Time is 'ROARING' On

We are already half-way through summer break, and I can already feel the burn of school rearing it's ugly head.  Good thing we are making the most of our free time, and by our, I mean Matt and the kids.  This is my first official summer working full-time, and I haven't been able to spend as much time with my kids as I would like.  Thank goodness their dad is wonderful and has accepted the challenge of keeping them occupied and entertained.  Karson kicked off summer break in WKU's Volleyball Camp which actually landed on the last day of school and following two days (Wednesday-Friday).  Matt decided to take the kids to swim that Friday - the last day of camp.  Prior to Friday, I had all of her stuff laid out for her - knee pads, outfit, got her hair pulled up, water bottle, etc.  Both she and Matt were responsible for the Friday stuff - they managed to forget her socks, clean underwear and water bottle.  Instead of making a trip back home, they improvised with using her bikini bottoms as underwear and borrowing a pair of socks from our friends.  I had to laugh and asked my friend Tammy to snap some pictures of her for me since I wouldn't be picking her up that day.  I told Tammy I couldn't promise she would be camera-worthy and explained about what had happened.  She told me her daughter was in the same boat and had swam all day and done her hair too.  TWINS =).

Karson and her friend Kaitlyn.  These two have been almost inseparable this summer.  They've participated in volleyball camps, clinics, open gyms and had lots of fun swimming (and texting).

We got to celebrate Emmie Lou's 8th birthday at The Skate Box in early June.  It's funny to me that Matt's youngest first cousin is the age of our youngest child.  The Skate Box was toasty warm.  One of the regulars there told me the air had been out for two summers.  Whew.  We were ready to go after three hours of skating but had a good time and got to celebrate with Emmie.

The cats still occupy most of Karson's time.  She spends every single second she can with them.

Our parents (Matt's and mine) had the opportunity to take a cruise this summer with friends.  They put us in charge of the cats and watering the plants.  Matt snapped this cute picture at their house when the kids were missing Pap and Nana.

Miles and his buddy Trapper playing a heated game of war.  I'm pretty sure these two are exact replicas of Matt and Weston at this age.

Writing lots of books and drawing is a great way to spend summer break.

I have been in the full thrush of summer camp at SKyPAC the past two weeks.  I knew it was going to be a fast and furious kind of thing.  Prior to that, I wanted to take the kids to do something special before all of my free time (and energy) was drained out of me.  We opted for the trampoline park in Nashville - called SKY Jump.  I highly recommend this place for kids.  Adults, not so much.  Matt and I should've taken cues from the other adults and NOT purchased tickets to jump.  I spent about two hours bouncing around and paid for it later.  There's a reason I keep Advil handy.  My body was subjected to a total readjustment =).

Our kids had the most fun playing trampoline dodgeball.  They asked me to join them for a couple of rounds.  I did what any good mother would do and joined them.  When I was waiting in line, a kid started trash talking me and essentially told me I was a "goner" in the ring.  He said, "everyone is going to go after you because you are an easy target."  WHAT?!?  I can't imagine any child going after the 37-year old mother on the court.  Thankfully they didn't.  I'm fairly certain they were avoiding me if anything.  The only kids trying to peg me were my own and vice versa.  I forgot how much fun a game of dodgeball is.

Karson attended the South Warren Spartans High School Basketball camp.  She won a defensive award this year and was treated to a chocolate milkshake.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed she be a part of this team in the future.

Matt took the kids to the waterpark last week.  Nothing screams waterpark enjoyment like a bright blue snow cone and tongue to match.

I had the opportunity to see Katy Perry's movie "Part of Me" a while back.  I thought to myself if I ever have the opportunity to see her in concert, I'm going to take it.  Her tickets came up for grabs for the Prism tour early this year.  I snagged a couple for me and my peeps.  I surprised Karson with the tickets on Easter.   Lisa scored us some cool t-shirts which we decorated at our traditional "pre-concert" shirt decorating party.  Fringe, beads, a night full of laughs, doing some impromptu Zumba, noshing on Zaxby's and jamming to KP got us pumped!

The day finally arrived Last Friday Night (hah- no pun intended). We got all glammed up with hair chalk, sticker nails, make-up, our shirts and headed to Nasvhille. I can't tell you how many compliments we got on our shirts - people were asking us where we got them. They were pretty awesome!

We took the girls to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville for dinner. Karson was tickled with her Viking balloon hat. 

Bridgestone was hopping before the concert - the energy in downtown Nashville so much fun!

Covergirl knows exactly how to market their products.  Their name was smattered all over everything - 3-D glasses, posters, and a gigantic InstaGlam booth where you got a free 3x5 picture.  If you had your picture made at one of the above posters, you were given coupons and free lip gloss and nail polish.  All the pictures made at the InstaGlam booth were posted continually on the jumbotron before the concert and between sets. I tried to take a picture but always missed our InstaGlam.  Capital Cities opened for Katy Perry.  They didn't take the stage until after 8 p.m., and they were loud.  Our seats were rattling, and all I heard were synthesizers.  The only song I recognized was "Safe and Sound".  The group played for about 45 minutes, and Katy took the stage after 9.  I was kind of surprised that she started that late especially since more than half of her audience was young people.  My iPhone pictures of the concert weren't the best.  However, there is no way a picture could capture the show.  It was entertaining from start to finish with Acts, costume changes, acrobats, crazy sets, etc.  We didn't get in bed until almost 2 a.m. and loved every single minute ROARING.

More summer fun to come...