Summer--Random

This post will finally catch me up.  Hopefully I don't get so behind again.  Other summer events include school meetings (let's not be reminded how close it is), mini golf, 4th of July, Miles going to 4-H camp, some family visits, and Owen getting braces.

We had a laid-back 4th of July at the Henry's house.  Graham still loves when Meg takes care of him.

Grandma Jean and Aunt Nancy visited last week.  They treated us to Pizza Hut buffet (Miles' choice) and Orange Leaf (everyone's choice).  

Owen got his top braces last week and will get his bottom ones in October.  So far he hasn't seemed to mind them.  Miles and Graham look forward to the appointments so they can go play video games and watch movies in the kid-friendly waiting area.

Miles' good friend, Logan invited him to 4-H camp in Rock Springs this year.  We didn't hear from him for four days.  They had a great time roughing it.  The boys stay in primitive cabins, while the girls' area has modern conveniences.  While there he hiked, swam, rode horses, shot rifles, made a craft, and ate the "amazing food."

Graham and I have played several rounds of mini golf this summer while the Bigs are at the nearby batting cages.  He's gotten better about slowing down and thinking before putting and even had a hole-in-one (which he calls a one-hole).  

Brotherly Love

Of course, the boys fight and bicker some, but for the most part they really enjoy each other.  Owen and Miles spend countless hours playing catch, etc. together.  Miles and Graham spend a lot of time together at Owen's events (and driving him to such events).  They've banded together to ask about sleeping on the basement couches.  They all three ask every day, and many times we consent.  They also enjoy cooking/eating together.  Hopefully this phase lasts a long time!

Pool Time

All three kids love swimming--at any pool!  We go as often as we can, usually not all together since so many other things are also going on.  I had good intentions to get Graham in lessons, but it never worked out.  He has turned into a little fish, but needs to start learning his strokes.  The big boys are very good about playing with him.  We've hit all three MHK public pools several times, a few hotel pools, as well as the Koeneke's pool.  

Summer Sports

Baseball is the primary sport of the summer, but the boys have also been playing basketball, football, and golf.  Owen also does the 7-12 conditioning program offered four days a week.

All three of them take golf lessons through the First Tee program.  They would rather just go golf for fun, but we think it's a great program and that someday they will thank us for putting them in a golf program.  After all, they won't likely still be playing basketball when they are 40!  Owen has been golfing several times with his buddies and Miles has gone with Owen a time or two.  It's nice that we are so close to a course and especially nice that they are old enough to go alone.  Graham likes his lessons; unfortunately we can't pass down clubs since he swings lefty!  Can you tell they pick out their own golf clothes?

Owen wasn't able to go to any over night basketball camps this year due to conflicts, but he played in a 7th/8th grade summer league on Wednesday nights in Clay Center with some of his Wildcat teammates and Rock Creek kids.  He loved it and they ended up getting 2nd in the league.  Owen and Miles attended "Breakfast Club" in June.  This was a great opportunity to work on developing basketball skills.  Both boys also attended the MHS camp.  Miles' team is playing a scrimmage tonight and may do a couple of others yet this summer.  

 Summer league basketball game.

 Miles' group at the MHS camp.

Owen playing one-on-one with one of my high school students.

Birthday--Graham is 5!

Graham turned 5 on June 28th.  Guess where we were?  Yep, another baseball tournament.  Both Owen and Miles played in the KC area and Mike and Rosie made the long drive from Atwood to join us for the weekend.  All he wanted to do for his birthday was swim, and he was completely satisfied with the small hotel pool.  After swimming and baseball we headed home, stopping at Red Robin in Topeka for early dinner.  Grandma Rosie tipped off the waitress that Graham had a birthday so the staff brought him a special dessert and sang to him.  For gifts this year he got "tall" socks, bigger underwear, his own gum and candy, as well as a Dick's card and money to spend on something he really wants.  Rosie and Mike also bought his a backpack full of kiddie fireworks since his birthday is so close to July 4.  

At age five, he loves to play any electronic device that he can get his hands on, loves to run, play, swim, and is starting to get interested in the specifics of sports.  He likes when I give him "homework" and usually thinks he's old enough to do anything Owen and Miles do.  He's still a mama's boy and insists on having "Blue Blanket" for sleeping.  Unfortunately he still sucks his thumb--we're hoping he kicks the habit when school starts.  Happy 5th Birthday, Graham!

Posing at the restaurant with his backpack of fireworks (that he wore for a week).  

Surprised with his birthday treat!

Birthday--Miles is 9!

Miles turned 9 on June 22.  Since we had just been to a baseball tournament for Owen and Miles has just returned home from 4-H camp, we had a pretty low-key day.  He decided to wait until later in the summer when there weren't as many activities going on to have a small party [it's July 19th and we're still trying to find a good time].  

His birthday list included A) spy gear, B) roller blades, and C) a drone with a video camera to spy on Owen.  Well...he ended up getting a Target card, gift card for his first massage, and fly zapper. He also received money and a Dick's card to buy whatever he wanted.  In the end, he decided the spy gear and roller blades were purchases he'd enjoy very long.  After a couple of weeks, he decided to buy an over-the-door basketball goal for his room and some sunglasses.  I was proud of him for holding onto his money until he actually really wanted something.  He's already used the goal a ton.

At age 9 he loves sports (playing and watching), eating, playing with friends, watching TV, and bossing Graham around/tagging along with Owen.  He's always full of ideas and likes to be around people--he makes friends everywhere we go.  Still working on taking criticism/suggestions without acting like he's in trouble.  Happy 9th Birthday, Miles!

Birthday--Owen is 12!

June = birthdays at our house!  With all the baseball tournaments, games, and practices, it's always hard to plan any type of party.  We usually wait and do something later in the summer when things are a little calmer.  This year Owen's birthday fell on a Saturday (baseball tournament in Liberty). Instead of cake we opted for chips/candy/Gatorade and his teammates sang to him.
At age 12 he still loves sports--playing, watching, analyzing, anything!  He also enjoys cooking, some video games, doing math problems, eating, playing with friends/brothers, and being outside. He has to be reminded to brush his teeth and read.  We've had him mow the yard this summer and he continues to "baby-sit" for short periods of time.  Happy 12th Owen!

He started the day with a smoothie from Starbucks (something we usually say, "No" to.  

He spent some of his birthday watching a friend's daughter play in a basketball tournament.  He may look bored here, but this is exactly the kind of thing he likes to do.  It's even better when he can sit and watch alone.  

 Enjoying some birthday treats--not the homemade kind!

He waited until we returned to Manhattan to open his gifts--Dick's gift card, certificate for his first massage, some cooking supplies, and a huge bucket of bubble gum.  He received money and gift cards from family as well and as of right now plans to spend his money on some new clothes (that fit), new basketball, or a food processor.

Tulsa--Baseball 2015

The grand finale for the 12U Titans was a trip to the World Series in Tulsa, OK (which means vacation for the siblings).  The boys finished 5-2 (3rd place) for the long weekend.  Although it did rain all day on Thursday, they were able to adjust and Friday-Sunday was HOT and sunny.

The facility had a huge park and splash pad outside the baseball fields.  Miles and his buddies made regular trips out there to cool off.  When they weren't out there they usually sat in a pack (the VIP section) to watch the games or they started their own whiffle ball game between fields. Truly it was a 4-day playdate for Miles.

The "JV squad" at the hotel pool.

Graham spent a lot of time playing with Bodyn (Dayne's little brother) this season.  They aren't quite old enough for the freedom that Miles had, but at least they didn't need constant supervision to make sure they didn't fall/choke/etc.

 Owen at bat.

The hotel had an outdoor pool that the kids were in whenever they were allowed to be.  Fortunately there was an end shallow enough that Graham could play without having an adult with him all of the time.

Graham has lots of buddies that seem to tolerate him more than his own brothers.

 The "JV Squad" watching the final game.

The last post-game talk--definitely some sad boys.

Owen--Baseball 2015

This was Owen's first year playing with the Manhattan Titans, and he had a wonderful experience. Throughout the course of the season, I think he played every position except 1st base and maybe one other spot.  The team traveled a lot--mostly to KC.  For the first time since we've had kids playing baseball we seemed to get the remote locations in KC (near the airport, in Libery, MO).  As with the Braves (his former team) we loved the other families and Graham and Miles had lots of siblings to play with at games.  If I remember right, every tournament was affected by rain (usually delays or altering format to get games in).  Maybe we brought the rain!  The boys ended their season with on a 28-3 run, finishing 3rd (out of 32 and 24 teams) at two different World Series.  They were undefeated starting bracket play at the State Tournament when it was canceled due to lightning.  

There were many early Saturday mornings.  When I had to take Owen myself, he paid me back by helping grade papers in the car.

He switched from #9 to #5 this year since Dayne was already #9.  Now he is #5 for both basketball and baseball.

 Playing baseball in the front yard after rain canceled a tournament.

Early morning traveling.  I think this particular time we left MHK at 5:00 AM to arrive at 7:00 and be put on a 4 hour rain delay.

Team shot at a tournament in KC.

Taking it easy between games in Liberty, MO.

Watching Miles play with Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Mike.

Miles Baseball 2015

Miles finished up 9U baseball in early July.  It's a big jump going from 8U to 9U since the kids have to pitch, catch, steal, hold runners, etc.  He pitched some; otherwise he played short stop. He enjoyed the boys on the team and had fun playing in league and tournaments.  Unfortunately several of the games/tournaments his team was scheduled to play were canceled due to rain.  His team was kind of up and down with their play, but ended up about 500 for the season.

Lots of time in the street with Dad working on skills.

Miles was the lead off batter all season.  He managed to get on base most of the time.

Big Titan, Little Titan.  There were a couple of weekends that both boys played in the same location.

Miles pitched in quite a few games.  He had a couple of tough innings, but also several rock star innings at pitcher.

Miles really enjoys being on a team with his buddy, Logan.

Graham taking a rest during a full day of baseball games.

End of School--Owen

Believe it or not, we have a middle schooler! Owen had a wonderful year in 6th grade.  He loved Mrs. Oberhelman as his teacher.  Some highlights included dissecting a cow eyeball, math groups, talent show, district-wide 6th grade activity day, end of year 6th grade party, and field trips.  I'm glad that he enjoyed elementary school all the way until the end, and didn't seem to get "too cool" for the building.  Although he might complain about reading every now and then, he is a kid that likes school, likes his classmates and teachers, likes the food, recess, and even continued to enjoy the before and after school program (even though we probably would have let him walk home after school).  

The last spirit day of the year was something like neon/crazy clothes day.  We've got neon covered (on a daily basis), but on this day he took it to the next level in head to toe highlighter yellow with some of my crazy patterned running tights underneath for just the right effect.