Covered Bridge Days

We didn't take in many of the festivities this weekend but the parade. Its always fun to sit with friends and hang out for a while. We sat near the judging area of the bands which I have come to like. The bands stop and do some sort of fancy formations and try to impress the judges. There are quite a few bands in our parade because of the judging so it makes our small town parade worthy (I think).
 This year, Paul is in the marching band (top right) although he hates it and would quit if he could.

 

Here's a band from the cities, I like to think it is the next generation of marching bands...

Yep, 2 electric guitars being pulled on a trailer by a golf cart! They did a fancy formation around the guitars while they did a funky solo. It was great! I can only imagine these 2 guys, convincing their director to build a trailer and let them be part of the band! What a hoot. I did notice the trailer also served as a holding area for the wooden guns the girls throw around...never did understand what was so great about twirling wooden guns, why don't they use batons anymore?

Anyways, enough deep thinking, here are a few more pictures from the parade. And no, that is not our town's working fire truck! Anne is in the bright blue, the good baseball, supportive mom. Luke's team walked in the parade and handed out candy and last minute they realized they needed a few more parents to assist...So, Anne helped out. We missed her sitting with us on the side, but was proud she was in the parade. Luke brought Gerrit candy (seeing Gerrit isn't one to sit on the edge of the street and collect candy). Luke even brought Nikki and I candy - BitOHoney! Nikki and I were picking out of the kids' stash at last weekend's parade so Luke went and bought a bag and carried it in his pockets until he saw us. It was really cute - it made our night!

Following the parade, Dahlen's and Rocke's walked to our house to grill burgers and hang out until the fire works. It started raining so we brought the party into the garage. A 1 stall garage kept us dry - well, all but Gerrit and Abby who continued to ride the bikes in the driveway during the rain. Just when we thought the fireworks were going to be postponed due to rain, they started. So we were able to see them through a few trees for the whole 10 minutes they lasted. (I think they were afraid it was going to rain harder or something - it wasn't their best show and luckily we get more in a few weeks at Sandy Pines). 

No Time For Kids' Shows

Friday was a funfilled day for Gerrit. Adam took the day off and kept Gerrit busy. We started off with breakfast at Bridgett's followed by riding our bikes to swim lessons. Gerrit took a spill on Main street because he rubbed the Burley trying to cross it. He backed up traffic a bit, but no one honked.  A quick sanck and it was off to the golf course with Luke, Paul and Adam. A few games of motorcycle on TV (video games at Daheln's) and then a quick trip to Rochester before Hellyer's summer party rounded out his day. He played on a bouncy thing at Hellyer's pretty much the whole time we were there - 3+ hours. When we finally left after 9:30, Gerrit was so upset (mostly because he was tired) that he did not watch a kid show all day!

A few more swimming pictures...I promise, even though lessons are anothe week, there will not be many more swim lessons pictures!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Wednesday was a chilly, damp day to be outside but Gerrit did not complain. Emmit was at daycare so I was able to get a few more pictures of Gerrit in action. In Tball they played 'catch' with another kid for the last few minutes. I don't think I saw many catches happen, but it was fun to see them try.

Swimming lessons were not going to happen for Gerrit if he had to get in the little pool. Luckily, the instructors knew NONE of the kid would get in the water so they had lessons in the big pool which is heated. The kids did a great job of sitting on the steps (the pool is too deep for them to stand) and waited their turn using the noodle and swimming around. It started to rain near the end of his lessons and now I know what they mean - lessons will go on as long as there is not lightening/thunder!

Happy Father's Day!

These crazy kids

love their dad

even if they drive him nuts some times!

Day 2

Gerrit waited patiently for his turn to bat:

He does a great job batting and is doing much better getting his hands lined up properly (he usually is cross handed but is getting use to switching them correctly. Thanks to a year of teaching elementary, I know the cue words to help him a long: 'favorite hand on top' works every time!)

If you ask Gerrit what his favorite part of tball is, he'll tell you wearing the helmet! (and base running)

Swimming lessons....he did the opening activity (bottom left) and then immediately went to putting his head down (top left). I had to laugh because I think the instructor thought he was scared of the water, when actually he knew it was cold and was acting sheepish. Eventually he hopped in and helped pick up the toys (far right). Next thing I knew he was sitting next to the bucket of toys watching and when the kids did a little jingle and had to put their face in the water, well Gerrit is no dummy - he could put his face in the water without the rest of his body getting cold (top right). He joined in the kicking part because that too didn't require getting the whole body wet and near the end, he reluctantly  stood with the rest of the kids (bottom middle). His favorite part today was jumping into the big pool - not because it was a big pool, but because that pool is heated!

The Big E

 

So what does Emmit do while Gerrit plays tball?

He enjoys watching, playing golf, holding his big brother's equipment and of course, talking on the phone while haveing a little refreshment.

{I made his "big E" shirt as well as the hat this spring, I've got my mom's sewing bug right now and the knitting needles are getting lonely!}

First Day of Summer

Gerrit started off our first offical day of summer with a bang: tball and swim lessons back to back! We drove to a neighboring town for tball and then back to Z-town for swim lessons.
He started off the day telling me he wasn't going to tball, he was just going to watch. I had a feeling he was going to be like this, but we went anyways and he did great!

I took just a few pictures and here he is at the base running station:

Everyone was to stand on home plate, he ran real fast, skipped touching 2nd base, and after I yelled for him to touch the base, he did so at 3rd. At the end he was glad he went and can't wait for tomorrow.

Swim lessons were cold. Of course the weather is cooler this week, just in time for swim lessons (outside in a freezing cold kiddy pool). So he made it till the last activity and then he had enough - he was cold. He told me at bed time that he would give swim lessons 1 more try, but if it was cold, he was done. (I didn't have the heart to tell him he has 2 weeks of it!)

After lunch I ran to Roch for an oil change and Luke stayed with the boys. When I got home, they were all playing outside. Gerrit snuck in and opened a new package of goggles (one I was going to return because I found his goggles) and took them outside. He had this crazy idea that he could use them like the goggles he wore when he went to the farm a few weeks ago. Emmit seemed to stay busy playing with Luke's phone and an old Lego truck the neighbors gave us and didn't feel a need to wear goggles (unlike Luke and Gerrit). When Luke asked to water the flowers, I knew that was the end of dry clothes...and it was. Gerrit pulled the hose from Nick's house and filled up his dump truck beyond capacity. Emmit was curious and he too started playing in the water.

Summer here we come!