Summer Fun

Summer kicked off early this year since Memorial Day fell on 5/25 and Frankie’s last day of school was 5/22.  His school year ended with a family picnic equipped with bounce houses and lots of yummy treats.  Overall, Frankie’s first year of preschool was great and we’re really happy to have him part of the Chesterbrook family.  Frankie remains rather timid at school – one day during drop off, a teacher was relaying a story of Frankie and another boy talking and talking at the snack table, and she was so curious what quiet, little Frankie was gushing about. We frequently received reports that “Frankie is very into his work.” While we do experience his shyness in public, usually at home, he’s quite the opposite rambunctious, little boy.   

Frankie seems to enjoy his non-structured independence/unschedule, so Frank and I decided not to enroll him in camps this summer. Instead, he and Julia have been enjoying the park, pool and lots of play dates. We've also managed to keep busy with…

Falls Church Memorial Day Parade & Festival followed by an impromptu neighborhood BBQ at our house. Julia even got to experience her first pony ride. 

Quick day trip to PA to visit Aunt Marlene who was visiting from Florida. 

Strawberry picking – or in Julia’s case, strawberry eating. The girl ate her weight in strawberries – green leaves and all! (Which may have contributed to an embarrassing blow-out in Chick-fil-a at lunch.)

 

Girls (and kids) weekend trip to Blacksburg: The kids and I met Rachel and Easton in Winchester and all piled in Rachel’s car for a road trip to visit Kristy and her family. The kids and the adults all had a blast! 

Frankie’s first slumber party at Grammy’s: Frankie spent his first night at Grammy’s BY HIMSELF and loved every minute of it. He’s since spent two more nights and the last time he cried and told Grammy that he didn’t want to come home. :( 

Waiting patiently for his driver to take him to Grammy's

4^th of July in New York: What has become our annual tradition; Another great Independence Day celebration at Uncle Mike’s! Frankie is still scared by the fireworks but Julia was totally into them.

Nags Head: We look forward to it every year and it never disappoints. A fun filled week in the Outer Banks with the family. Julia loved the sand and ocean; Frankie loved the hot tub but got brave the last few days and jumped the waves.

Peach picking: While Frank was in Tulsa coaching his team in the US National Soccer Championship, the kids & I met Aunt Laura, Uncle Jon, and Lainey, their adorable new Goldendoodle, at Great Country Farm for some peach picking. We had a relaxing picnic lunch, the kids played on the playground and we ate peaches for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner for the next week.

First baseball game: We teamed up with our neighbors, the Balkemas, for the kids’ first baseball game. It was hot, but fun. We almost got Frankie to run the bases afterwards, but he chickened out at the last minute.

Arlington County Fair: Frankie loved the rides – and Julia did, too! Her first fair ride experience: The Worm…or duck, as she and Frankie called it (there was a yellow bird 'chasing' the worm).

Camping: I think Frankie got the idea of camping in his head from a Peppa Pig video. So, one not-too-hot August evening, he & Frank set up the tent and slept outside…all night! Frankie had a blast and next wants to sleep in the tent in the woods! I think I could muster up the will power to camp one night…for Frankie.

The campers' digs

Frankie was so excited; Frank not so much (because I was "letting bugs in" - and note the mosquito on his forehead - whoops!)

Pool: Julia and the pool got off to a rocky start this summer since she didn't want to take her flip flops off to get in. I let her keep them on the first day and convinced her to take them off the next time without her putting up too much of a fight. She's now totally into the fountains at the pool and loves jumping in from the side...just like her brother.