Top Ten Summer Moments, 2009

This was a great summer.

Even though we had less planned than we ever before-

the boys only went to one day camp,

we had no family vacation etc.-

it was also one of our most enjoyable summers.

Here are just a few highlights from Summer, 2009:

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1. The team that wouldn't quit.

My husband coached my son's baseball team this year, which ended in the second week of June. For the first half of the season, they couldn't win a game. But with perseverance, hope, effort and encouragement, they made it to the semi-finals in the B bracket. I love the look on my son's face as he gazes up at his dad.. his coach.

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2. Chris is a finalist in our County Idol competition!

Our county does a Teen Idol competition each year, sponsored by the libraries. The ages range from middle school through high school. Chris went in as a turning-sixth-grader (age 10) and competed for a spot among kids up to seniors in high school! Of 40 contestants, he was chosen to compete in the final 10.

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3. Taking a risk with a new sport.

Kate, a rising high school freshman, went to a week long volleyball camp at her school. She worked hard, had a great attitude, and learned a lot. She would go on to make the JV Volleyball team at her high school in mid-August!

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4. The letter-writing campaign.

In an effort to add some writing/education to our summer, the kids embarked on a letter writing campaign. They learned about addressing envelopes correctly, salutations, the body of a letter, closings and form. They also worked on penmanship and making letters interesting. The recipients of the letters were delighted to receive mail from their young family members, making it a win-win all the way around.

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5. Marking off the list.

We made an adventure out of a "staycation" this summer. The kids each chose a couple of things that they wanted to do and we got to as many as we could. One of them was spending a day walking and browsing around the Main Street of our town. Sometimes it really is the simple pleasures that mean the most.

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6. Berries and Bows

From pick-your-own farms to Indian Pow-Wows at the Fairgrounds, we hit up the local pleasures. We had lots of blueberries and some raspberries, some of which were eaten plain and some of which were made into regular muffins and cobbler muffins.

Then, we watched Pow-Wow dancing, ate buffalo stew and Indian tacos, went inside a real teepee and watched Chris learn to shoot a bow and arrow. He hit the balloon and won the final bow!

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7. Babes at the Beach

What are birthdays for if not to celebrate? This summer, I got together with a group of ladies from all stages of my life who have been there for me, shaped me, supported me and loved me. I had the fun of watching them meet and get to know one another and a great time was had by all. Life is best when shared! (pictured- my friend Melanie. This level of laughter was pretty constant!)

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8. Camp and Mohawks

Two firsts this summer:

Kate went to sleep away camp for the first time. She did so well and really enjoyed herself. We learned we could survive the separation.

and

Leeann gave the boys mohawks. We liked them, Rob freaked. That was probably the last time for that!

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9. Luray Caverns and Massanutten

While Kate was at camp, the boys and I took off with my two friends and their five sons to visit Luray Caverns and Massanutten Resort. Luray was awesome- all the kids from ages 7 to 13 enjoyed it. The audio tours were great, especially the kid version. Then, we went to the massive indoor water park at Massanutten for a day. Then, on the final day, we went summer tubing. Very fun!

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10. Family and Friends

No matter how much you make or what you own, at the end of the day it all comes down to family, friends and love. Thankfully, we have all three and summer is the perfect time to bring it all together!