun. 

Day 3: We took Barkley for a walk, played basketball, got ice cream at the 

coffeeshop downtown, bought some new books from the local bookstore, met Grandpa E for dinner, and had frozen yogurt for dessert! Whew! Day 3 was a BUSY day!

Day 4: We went back to the coffeeshop with Grandpa E (his favorite place when he visits) and then shopped a little downtown. Eli found this How to Build Paper Airplanes book and Grandpa E bought it for him. 

Day 5: We went fishing that morning at our local pond. For lunch we took Grandpa E to the Malt Shop and then came home to do some swimming. 

Day 6: (Memorial Day) Grandpa E had to leave but before he left he and Eli did some science together. Eli loves doing science experiments with him!

Day 7: We met Zue-Zue for lunch at Johnny's and then went bowling with the Atkins family.

Yay for the program "Kids Bowl Free"! We all had a blast! Eli asked Cooper to come home with us and these boys spent the afternoon swimming in the pool.

Coach Pitch 2016

Eli's first year of playing Coach Pitch was great! Before the season began, Josh was able to talk to a lot of the other dads/coaches and they all agreed to get rid of the pitching machine this season and let the coaches pitch to the boys. That was a fabulous decision on their part and all the kids ended up having a great season! In years past, it would usually take the entire season for the boys to learn how to hit off the pitching machine since it was such a huge departure from hitting off of a tee. This year though the boys learned to hit off a ball being thrown to them and they all did so well! Hopefully doing it this way will help them transition to kid pitch a little easier in a few years to come. Here are some of the highlights from the 2016 season. We won some, we lost some, but we all managed to have lots of fun and Eli grew tremendously in his baseball skills!

My favorite boys in the entire world!

Coach Josh

Reve and I resumed our positions as "Dug-Out Moms".

Scott played catcher for our team this year and did a great job!

Eli and Logan

Brian and Reve

Matthew and Logan

Brian and Scott

Zue-Zue and Eli

Eli played third base this year and did a wonderful job!

Eli had an exceptional game this night and hit two homers!

Scott with the game ball he earned after a great game. 

Eli with a great base hit!

 He was always as cool as a cucumber when it came time for him to hit.

I love the camaraderie our coaches instilled in the boys this season. 

Scott doing his thing as catcher!

Our fabulous dads/coaches for our team this year. 

Coach Pitch Team 2016

Christmas at Zue-Zue's 2015

A couple of nights after our Jammy Christmas with Josh's family, we went over to his mom's house to have Christmas with her. Eli couldn't wait to give Zue-Zue her gifts and to open his!

Eli gave Zue-Zue a Christmas tree out of his handprints as his gift to her. She loved it so much!

Then it was time to pass out the rest of the presents. Eli handed out presents to the four of us and then we each took turns opening our gifts. 

Not going to lie, Josh and I were pretty excited about his Farmer's Almanac calendar his mom gave him. 

I was really happy about my Kate Spade glitter studs. I'd had my eye on these for several months and had given several pairs as gifts to some of my friends.  Now I had some of my own!

Eli is just starting to express an interest in Star Wars so Zue-Zue got him the first (really the 4th, I guess) movie in the series. He couldn't wait to watch it!

A new Tervis tumbler cup for Zue-Zue.

Eli LOVES his Magformers. These are a great gift for kids!

Our favorite Florida friends (The Glenns) sent Eli this set of Snap Circuits, Jr. 

Eli was so excited!

A new light saber for Eli

Pioneer Woman dishes for me :)

Zue-Zue's last gift...a new TV. 

Hers was really old and the picture was AWFUL! Now she has one that looks good!

Zue-Zue was pretty excited and Eli was just as excited about giving it to her. 

It was a great Christmas with Zue-Zue. After opening gifts, we all loaded up with our coffee and hot chocolate to go look at Christmas lights around town and to drive through the living Nativity at one of the local churches. It was a fun night! Now it was time to get our house ready for Santa Claus' Christmas Eve arrival!