Keeping cool...

It has been a really hot summer in the Portland area so far!  The kids have been playing on the slip in slide and sprinklers a lot.  Here are some random pictures of them playing outside together. Peyt and Liv bicker quite a bit but they have their moments of having lots of fun together.

 It's pretty rare I bust out my big camera these days so I figured I'd post these!

Squirting Peyt at his request

Tea/Picnic break

That bun though.

Trillium Lake

A few weeks ago we decided to beat the 100 degree heat and go to Trillium Lake for the day.  It was so muggy so the water felt really nice!  It was really crowded this day and it didn't have the ideal space for kids to play in the water (huge rocks and then a drop off to really deep water). We stayed for a few hours and then headed home. But it was a nice little getaway as a family.

So pretty!

There were tons of ducklings everywhere, so cute.

2nd grade done!

This school year flew by so fast!  Peyton really matured and thrived this year.  It's so amazing how much he learns just in 9 months.  His reading and math improved leaps and bounds.  I lost count of how many chapter books he read this year.  He continues to love school and is excited for 3rd grade in the Fall.

He looks like a different kid! He's growing up too fast for this mama!

Very proud of my boy

First year of Preschool a success!

Olivia went to preschool 2 mornings a week this year and she LOVED it.  She is so excited to enter her second year of preschool, fulltime--every day, ALL day!  She is so ready.  She did really well this year. She had zero anxiety and played really well with her classmates. 


She grew so much !

She got the 'Queen of Organization' award. 

Her self portrait

 

 

A couple videos of her last day of school..

 

Marissa's Graduation

My niece Marissa graduated from high school a few weeks ago.  That makes me feel old!  She is such a smart, kind, beautiful, grounded, and down-to-earth girl.  Love you Marissa, we are so proud of you!

Franklin HS Class of 2015

With Grandpa

With Dad

With Mama !

Rissa and her boyfriend AJ

Brittni and her kids Andrew/Collin flew in from Indiana

 

I love this pic.  Alexa and Uncle John

Uncle Randy, Aunt Amy and Austin

So proud

 

 

Farm Baseball 2015

This year's baseball season was a big one for Peyton.  We finally figured out Peyton's batting dilemma.  A couple years ago his t-ball coach was convinced that Peyt was hitting on the wrong side and switched him over to the right side. Peyton does absolutely everything left handed so this was surprising to me.  So for the next 2 years he got used to hitting on the right but his swing was super awkward and he never looked comfortable.  This resulted in a lot of frustration for him and he kept mentioning that he really didn't want to play anymore.  He got used to being on the right side so much that he no longer felt comfortable on the left either.  SO frustrating!  He decided to give it one more shot this year and thank goodness Brandon got to coach with Sean, who we knew from previous baseball/soccer/basketball seasons.  Sean is an awesome coach and knows so much about the game.  He knew right away that Peyton was batting on the wrong side and immediately started working with him on Saturday's to get him comfortable and back to the left side.  WHAT A DIFFERENCE! He finally got used to the left again and was hitting so much harder and he looked so much more comfortable.  What a relief. 

He also improved immensely with his fielding and understanding of the game.  We are excited for next year as he will move up to the minor league level.  He played a lot of first base, a little bit of catcher and second base. 

B coached again this year and he did an amazing job.  He is sooo patient which is key to coach this age level. 

Coach Sean and Peyt

Daddy coaching his boy

Here are a few of the many videos I took.  He improved so much this year.  So proud of you Peyt! 

 

We had our end of the season party at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Peyt has made some good friends.

Playing games with his buddy Parker

 

Peyton's First Communion

Starting last September we started the process of preparing Peyton for his First Communion.  Every Sunday from September through May he had First Communion class before mass while B and I had a parents class to attend.  It was a lot of time and work but he learned a lot and was well-prepared.  He is just growing up so fast!  I can remember my First Communion in this same church like it was yesterday!  We are very proud of him. 

 

Livvy wanted a picture in front of Mary too.

Two of his good friends from school, Shea and Allison, go to our church too so it was fun for them to study and go through the process together. 

All the First Communicants

 

 

Peyton along with another girl were chosen to do readings.  He amazes me! The reading he had was difficult...with many hard-to-pronounce names.  We practiced the day before like crazy and he did awesome! He spoke clearly and wasn't nervous at all!  I would have never done that at his age (or now...way too shy for that!)

 

Here's the video of his reading.

Father Angelo, our priest at Ascension

Lots of family came to support him.  Of course, his favorite cousin Austin!