Our June was filled with lots of time outdoors at the beach, at splash pads/water parks, biking, reading, and enjoying the relaxed pace- and although I rarely took pictures - but it was amazing! I'll include a few June happenings and pictures below....
Sports
Colton has been loving soccer, football, baseball, kickball, swimming, mountain biking, and more! This year, instead of playing for our city's community team, he tried playing for Salvo (soccer club) in the community league. He learned a lot through the extra Saturday practices he was invited to go to through the club. Through the encouragement of the coaches and his love of the game (shown by the fact that he would be sad to be done after a two hour 95 degree practice!), he is very excited to try out for the traveling team next weekend, The coaches are fantastic in encouraging skill development and love for the game, and it would be an amazing opportunity to learn from them. He also loved a one week flag football camp he picked to do. Here is a picture of his soccer team (undefeated!) and some clips from football camp. I love watching him enjoy playing sports!
2021 Spring Salvo Team
VBS
After not being able to do VBS last year due to COVID, we all EXTRA enjoyed VBS this year! Summer is now officially too old to attend, which meant she got to be a middle school helper this year! Her role was to be one of the music leaders, which meant she got to be on stage teaching the songs and actions to the K-4th graders. She worked so hard learning all of the songs and motions, and it was so so so sweet to watch the kids the light up when she walked around chatting with all the kids, (they viewed her as a celebrity because she was up on stage), and she did such a great job intentionally reaching out to them and loving on them. Colton enjoyed his class as well, and loved hanging out with his two best friends from school, who were able to come, as well as lots of awesome church friends. He was also an AMAZING helper, as this year each grade level met in a separate tent in the parking lot (due to COVID) and he helped me set up the first grade area each morning, as everything in the tent had to come inside for the night each day. I LOVED getting to be a first grade leader and be with Larkyn the whole time, who also was an amazing helper each morning. Alongside an amazing friend Leah and some fantastic middle school helpers, we all agreed that the first graders were the BEST GROUP :). What a fun week! I did not get many pictures, but I did snap some video of Summer leading music, compiled at this
link.
Larkyn (left) watches and learns from music team, including Summer (front right)
Colton's VBS class (he is wearing neon green, far right, second row)
Father's Day
This year Paul and his dad took a fun Father's Day trip to Texas to watch an away Loons (soccer) game and Twins (baseball) game, which were both playing on the Saturday of Father's Day, in Texas! They had a great time, and also enjoyed delicious smoked meat, Top Golf, and time together.
The kids and I made our own fun with some cousin splash pad time, a trip to the waterpark, a movie night, tickets to tour the James J Hill Mansion, and attending our local Juneteenth festival.
When the guys got home after their trip, we grilled out and enjoyed a little more celebrating. The kids thought they were SO FUNNY giving Daddy his Father's Day gift in a princess bag, lol!
Anniversary
We celebrated 14 years on June 16th! Because we had plans to take a trip together a week or two later, we spent our anniversary with our kiddos, going out to Olive Garden together, and watching our wedding DVD as a family - fun that they got to watch our wedding!
Cabin Time
Paul was in a wedding one of the June weekends and had lots of commitments, so the kids and I headed to the cabin to enjoy some lake time! While there, Grandma did her annual grandkiddo cabin photo shoot. We also did an early Father's Day celebration with my dad!
Random Pics
A few random pics on my phone included the kiddos making banana bread creations (they were given a recipe and 3 bananas, and were allowed to make whatever muffins/bread/mixins they wanted) . They did great baking all by themselves!
Larkyn wanted to make a prom dress for Samantha. She had the pattern all in her mind's eye, using some scrap fabric she found in my bin. She described it to me, and we together made it happen. Fun!
I've been loving mountain biking this spring/summer. Colton is my go-to buddy, but its been fun to bike with girl friends and extended family as well. My uncle snapped this picture of us when I went with my cousin and uncle.
Paul continues to love getting to as many home Loons games as possible, and the older two look forward to their "turn" to get to go! As I write this Paul and Colton are at a Saints baseball game together, but I don't yet have a picture!
Larkyn doesn't really get the "fun" of going to watch a game, so we do other fun dates....like going for icecream :)
Our June got pretty busy after VBS ended, and we rounded the corner into Larkyn's birthday....and then some fun travel! More to come in the next post!
