Ice Olympics

I was impressed with ICE Olympics this week.  Monday through Friday from 9am - 3pm.  Gymnastics at it's best...cheering, tumbling, stunting, etc etc etc.  Gabi was in heaven.  She has certainly come a long way!!!!  She has mastered a round off, back handspring, back handspring and his now working on her back tuck!

She received 3rd place in her group of "Brazilian Backhandsprings" - or level 2 of the 3 levels for best tumbling all week. 

She also received the award and a plaque for Mental Attitude Award...having the best attitude all week - Lisa also mentioned her camp all day Monday and then returning at 5pm for her class! 

Great job, Gabi!!!  We loved watching you!

Annual Water Sporting Weekend-Camping

This will be the third year that we have gotten together with my side of the family to do some boating and water sports while camping.  This weekend was PERFECT!  We decided on Waffle Farms Campground last year at this time since it has 5 connecting water sport lakes.  We were even able to rent a pontoon right on one of the adjoining lakes for the day.  The campground was clean and the campers were friendly.  It made it even more worthwhile being able to get two sites right on the water.  The kids LOVED it. 

We couldn't have asked for a better view. 

If we weren't on the lake, we were relaxing or fishing...Chad mentioned he wanted to catch a catfish for the girls, so he rigged up a pole on Friday night.  Presley stayed vigilantly by the pole and kept claiming that a fish was on it...after about 10 minutes of her saying so, we decided to check and lo and behold...a catfish!!!  The girls were so excited to see a different kind of fish! 

We picked up the pontoon at 9 am on Saturday morning.  The sun was shining and the family was on their way!!  Enough room for 12 of us - PERFECT! 

We checked out all the lakes connected by channels and found places to throw out our blow up rafts and relax.  We even ate lunch on our boats at the sand bar. 

The kiddos LOVED tubing.  All three of Chad and Amber's girls were brave this year and went tubing.  All three of the big kids (Kenny, Rusty and my mom) even went skiing!!!  They proved that they STILL have it!  Ben and Tyler joined in on the skiing too. 

We ended up back at the camper right around 5:30 pm to start a quickie dinner of hotdogs and fixins.  Turned in the pontoon at 7 pm and enjoyed each other's company til dark.  SO glad that my family still loves to do this sort of thing.  I told Ben, I think it is much like we love to camp...because it brings back so many childhood memories.  My side of the family used to stay on a lake and grew up doing all kinds of skiing, etc.  I'm sure they enjoy the memories as well!  Thanks Uncle Kenny, Aunt Sharon, Uncle Rusty and Aunt Julie for bringing your boats.  And thank you mom and dad for coming and staying with us.  What a great first time out camping for us this year!!!!  Started out the season RIGHT!

Cornhole

So Ben has been wanting to get a new set of corn hole boards since...forever.  Well, maybe not forever, but since the boys have gone off to college, just so he can represent.  He did some investigating and found a place to do them but it was just too expensive at the moment.  After mentioning this to his sisters, theirs creative minds kicked into gear.  They decided to go ahead and get them for him as a surprise for being such an AWESOME big brother during such a hard time with their dad.  Ben was beyond excited.  He really appreciated the fact that they even brought them to him before we left for our weekend camping just so he could use them!  We are just lucky to have such thoughtful family.  We love you Pam and Jenny (and families)!!!  What a great idea!!!  You did well!!! :)

Fun Hump Day

Gabi had been wanting to invite a few friends from cheer camp over to swim at maw maw's house and it just so happened yesterday was the perfect day.  95 and sun.  Can't get much perfect than that.  Below...fun times with fellow cheerleaders next year...Brooke, Nikki and Kara.

We also planned an outing with Aunt Jenny, Travis and Mackenzy.  It sounded like the kiddos wanted to do some go cart riding and we figured Strikes and Spares was the best place to do it.  They have an AWESOME summer special for anytime golf, go carts, bowling and Nascar simulator for only $12.95 per person.  The kids ate it up!!!  Travis entertained us and the girls had fun catching up with each other and posting on Instagram. 
Jenny's boyfriend, Martin, made it in and we were able to meet him.  A family dinner to introduce him to everyone is in the works for tonight. 

Father's Day

We knew this year Father's Day would be hard, considering losing Ben's dad just a few weeks ago.  I took today to remember him and recognize the role model he was for Ben.  My children would not have the type of daddy they have if it weren't for Dad R and I am so blessed to have that.  The man Dad R was will be reflected in the person Ben is always, because Ben looked up to him so much and I know he will strive to keep making his dad proud - being the dad and husband he is meant to be.
Started the morning off with Gabi making breakfast in bed for her daddy.  Eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, blueberry pancakes, coffee and milk were on the menu.  And he ate every bit!  Gifts to follow were a nice pair of Dockers flat front shorts, a shirt from Old Navy, some Nike Sandals-so he will quit stealing Tylers ;) - and a memorial sticker for the boat (memorializing Dad R). 

Church was up next and off to my parents' house for the annual Father's Day cookout.  Had to get in a Facetime visit with Trenton!!!  Missed him alot!!!!  Also finish up the potato salad (Paula Deen recipe)...and off we went.

Loved trying out my new camera (Canon t3i) at my parents!!! 
Chad and family went in with us to get my dad a nice gravity chair he has been wanting and a couple of nice shirts for summer.  All in all, a good time with my dad and my mom's side of the family.  Swimming, of course, was on the schedule there. 

Reinoehl Cookout

We have been wanting to get the Reinoehl side together for a cookout before Jenny and the kids leave back for home in Texas in the next couple of weeks and found that last evening was the best for us...we had brats/hotdogs, pasta salad, baked beans, chips, rice krispie treats, cookies and watermelon.  Easy breezy summer foods and my parents were generous enough to let us use their facilities to add in a pool!  90 degree weather calls for it.  The kids (and one big kid...Jenny :), had a good time on the slide, diving board and playing some paddle ball in the yard

 

and the adults were able to hang out and visit, which was nice. 

Had to get some pics of everyone of course...