From The Hive: summer in a nutshell

We're ready for the 5th week at school already. Another summer over and out. Another summer for this poor neglected blog. I do try to keep some things on it, I love taking a second and looking back over the years. It's like looking through an old photo album. Surely someday, the kids will want to look back too.

Here's what you've missed:

Lou and Bee cleaned up at the end of the school year awards ceremony. It's fun when you get to be on stage when your kiddo's name is called. Who else gets this view for a much embarrassing photo?

We opened up our favorite local theme park. Daddy must have taken the photo.

We helped open up our school's new high school. Here we are signing the gym floor before the top layer was laid.

And signing the floor of the kid's future language classroom.

The last day of school took us on our traditional IHOP early morning breakfast trip.

The teachers (and their own kids) took an end of school year field trip to the local fro-yo place after the last day. We rode a school bus and everything!

The shop gave us a great set price deal and we didn't have to weigh our bowls. Bee and Lou had permission to go all out... and they did! Lou was just about first through the line and I didn't even get to see his bowl before he started in on it. It was well deserved at the end of the school year. Goodbye 4th and 6th!

Our favorite nephew came for a visit. He brought my sister along too.

Hubby and I took a long weekend to Alabama without the kids.

There was a lot of time spent on the water.

The kids found some new hobbies.

Luke pulled out my old stamp collecting stuff.

We spent a lot of time in the wave pool- I spent a lot of time reading pool side. My goal was 10 books this summer... I think I ended on 9.

Lou and I went on a little exploration of some nearby caves.

This boat tour was a little too scary for him though, unfortunately we were committed for the whole hour before we realized it. There something about the tour guides on cave tours... Every one we've ever had has acted as though he's at open mic night- but not funny enough to go beyond that.

The caving was while Bee was at camp. The weary camper arrived home.

Lou spent the summer doing sports training. The leg is strong again!

Those kids are getting so old!

Bee and I kept spying this colored wall downtown, on our way to take Lou to sports training. We passed it while we were on an overpass, so we had a general area, but didn't know exactly. One afternoon we tracked it down.

My dedicated workout parter and I kept our morning appointment together. I love being able to stream my workouts on demand. I met my summer goal of 22 consecutive pushups. I was at 11 going in and made my goal on the last day before school started!

There was a good deal of reading. However, Sherlock Holmes did not get finished....

Bee and I tried some tomatoes this year at the new house. Nothing like the old house! To find a spot away from the woods (and deer) and with enough sunlight, we planted them down at the end of our long drive. She had to get creative with watering. We did not do well. I have now gathered that the former owner used a large amount of weed killer in the beds. Maybe a small raised bed next year?

We tried to spend time outside.

This boy is sweet as ever.

We took a trip to see the Cubbies.

Didn't make it to Chicago, but we did weekend in Cincinnati with friends for the game.

This photo is shortly before we lost one of the boys we were with and the police had to help us find him. It was eventful! He just wanted autographs.

We also went to the aquarium and Lou met a friend.

Bee met a friend too.

We ordered a pirate summer mystery from mail order mystery. It was fun, what kid doesn't love to get mail? It was spread out over 6 weeks, so we got to work on it for awhile.

It was a little pricey, but would make a cool gift for an elementary aged kid. I used my tutoring money, so I didn't feel bad.

We tried our hand at Ninja Warrior training. I must say I really enjoyed it myself. The warp wall is my new personal challenge.

The kids enjoyed many programs at our library. They offered a bunch of cool ones like Minecraft club, video game design, digital art, etc. I signed them up for every one I could and they had a great afternoon while I worked on school stuff in the next room.

I like to take advantage of every professional development opportunity I can, especially ones my building will pay for. I love learning new things. I feel like it's a perk of the job! Here I am with Lou's math teacher from last year and his math teacher from this year. They met at our house at 6:30 am to leave. He was a little embarrassed to see teachers at his house while he was in his jammies. It might have embarrassed him even more when I called them jammies.

Hubby worked a ton this summer, so the kids and I were left on our own for fun. We did surprise him with treats sometimes though.

I really worked hard on my classroom library this summer. I don't think you can ever have enough books! I decided this summer to organize them all in tubs. They are easier to access and the kids are using them more. There were shelves that were totally ignored in the past. No longer.

First day of school 2017-18. Bee is in 7th. Lou is in 5th. I'm still teaching 3rd. Daddy is still in the office. He didn't get a summer break, so I'm not sure he's really smiling here. It was same old, same old for him on this morning.

My lovely team makes coming to work a joy. Even on the hard days. This is our third year together and I think we have our work cut out for us this year!