Enjoying Hot Weather

This month is flying by and the temps are soaring!  We have been busy with softball, baseball, hiking, water activities, and may other outdoor activities.  Of course, there is summer school still going on, too.  Gracie and Owen have one more week and then are done with school until August.  I can't believe how fast this summer is going.  We leave for vacation in less than two weeks!

We finally went to the Devil's Icebox, which opened up recently.  The kids had so much fun exploring the cave at Rock Bridge State Park.  Next time, they want to bring their water shoes, though.  There are supposed to be bats in the caves, but we didn't see any.

A couple weeks ago, we spent a day working outside.  Nick cleared out trees from a fence line and let the kids help by driving the mower, pulling tree limbs over to a burn pile.  They thought it was great! 

Owen and Gracie have to ride together.  Owen doesn't weigh enough to keep the mower going and Gracie can't reach the pedal without standing up, which takes pressure off the seat and turns the mower off.  This takes teamwork!

Nick was clearing the fence line so we could open up a little bit more pasture for Bullseye and Dancer.  This was the initial meeting between Bullseye and the other residents here. There is an electrified fence between them, which I'm pretty sure Dancer figured out quickly.

Later that night we got to have a fire and roast marshmallows.  We spent that weekend in the tent, too.  While the camping is fun, I don't sleep quite as well on an air mattress as I used to.  Hope I get get through a week of camping out west!

 This picture has a pretty good story

Owen and I went for a bike ride one evening while Nick took Gracie to softball practice.  We rode on a trail in Columbia for a couple miles and he threw rocks into a creek and were planning to go home.  When we arrived back the trailhead, there was a woman there who was having chest pains and needed medical help.  So we were delayed a little from going home while I called an ambulance and stayed with the lady until first responders arrived.  Before Owen and I left and the responders had the situation under control, they let Owen get up in the truck .  He was so excited and talked about it the whole way home!  I tried to explain to him what had happened and that is what actually happens when someone needs help, but he was just excited that he got to see a fire truck and get in it.

And another tooth is lost.  He also had a black eye.  Never a dull moment.  He was playing catch with himself by throwing the ball up in the air and catching it.  Ooops!  He missed it one time and it hit him right on the brow bone. Owen had quite the goose egg.

This is how the Britton kids cool off in 99 degrees.I don't know if they'll ever get tired of swimming in the horse tank.

Owen is pulling River around to entertain him at Gracie's softball game.

Gracie in her first competitive softball tournament

Gracie up to bat

She was so exhausted after playing 3 games last Saturday.  She was asked to play on a 10u competitive team last weekend.  Most of the girls were 9 or 10 years old.  The pitcher who she caught for is going to be in 6th grade next year.  Gracie did great and loved playing, but judging by how tired she was and how sensitive she was after the games, I'm not sure she's ready to play this much ball on a regular basis.  I think she learned a lot and is able to recognize the different between the rec league and competitive league.  I love watching her play and learn.  She is like a sponge and absorbs as much as she can.

Owen gets to catch again!  He doesn't mind putting the equipment on either.

Owen up to bat

Happy Father's Day!

After Gracie's game on Sunday we got to spend the rest of the day at the lake and take a ride on the boat when dad got home from work!  It was such a great day.  Unfortunately, though, Gracie wasn't feeling well and was sick most of the afternoon.  I think it was a mixture of exhaustion and eating to much pizza dough at the restaurant we went to after her game.  Poor Gracie!  She was miserable and struggled on the drive home.

Owen helping Grandpa Tom navigate

Chad with River

Peek!  Owen loves standing at the bow of the boat

Grandma Deb is here!

I feel like I should have more pictures, but we've been so busy the past couple of days that I haven't gotten very many of the kids with Grandma Deb.  We've gone to two of Owen's ball games, and Gracie's last game is tonight.  Yesterday, we let the kids stay home from school to play with Grandma.  We went to Stephen's Lake to the beach and Splash Park.  It has been so hot and the water was great!  I think the kids liked it, so we'll have to go back.  Deb also brought a slip n slide for the kids that they set up to stay cool in the yard yesterday.  Fun times!

The past few weeks have flown by and I can't believe next week is that last week in June.  I'm in my third week of working for the University in Athletic Academic Services and it has been great working with students again.  I have five students right now who meet with me three times weekly.  This will increase in the fall when there are more students taking classes.  I am working with the students who have special needs (ADHD, mental health, learning disabilities, etc) in the ELP department (Enhanced Learning Program).  My supervisor is awesome and I really like working there so far.  I have had a few students not show up, but it's not part of my responsibilities to hunt them down.  That information is relayed to their coaches, and coaches take care of it. (or not, in some cases) When the students show up we are busy the entire time working on their classes and making sure that they are organizing everything efficiently and effectively.  I can't wait to get more hours in the fall!

Baseball and softball are coming to an end.  Gracie and Owen have had so much fun with it this spring!  They both can hit and throw really well and they're learning a lot!  It has been super hot, but neither of them complain about the heat.  Gracie has been catching quite a bit and pitching for an inning.  She throws hard, but is a pretty wild.  She has thrown a couple of runners out this year. Owen hits the ball every time he's up in his coach pitch league and has become pretty good friends with one of the other players.  Unfortunately they live clear on the other side of Columbia.

I will post more pictures after Gracie's last game. We are also heading up to Iowa for Julie's baby shower this weekend.  Nick and Owen are staying here to go camping and kayaking, so Gracie and I get a girls weekend!  Next week is the last week of summer school and we also have both Nick's and my dad's birthdays.  Then right after the holiday we head west to Colorado and Wyoming!  I can't wait!