This and that

The reason for the quiet week was that our internet and phone were out all week!  The first appointment they could come to fix it was today- July 4th!  Thankfully it was an easy fix and I'm back online.  Let me just say- you think "I don't use the internet much" right up until you don't have it.  :)  When we went to the lake last month and didn't have wifi I read four books in five days.  This week I read four more.   :)

Anyway- this week's big adventure was Julia going to horseback riding/art camp.  It was at a different barn than we usually ride and she met all new girls and horses.  She had the best time!  They did riding exercises in the morning (like bareback riding, horse gymnastics, dressage exercises) and then did art projects later on.  She spent the night at BB and Poppy's house every night, which helped us immensely.  She was so proud to show off her work on Thursday afternoon when we picked her up.  

The spray painted a Breyer horse and then decorated it.  This is "Sunset".  :)

She also did this collaborative art piece with her horse.  She put down blobs of paint and then some oats- the horse pushed the paint all around as he ate the oats.  :)

Her horse partner for the week- Leon.  :)  By the way she jumped over two rails this week.  She fell off after the second rail, but she got right back on- way to go Sissy!

It was a fun week with just the boys.  One day we went to the zoo and saw a butterfly hatching from a chrysalis!

Tucker was mesmerized-

We also dug in the sand and played in the splash fountains.

One day we went to the library and had a great time.   Charlie said, "Wook- day have superhewoes!"

The boys favorite- riding bikes around the cul-de-sac- they call it "riding around the roundhouse" in a nod to Thomas the Tank Engine-

Wednesday was my birthday.  BB, Poppy and Julia came to meet the boys and I and took us to Joe's Crab Shack for lunch.  They loved playing on the playground and having this artistic dessert.

 They got so muddy the other day we had to wash them down even before we brought them to the tub!

In other news, Marc is playing football for our local Catholic high school's middle school team.  I know- I don't want him to either- I'm outvoted!  :)  To say he is excited is an understatement- he is obsessed.  Marc took him and the boys to meet the coaches at the storage facility and measure for a uniform.  Not your turn yet Tuck Tuck.....    :)

 He's been practicing playing in his pads and helmet.  It's all breaking my heart, but I'm happy that he's so happy.