Cabin Life

The minute the final school bell of the year rang, we hit the road and headed towards the mountains.

The last week of school was so chaotic that we hardly put any thought into the upcoming trip.

We didn't make many concrete plans and we didn't have high expectations, so we were pleasantly surprised when the time away turned out to be just what we needed. It was the perfect balance of spending time with family and friends, participating in fun outdoor activities and relaxing in the fresh mountain air.

The boys couldn't have been happier to be at their grandparents' cabin by the lake. Evenings consisted of dinners on the deck, roasting s'mores, chatting around the fire pit and swinging on hammock chairs.

Normally we would have been disappointed that the skies were gloomy half of the time we were there, but I love a good thunderstorm. We sat out on the balcony and watched a few storms roll in over the lake. We were lucky enough to witness a huge double rainbow after one of the storms.

The boys set up the croquet course one afternoon when the sun peeked out.

As much as it bothered me to leave overflowing backpacks and mounds of papers and artwork unsorted back at home, escaping to the mountains was the perfect way to kick off the summer after the whirlwind that came with the last week of school.

School Year Wrap

The last week of school seems to get crazier and crazier each year and this round was no exception.

Between class parties, swim wrap-ups, scouting gatherings, performances, field days, game days and graduations, we felt swallowed up by that entire last week.

Thankfully, along with the chaos came a lot of fun. Nash officially graduated from kindergarten.

We celebrated with a little ceremony. 

After partying with multiple kindergarten classes at the waterpark, we had about an hour to regroup for Blake's 2nd grade American Heroes performance. The students dressed up as the heroes they gave oral presentations on earlier in the school year. Blake performed as Orville Wright of the Wright Brothers.

Nash and Crew jumped into the scene and I just love how this moment captures some of their dominant personality traits. The worrier, the goof-off and the charmer.

Sandwiched in to the nonstop events was our annual family awards ceremony and talent show. This was our third year running (previous years are here and here) and the boys built up the anticipation for weeks. I mean, who doesn't want to be recognized for accomplishments and growth?

Blake was the recipient of the Math Facts Master Award, Swims Four Strokes Award, Pumps Alone Award and Master Lunch Maker Award.

Finn joined the scene with the One Nap a Day Award, Faces Forward in the Car Award (we made this switch recently and every time I buckle him in, he oohs and ahhs over the scenery and exclaims, "I fast!"), Talking All Day Award and Finally Has a Crib Award (yes, he slept in a portable crib much longer than we planned).

Nash received the No More Thumb Award, Lost First Tooth Award, Fantastic Reader Award and No Training Wheels Award.

Crew rounded out the ceremony with the Riding a Balance Bike Award, Nursery Champ Award, Enthusiasm Off the Charts Award and Saying "You're My Girl" Award. I may have taught him to respond to the phrase "You're my boy" with "You're my girl," but he says it on cue and it makes me melt every time. Especially because it sounds more like, "You're my guh-wool."

We managed to survive the last week of school just in time to hit the road for our first trip of the summer.

Memorial Day

After being gone for a week to celebrate our anniversary, we made it home in time to head straight to the beach with the boys on Memorial Day.

I sure missed my four tiny superheroes.

A few of the boys were wearing capes when we were loading the car so I grabbed the rest and was not disappointed.

Crew wouldn't go near the ocean last year so it was great progress for him to crouch on the rocks and wait for the waves to roll in and fill his bucket.

He was committed to wave catching for over an hour.

Finn was so happy to have his dad back.

Nash took great pride in "conducting" the water.

Blake had to join in too, of course.

We didn't spend many days at the beach this spring because baseball games took over our Saturday mornings, so it was good to be back. The beach makes everyone the happiest.