fun in the week of 24Jun2016

Rocket finished up basketball camp this week- it was a hot and humid week, poor kids.  The basketball league also completed this week, his team came in last in the tournament.  He says he had a good time and he liked it, he says he wants to do it again next year.  BUT, he also says he does not like to practice.  Oh the joys of being a preteen.  Yes, I said that word and yes, he is truly in the midst of all the preteen angst.  He wants to do things but does not want to put in the effort, he is sullen 90% of the time and he is showing signs of going into puberty.  I have been told it only gets worse for awhile, but I am holding out hope that my happy boy comes back sooner rather than later.

 

It was Greek festival weekend.  We usually go with J and N, but they were not able to come with us this year.  Hopefully they can come next year.  I think next year we will need come in the evening (you can pray for my sanity with the crowds), and enjoy the music as Rocket no longer wants to do the rides.  He told me that he only has done the giant slide because I make him do it and he does not like it at all (see- that sullen preteen attitude coming through). 

 

We ate some puff pastry doughnut holes drizzled with Honey and sprinkled with cinnamon- YUMMMMMMM

We played the games at the Kroger booth and I won a $5 gift card and Rocket won a gift certificate for galloon of Orange juice.  WOHOOOO

 He wanted to play games (there are total of 4 games to play) and spent all his money and some more to win this stuff dog that looks like Pablo.  Definitely will not be doing that again.  The carnival worker was flirting with me.  I sort of liked it, until he got creepy and started telling me all the other festivals he would be working at so I could come see him.  Not doing that.

We toured the church again, I really like the mosaic tile work.  We also stayed to listen to the Father tell us about the history of the Greek Orthodox church.  The Father was very good at explaining the history.  Definitely I would listen to him again.

I might have to figure out how to make a quilt square in this design.

 

Afterwards, we shopped inside for some Greek pastries and we bought some hand-painted notecards that I will frame and put up in my bedrooms- all beach or water scenes.

 

Rocket is home with me this week, not sure if he or I will survive it at this point- Monday was not a fun day.  Hopefully he will get with the program and we will have peaceful week while he is home and I am working.  This coming weekend is a holiday weekend here in the States and we have a busy schedule, from watching fireworks to helping with a charity run and having fun with the family.

 

Got to run, love and hugs to you,

Deb

Quilting and FC Cincinnati

I worked on Bug's quilt over the last few weeks.  I need to put another border on this it and then I can start quilting it.  I hope to have it done this summer.

Close up of the top- all Star Wars.

 

Pablo wants it, but he will have to wait to get his own

 

Bug is camping with the scouts this weekend.  They are launching home made rockets this weekend.  We were offered tickets to the FC Cincinnati (Futbol Club Cincinnati) game at a discount price.  Bug thought about going, but when I let him know that I would have to pick him on Saturday afternoon and that he would be coming home on Saturday night- not going back to camp, he decided to stay at camp.

 

I invited my friend Lisa to go.  We had tickets in the Bailey (the rowdy area behind the goal, with the most ardent fans).  You have to stay the entire game when in the Bailey. 

Me before the game.  As Lisa and I walked across the university campus, we kept talking about how much had changed since we went to school here.

Lisa at the game

Our seats' view of the field.  This is the football stadium on campus- across the field is where Lisa used to sit with the UC band. 

The stands are filling in- the upper decks are new.

Us

At half time.  our team was down 1-0 at this point. We ended up winning 2-1 against FC Toronto.  I bought Bug a tee shirt for the next time we go to the game.

On the way home, we stopped for an ice cream at Putz's.

It was good!

Back to pictures at the game.  I was playing with both my cameras to see which takes the best photos.  Right now, the IPhone is winning the picture taking contest.

me and the concourse behind our seats- we were at the top of the section.

Me and the field.  There were 19,100 fans at the game- another record for the ESL teams.  There is talk we might be moved up to the MSL!

Bug will home tomorrow.  I miss him when he is gone.

Love and hugs,

Deb

A busy week

Little man continued basketball shooting camp Monday- Wednesday last week. Tuesday - Friday he also had a sports Fundamentals camp in the morning.  We were constantly on the go. 

I have a friend, SB, who blogs her schedule on a regular basis and I read and think "I would go crazy if that was my regular schedule" but she thrives on it which goes to show everyone is different.  Well last week I thought for sure I was living her life.  This was my schedule last week

5:30 am - wake up and start work (the benefit of working from home)

8 am - get the little man up, get him dressed and fed

8:30- leave the house to drop him off at sports camp, while listening to a work meeting

9 am- home from dropping him off, back to work at my desk

1:45 pm- go pick up little man

2:15- back home and get him started on his home activities (reading, doing a chore, practicing piano, etc)

4 pm - work ends for me

4:15 pm (Tuesday) - Piano lesson for little man, I read in the car

4:45- piano lesson ends, back home to make dinner

6 pm - finish dinner, leave for basketball shoot camp

8:30- camp is over, come home, get showered and ready for bed

9:00-9:30- bed time for him

 

I was so excited for shoot camp to be over on Wednesday night, just so we had some time in the evening for him to play or just watch TV.  It was a hot and humid week last week, so he would come home exhausted after sports camp.

 

We have a rest week this week- nothing until Thursday when basketball summer league starts (only 6 days of games).  Then the week of the 20th, he will be at basketball camp all day- camp from 9-1:15 and then basketball league from 1:40-4:30 pm.  I expect he will be very tired next week.

Practicing his shooting

One night, the ice cream truck came through the neighborhood.  We both got an ice cream. 

Saturday, little man worked on an Eagle Scout project for 3 hours.  I worked on cleaning out my closet.  this is one side.  I can't find anything.  I am a pack rat.  I am trying to figure out why I have become like this, I used to be quite organized. 

While cleaning, I found this "all about me" from 1st grade.  I knew it had to be thrown away so I took a bunch of picture of it so I can put them in his memory book.

this is what the closet looked like after about an hour of work- at least the one side.

this is the other side, which I started on immediately

I found the poster board from the baby shower right after I visited for the first time.  Look at that cutie little baby.  I could not throw this away.

the timeline I had on the poster.  Look at the last line- HAHAHAHAHA, clearly I need to write a post script that it was June 2007 before he came home. 

this is closet after I cleaned- I know it looks like a mess still but it is not.  I feel much better after cleaning this.  2 garbage bags of trash, 6 bags to donate and things consolidated (like all wrapping paper downstairs with all the gift bags).   While cleaning, I culled my closet too.  I have clothes going back 10 years and they look it.  So out with them.  Sunday I was able to buy a few more summer clothes as that is what I did not have.

 

Little Man came home exhausted from working - they having a car wash to raise money for the new landscaping they were putting in.  I went up to pick him up and got my car washed.  Best car wash team in the city.

 

 

Sunday, Bug went back to help for 2 hours putting in the new landscaping. He volunteered 5 hours over the weekend and was pretty worn out on Sunday.  Of course he refused to rest/nap on Sunday, so his behavior got worse and worse as the day went on. 

 

One benefit of sports camp and the eagle projects he is helping on, he is getting stronger.  Yesterday we mowed the lawn and he had no trouble with the lawn mower.  He and almost finished at the same time!!!  I love it.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Summer camps starting up

Monday, I took a vacation day so Bug and I could have some time together.  He slept until 9 am!  I had one thing to do in the morning for PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and then we  headed out to the main library downtown.  Originally I thought we would go to the zoo, but it was kind of warm, so we decided to see the library.  I have not been to the downtown library since I was in high school.  Bug went when he was kindergarten, but he does not remember being there.  Our library is huge! It covers 2 city blocks.  When we arrived, there was a display of Star Trek memorabilia and he had a good time looking at everything. We have decided that we need to start watching the old TV show (yeah!). 

There was a used book sale going on when we arrived, but he refused to allow me to shop. That could be a good thing, but I think I missed picking up some books for the house.

 

As we went upstairs, there was this stained glass display and he wanted a picture for his teacher.  We had to go up stairs to take the bridge to the other building- for the fun of being on a bridge.  We also saw the "maker space" where you can reserve different machines to work on projects- like a sewing machine, a button making machine, template cutter, laminate sign making machine and a 3-D printer!  We are going to think of some crafts to make there and come back later this year.

Outside the library is this wonderful waterfall.  I love this statue/waterfall display.  I think I need a small replica in my backyard

He is happy, just tired.  We had lunch downtown and then headed back home. We did check out some books in the library, so we are set for reading this month.  We had to stop at a friend's house to drop off something for the mom and while there, Bug was invited to stay for a few hours to play.  I went home and finished up his Quilt top (pictures later this week).  I do need to add an extra border to make it big enough for his bed.  He is very excited about the quilt and so am I.

Monday night started summer camps.  Bug is doing some sports camps at one of the local high schools to start the summer.  Monday night was basketball shooting skills camp.  He was unsure at first, but he warmed up quickly when he found some kids he knew.  I was sitting at the opposite end of the gym, so the pictures are pretty blurry.

The guy in the red shirt is the head basketball coach at the school.  He was working with the older players down me most of the night.  it was interesting to see him taking notes on players (all are not in high school yet).

Bug was closer to me here, waiting to be part of the P-I-G game.  If you make a shot, the other person has to make it too, if they miss, they get a letter. Once you miss shots to spell the word, you are out of the game.  In this case, based on the number of kids, the first night took out half the kids and the game will continue on nights 2 and 3 with the overall winner announced on the 3rd night.  Bug went out in the first round/night.

 

But, he was practicing his shooting on Tuesday after the morning camp- Sports FUNdamentals. The emphasis on FUN. 

The morning camp runs through Friday and they try different sports each day.  On the first day, they did track and basketball.  Bug was not too happy with track but he liked the camp.  In the morning camp, he will get to try football (north American football).  It will be no tackling and no pads, so I am ok with it. He is super excited for football.

 

He has some more camps through out the month- a basketball league and a basketball skills camp.  After this month he is back to YMCA summer camp with one week off for Boy Scout camp.

 

he has a busy summer.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb