169 months old

 

Britton's first week of high school flew by in a swirl and learning a new school and meeting a ton of new people!  Now, she's 3 weeks in and knows her way around, and is used to getting up at 5:30 am.  Me, I'm still adjusting to the new wake up time!  Britton is trying out for softball this year, so she's in the softball gym class, and is staying after twice a week for running and weights.  She's also started the new season of her rec league softball team, and has practice 3 times per week.  Add to that homework and National Charity League commitments, and this girl is BUSY!  She's on top of it, and keeps track of all her goings on on her own - I am constantly amazed at how organized she is.  

Likes:  playing Roblox Fairy Tycoon, leggings, finally getting to read assigned books in English

Dislikes:  running in the morning - she'd much rather run in the evening

barrett: 123 months old

 

Barrett, still in his pajamas even at mid-morning, because we're riding out the last days of summer vacation.  Barrett starts 5th grade next week, his last year of elementary school, and it is making me feel somewhat stressed that after this year, it gets real.  His elementary school is so welcoming to parents, and we've been sure to be up there often.  In junior high, the kids would much rather we parents stay away!  So, it's the last year of many things - me coming up to eat lunch with him, walking him to school, knowing how to help with homework, and so much more.

Likes:  yogurt with fruit chunks (unlike his sister), Chick-fil-A peach shakes

Dislikes:  cutting his nails, this incessant Texas heat

14 years old

The birthday girl is 14 years old!!  We're on the cusp of the last few years of childhood, and it does make me horribly nostalgic and sad.  Britton starts high school is less than two weeks, so we've got her for four more years before she flies the nest, and it doesn't feel like nearly enough time.   Ok, enough of my emotional whining, it's time to party!

Britton wanted her birthday party to be bowling AND to be on her actual birthday, so we had a bowling and arcade party in the middle of the week. The girls had a blast, and Barrett brought a friend to bowl with him.  We had pizza, fries, pretzels, and cupcakes!

After the party, we met Memaw and PawPaw at the house to open presents and have more cake.  We couldn't do candles at the bowling place, and I am a firm believer that you need to make a wish on your birthday.

Likes:  cats, pop music, watercolor painting

Dislikes:  math, the ridiculous heat, having to wake up super early for high school

 

barrett: 122 months old

We're firmly in the middle of our summer fun!  Barrett has had a great time in art camp - the first week he did animals (drawing, painting, etc.) and this week has been clay.  He's also got a week of robotics camp coming up in a few weeks.  While I'm sure Barrett would be fine to play on his iPad all day, he does appreciate having something new and fun to keep him entertained over the summer.  Plus, it's been so hot this summer that he loves his camps being in air-conditioned buildings.  I've also signed him up for tennis lessons once per week, which he likes much better than the tennis camps I used to sign him up for!  

Likes: not having any cavities -we went to the dentist today

Dislikes:  losing his teeth - he misses them (just lost a molar today!)

167 months old

How are we already in JULY?  Seriously, this summer is going way too fast, no doubt due to our recent vacations.  While the hubs and I went to Iceland for a week, Memaw and PawPaw treated Barrett and Britton to a Disney World vacation!  They of course had a blast, even though it was blazing hot and humid every day.  I'm not sure who was more tired at the end of every day, the kids or the grandparents!  We got to hear all about their adventures when we got back, and they even got us some souvenirs, which was such a sweet surprise!

July promises to be fun too, with art camp next week!  Britton and Barrett will both be doing ceramics/clay, and they enjoyed their previous art camps, so I have high hopes for this one as well.  It's a good option to get them out of the heat while still having something new to do over the summer.  We've also started running this summer - took a break while we were all out of town, but now we're getting back into the schedule.  

Likes:  Biscuit - a neighborhood cat we found on our walks

Dislikes:  this never-ending summer heat

 

barrett: 121 months old

Barrett is firmly into his summer mode, and has already had a week of art camp!  This week focused on animals, and the camp brought in animals every day for the kids to meet, then their art projects were of the animals they met and talked about.  He's had a blast, which makes me happy, because he's going back in July for clay!  

The soccer season ended right after school let out, and his team played so well this season!  Barrett's favorite position is defense, and he does not like goalie, as the pressure gets to him.  Mostly, I think he really enjoys being on a team, and working with his teammates.  

Likes: art, swimming in the pool

Dislikes: running!

166 months old

We are in the throes of summer, which is why I'm a week late with Britton's monthly picture!  Even though the hubs and I work every day and are well aware of the date, summer has a way of making every day feel like the weekend, and "to dos" tend to get forgotten.  Britton is officially a 9th grader and headed to high school in August!  I know, I KNOW everyone says it goes by fast, and dang it, I should have listened, because it really does.  I have a hard time wrapping my head around the next 4 years, when Britton will learn to drive, apply to college, and fly the nest.  

Britton is going to play softball in the fall for KGSA - her last season with the rec league, and then try out for the softball team at high school in the spring.  She set a goal this summer to run the entire mile, and since I haven't done that since high school, I have joined her in that quest!  The hubs is too, and Barrett says he will too, so we've started alternating jogging and walking in the hopes that by the end of the summer, we're running the entire mile.  The heat isn't making me motivated!

Likes:  swimming in the pool, her new mermaid tail, making her own fruit sorbet

Dislikes: putting away laundry