the faux fourth...

For the past several summers, my parents host their annual Fourth of July celebration on the Saturday after the kids get out of camp. The past years, it was early, as the kids got out of camp on 6/25. This year their term started later and didn't get out until 7/16. That was a Saturday, so we pretty much went straight from camp to the party!! The kids (especially Alex) LOVE fireworks!

I didn't take a ton of photos... it was hot, I was taking video as well and I was busy visiting with cousins I hadn't seen in a while!

Here are a few of the kids with their sparklers...

Clara was very intent on writing something here...
Alex (Mr. Ketchup and Mustard...sigh) appears to be casting a spell....
:-)

And then he started trying to write stuff too...
The boy...
That's all I've got! There was a lot more going on... golf cart rides, lots of fireworks, glow in the dark sidewalk chalk, great food, homemade ice cream, etc. But I either didn't get photos/video or they didn't quite turn out right (apparently it's hard to document glow in the dark sidewalk chalk).

But here's the video...

kamp... the videos...

Here is some of the footage I took of the closing ceremonies for kamp. As you can see, I have a lot to learn about using this thing properly. I need to make my little clips longer. Like the one you'll see of the note Clara left for us on her cabin's porch. It seemed ridiculous, at the time, to film it for more than a couple of seconds... but when putting the video together, it was entirely too short of a recording to actually read the note. I'll work on it for next time. I have to remember that back at home, I can always make the clip shorter, but I can't make it any longer.



Alex's cabin award ceremony....


There is no footage of Clara's cabin award ceremony because that is the time that I referenced earlier where I forgot that turning the flip on doesn't mean that it's recording. So... I guess I stood there, pointing a non-recording camera at Clara and her counselors for a couple minutes and then pushed record (when I thought I was ending my recording). I have a couple of seconds of footage of the floor as I turned the camera off... sigh. She received the "Gentle in Spirit" award. I'm very proud of both of our kiddos.

kamp!!!

Fast forward to 28 days later and it's time to see the kiddos at kamp!!

I honestly don't have many photos from kamp. I decided this year to take more video instead (remember my goal to learn imovie that didn't happen). That's a great idea IF I could consistently work my camera. But, alas, I could not and I missed a few key events while we were there (I need to remember that turning the thing on does not mean it is automatically recording... sigh). So I will work on putting together the odd collection of clips that I have into some kind of video to post here.... just don't expect it to make sense :-)

Friday night was parents' night. We got to see the kids, have a little opening presentation.. then it was time to go to their cabins for cabin awards and then to see the performance specialties perform.

Here's Clara and her kamp bff....
And Clara and her wonderful counselors...
I have video of Alex from the first night but no photos. I have to tell you that it is chaos on that first night (a good, happy chaos, but chaos nonetheless). It is nearly impossible to get many photos especially if you're running back and forth between the girls' side and the boys' side.

After the cabin awards and stuff, we left to go out to dinner while the kids had dinner at the kamp. Later we returned for K-Life which is their worship service.

The next morning we had to be there bright and early for boys' flagpole and awards (7:45, I think). At the awards ceremony, Alex won this....
Honor Tripper!!! At kamp they always go on a camping trip during the term. Alex loves trip! This year he went on Island, which just happened to be the same trip I went on my first year as a kamper!! He now has two paddles as he was honor tripper his first summer at kamp, as well.

After that, we headed over to the girls' side for their awards. If you look closely, Clara is wearing a Widow's Mite necklace she was given for being an "invisible hero" (someone who does good without looking for recognition)...
Notice how tired Clara looks and how awake and refreshed Alex looks. Apparently the boys' side all went to be on time like good little kampers while the girls' side went nuts on their last night!! Clara's cabin took their mattresses off their bunks and all slept in one big group on the floor (not until after they used those same mattresses to "surf" down their stairs).

They had an absolute blast and have already insisted that we sign them up for another month next summer!!

I'm back!!!

We got a signal booster yesterday and now I'm back in business!

Now that the kids have been back from camp in Missouri for a week, I figured it was finally time to post the "heading to camp" photos and video :-)

It was dark and stormy when we arrived at the parking lot for them to catch the bus to camp. If you look closely, you can tell that there was quite a bit of electricity in the air as both of them have hair that is standing up off of their heads!
This is the photo I got after Jeff told them to "show some teeth"....
... the next time I would see Alex, he would have two less teeth! He lost two baby teeth while at camp. I think he lost one the day we got there to see them.

The rain subsided so I was able to get one raingear-less shot....

And here is an overly long video I put together of our trip to St. Louis and sending them off to camp. I had higher hopes for this video. I had fully intended on trying to figure out iMovie on my mac, but didn't. It includes all of the footage from my arch video too so just skip through that and it will be a little bit more bearable in length...

**please stand by**

We are experiencing technical difficulties. :-)

After getting Kirsty's comment I realized that I should probably let you know that we're all okay. Well, all except my computer. The problems started when I upgraded my operating system when we got the iPad. But I was still able to edit photos and videos most of the time. Now things are worse. What Jeff and I tend to do every year while the kids are away at camp is rearrange the house. So, this year we moved my computer (again, we moved it last year as well). Now it is at the furtherest point away from our wireless router and now, alas, I cannot connect to the Internet on my computer. I have lots of photos to post and video.., plus I have the potential to add a ton more this weekend.. I just have to get my computer connected (on my iPad now). I will confess that having the kids at camp was the downfall of my project 365 again this year. I made it until last Thursday. Oh well... I made it longer than last year. :-). I'm going to try to figure this all out next week so hopefully I'll be posting again soon!!

Go Cubs Go!

(yes... I'm still avoiding my photo a day photos)

The Monday before the kids left for camp, we went to our first family Cubs game of the season. Alex and Jeff had already been to a game (which you would know if I was caught up on my photo a day photos... but I'm not)... but this was the first time of the season that all four of us were at Wrigley.

Jeff and Alex got there before Clara and me (Clara had a ballet class) and had spotted the nachos in a batting helmet. They decided that they needed them. Once we were settled into our seats, the kids went off in search of them. While they were gone, Jeff was telling me how good they looked with all of the chili, cheese and other toppings. Sounded good to me.

Well... this is what they came back with...
... chips, cheese and a drizzle of sour cream. They made the command decision to not get any of the other toppings... so chips and cheese it was! Apparently they were very excited about this.

We don't have season tickets, just know someone who does. We've been buying some of his extra tickets for a couple of seasons now. His tickets were always in the upper level, kind of by the first bank of lights in this photo. But this year, he has new seats, and they're great!

This is the evening view from the new seats...
and the very off kilter night view from the seats....
The view is really good... it looks far away here because I had my wide angle lens on which makes everything look farther away.

So, to continue with the food in headgear theme, the kids decided that they now needed ice cream in mini helmets...
Apparently Clara thought spoons were too much trouble...
(as a bonus for Clara... the helmets fit American Girl dolls!)

And after several scoreless innings... the Cubs score!!!

So, at the end of the game, it was time to sing "Go Cubs Go"....

And finally it was time to walk home!

the arch

Whew... what a crazy couple of weeks! School is now over, the kids are both at camp for a month and I finally have my computer functioning again (had some glitches when I upgraded my OS when we got the iPad).

With the kids gone, I'm hoping to finally get caught up with posting my photo of the day photos! I've missed another two days so far, but I'm not going to give up. Before I get to that, I'm going to post some photos from our night in St. Louis before the kids got on the bus to camp the next morning. We were staying right downtown and decided to take a pre-dinner walk to the arch...

We had planned to just look at it from the outside since we didn't know how late it was open... but, as it turns out, it is open pretty late in the summer and we were able to take a ride to the top. I took some video of our ride, if I can get it to upload, it will be at the end of this post.
Alex was pretty excited to go up to the top since it was mentioned in one of his beloved Percy Jackson and the Olympians books.
Clara has no fear of heights and climbed right up to look out the windows...
Alex has a major fear of heights, but was able to enjoy the view anyway...

an evening with friends

Yesterday was a really great day. The day started out with Jeff and Alex doing the Run for the Zoo at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Jeff did the 10k and Alex did the 5k. Clara and I stayed home and watched her Sleeping Beauty DVD from their performance in May. It was a beautiful day... and after lunch the kids went next door to fill water balloons and play with the neighbors. I have a photo or two of that... plus video. Hopefully I'll get to that soon!

Shortly after the big water balloon battle in the alley, we headed out to the 'burbs to see my friend! We were anxious to see her and her daughter again... but we were especially excited to meet this little one for the first time...
The kids had a blast together! They played the entire time!

Right before we left, I decided to snap a few photos.

This one was "supposed" to be the normal one. That's usually the deal... let me get one or two "normal" ones and then they can act as silly as they want. BUT... I'm not thinking that Clara looks very normal in this one...
But, that was the deal... so then they got a little crazy...
then crazier...
and, perhaps, craziest?
Ahhh.... the sisters...
And a couple more of the little one...

Then it was time for good bye hugs...

We had such a great time together! We need to get together more often!

sleeping beauty... again

Clara and I were watching the DVD of Sleeping Beauty this morning (we just picked it up yesterday!). We decided to go on youtube just to see if anyone happened to have taken any video of the performance and posted it online. Lucky us... there's just one and Clara happens to be in it! It's a short little clip from the Waltz of the Flowers... but Clara is there... third one back in the line of little salmon pink flowers!

Sleeping Beauty

So here we have another installment of "if you give a kid a camera" :-) A couple of weekends ago, Clara was part of her ballet school's production of Sleeping Beauty. It was fantastic! All of the students did a fabulous job... but the trainees were just amazing!!

Well... since I couldn't be backstage, I gave Clara our little point and shoot and hoped for the best... here is what I got....

A photo of their Waltz of the Flowers costumes...
Waltz of the Flowers costumes for the older girls....
Another costume...
(not sure which one though)

Clara was fascinated by the prop table...

A close-up of her skirt....
A wardrobe box?
My dainty flower imitating the photo to her left....
Escape routes...
... good to know.

Ahhh... finally a couple of good photos of her in her costume...

The girls thought it looked cool when they stood with their skirts together...
(I think it looks cool too!)

Clara's favorite prop....
... the mask of the evil fairy.

And one last photo of our Clara girl...