June Cont

This was a busy week of Practicum (CC training that tutors have to attend) and soccer.  Ben had soccer practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and a game Tuesday.

 Dressed for church.  Mollie Grace doesn't agree to wear matching outfits often so I had to take a picture of them together.

 Father's Day cake baked and iced by Mollie Grace, sprinkled and decorated by Annie.

 A fancy card from Annie.

 And another card from Annie.  She was busy preparing for Father's Day.

 Ben's game Tuesday was Predator orange vs Predator blue.  The games are 5 v 5 so his coach entered two teams.  They played each other this week.  Ben's team (he's the captain) won.

 The girls on the left play for Galaxy (the Southaven competitive team).  Since Galaxy does not start practicing until July, they have been practicing and playing with the Predators this summer.

 Thursday Mollie Grace had horse riding lessons.

 Annie made Kool-Aid popsicles.

 Thursday was the only day Ben didn't have soccer practice.  We spent a lot of time playing in the backyard.

 Jumping rope.  "Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, dressed all in black, black, black. . . ." Mollie Grace learned jump ropes rhymes at Practicum.

 Ben jumped too.  He just didn't want his picture taken.  He was the photographer.

 Some recent Annie art.

 Self portrait.

 This is me.

 Annie is no longer scared to put her face in the water.  She's been practicing swimming in our backyard pool.

Ben is excited that he now has 20 YouTube subscribers.  You can hear him talk about NASCAR and watch his stop motion races at NASCARJr.  He's been editing his night race and plans to have it posted by Monday.

Summer Fun

This week Ben and Mollie Grace went to VBS at Desoto Hills Baptist Church.  It should be designated the official VBS of CC.  Nearly all their homeschool friends were there.

 Since Annie and Emmeline were too young to go to VBS (you had to have completed Kindergarten), Emmeline came home with us at drop off and spent the morning.  They built a bird's nest and were really sure that a bird would make a home in it.

 Ben played 5 v 5 soccer Monday and Tuesday nights.  Monday night he was a substitute for the U13 team because some players were out of town.  He is the captain of the U12 team that played Tuesday night.  They lost 6-4.  At one point they were up, but made some mistakes that eventually cost them the game.  The summer league is developmental and part of it is about having the players make decisions rather than a coach.  As captain, Ben decides who plays what position and when and is responsible for substituting players during the game.

Tuesday Annie and I went with friends to the $2 summer movie at the Malco. 

 Laffy Taffy tongue

 Silas goes to Desoto Hills and came home with us from VBS Tuesday and spent the afternoon.

 Mollie Grace (who is constantly crafting something) made this rag doll herself.  She sewed on the hair and face and made clothes for it.

 Thursday Mollie Grace go to invite a friend home for VBS.  She and Sarah Grace made chocolate pudding.  Ben spent most of the evening swimming with the Simmons boys (more CC friends), who live down the road from us. Thursday was the only evening that he did not play soccer.  He had games Monday and Tuesday and practice Wednesday and Friday.

 This is a picture of our family that Annie drew recently.

 Last day of VBS.

 Mollie Grace and her friends Lucy Kate and Sarah Grace were in the same group all week.

 I promised Annie that we would go on a bike ride while Ben and Mollie Grace were at VBS so she drew this reminder and stuck it on the refrigerator.

 Mollie Grace wanted to see if she could pick me up.  Those are my feet a foot off the carpet!

Super Anna, who rescues kittens stuck in trees.

A Busy Rainy Birthday Week

While John was in North Carolina, Mama and Aunt Connie came to visit.  On Tuesday afternoon, we went to the Pink Palace.

 The Pink Palace has recently restored the Clyde Park Circus, which is a miniature carved circus which moves with a series of motors and pulleys.  Tuesday was the first time we had ever seen it in motion.

 The Pink Palace was being built by the founder of Piggly Wiggly to be his personal home when he went bankrupt.  There is a replica of an original self-service Piggly Wiggly.

There were some very interesting (and disgusting) food choices available.

 I told the kids they could each cut themselves a small brownie.  This is where they cut.

 Tuesday night Mollie Grace developed a sore throat and fever.  I took her to the doctor Wednesday morning.  It was not strep and he didn't give her any medicine.  Just said to keep her home until the fever broke.  I let her open one gift from Nana and Grandaddy early because I knew it was a movie she could watch while she wasn't feeling good. It was a collection of Disney Don Knotts movies including The Apple Dumpling Gang.  Mollie Grace loves Don Knotts.  The Andy Griffith Show is one of her favorite shows.

 Thursday morning birthday candle in her hashbrown.

 Since it rained all day Thursday we decided to go watch a movie for a special birthday treat -- Aladdin.

 The rain did not stop Annie from having swim lessons.  She swam every day at noon even in the rain on Thursday. This is Friday, when parents can come watch what they've learned during the week.

 Swimming from Mrs. Heidi to Mrs. Melissa.

 After swim lessons, we picked up lunch and headed to the Germantown Charity Horse Show.  We watched a hunter jumper show, which was big girls jumping big fences.  That was our plan for Mollie Grace's birthday but the rain kept us away.

 We also visited all the booths and bought Mollie Grace horseshoe earrings for her birthday.

 Saturday morning Ben had soccer practice in the rain.  It wasn't thundering or lightening so they practiced.  He refused to pose for a picture so I told him I was going to post this terrible one.

 The sun came out (hurray!) Saturday afternoon so they hung out in the pool.  As the girls tried to convince me to get in the pool, Ben pointed out that I was wearing a sweat shirt.  I do not like cold water!

 Saturday night we ate cake and ice cream and opened presents for Mollie Grace's birthday.

 New jodhpurs and her own helmet from Nana and Grandaddy.

Mollie Grace got this sweet card today from an elderly lady at church, Mrs. Elizabeth, that she always talks to on Sunday mornings.