Two Email Updates for July ...
July 20, 2009 The Blackhams ... Summer so far ...
We’ve had a fun and busy summer so far. Several of the kids
in the neighborhood are actually switching tracks, so many will be going back
to school next Monday. Our kids still have until mid-August.
Landon has enjoyed his golfing, going back and doing another
“clinic” (an hour a day) with a couple friends from the neighborhood. They
stayed after a couple days to play nine-holes or hit a bucket of balls.
I signed the older three boys up for tennis lessons which
were held at the nearby highschool. It was Mon-Thurs at 5:30 for two weeks
(eight lessons). While they were busy playing tennis, the two little boys and I
would wander to the track and I would jog around while the kids played. Cooper
surprised me by jogging with me a few times, doing a couple of laps before
taking a break.
With tennis and golf done, I signed up the kids for swimming
lessons (Mon-Thurs at 9:00 for two weeks) and they had their first day today.
Last year I remember Cooper and Colton both screamed and required one teacher
each to hold them for two straight days. No problems at all this year! Last
year was a “swimming” year, with several sets of lessons, to Mom’s pool and
local pools once or twice a week. We just haven’t gotten around to much
swimming this year, keeping busy with other things.
We’ve gone bowling several times. The local place has a
really good deal for summer, so we’ve enjoyed taking advantage of that. Plus,
Colton and Cooper have both learned to roll the ball without any help (before
they would use the little ramp thing), and that speeds things up making it more
fun for everyone.
We went back to Jumping Jacks ... no broken bones this time
(Landon actually didn’t even come, we went during one of his golfing days).
Keaton finished his soccer camp (three days, an hour each).
Two of the days Landon tended the little ones and I jogged the soccer park
while he went to the camp. The middle day, I took the kids in the stroller and
walked. Cooper just started the first day of his basketball camp (three days,
an hour each) and did great ... and again, I jogged the track. So it’s exercise
all around.
Grayson took the older three boys to the Momentum Climbing
Gym (by REI, by the Southtowne Mall) a while back. They really enjoyed that.
Maybe next time I’ll get a sitter for the two little ones and go help (one
person holds the rope while one climbs ... with just one Daddy, the boys had to
take turns, but there is a “bouldering” section that you climb alone without a
rope). I would actually like to try
climbing myself, but that would be just Gray and I going alone without any of
the kids.
Gray and I have gotten a couple of hikes in. We just did a
family hike to Cercret Lake (a mile up) and the kids did great. We also had our
Lagoon Day last Friday, which was a lot of fun! Our family is at a good age
grouping right now. Keaton is old enough to go on pretty much everything his
older brothers would want to go on, so one parent goes with the older three,
making a nice foursome, and then one parent stayed with the little boys in Kiddieland,
which had almost no lines. Cooper and Colton had a blast! Cooper did fall
asleep in the stroller, and Landon and the older boys were so cute going on
some of the smaller rides with Colton. We did a few as a family too. We brought
our camper up, to use as a respite from the heat during the day as needed, and
so we could stay until the park closed and then immediately hit the hay! Gray
went back mid-day with the little boys (Cooper was drenched from playing in the
fountain), and then in the evening when poor Colton was SO tired. The older
boys probably could have called it a day fairly early, but I admit I egged them
on some. We ended up hitting the water rides (Log Flume and Rapids) well after
the sun went down (there were no lines then, go figure!) so we were drenched at
10:00 at night. We slept there then headed home early for Saturday commitments
back home.
I’ll attach a few pictures from our summer fun (you may have
already seen some if you follow Facebook)
Jen and da boys
PS - We were in charge of sharing time on Sunday. The theme
was “I can strengthen my family”. I brought the small set of dumbells in and
showed the kids a few different exercises (bicep curls, tricep and shoulder
press, squat) and explained how exercise makes your body stronger (let the kids
take turns doing them, the kids were very enthusiastic about that). Then we
talked about “family exercises” that build “family muscles” (family prayer,
home evening, family activities, etc.) and that each time you do these
“exercises” you are strengthening your family muscles. Then we made little
dumbells (toothpicks w/marshmallows) for a take-home. I thought it went over
pretty well. Just thought I’d share ....
July 30, 2009
Notes from Mom, Wendy and Chris ... we’ve had a bunch going
on so I thought I’d send out a little note too.
We’ve had swimming lessons Mon-Thurs each morning. At first
the boys really balked at going. Landon and Callahan think they are great
swimmers already (they are fine, but they can certainly learn more and
practice). Something in the level three is hard for Keaton (he’s repeated it a
couple of times and I put him in it this year again) but he’s doing great and
his teacher told him he was the best in the class (I guess he should be after
taking it three times :) . Cooper is
doing great in level one, and Colton is in the baby class, but is very
comfortable, you can tell he knows the drill (also having done the class
before). So after the initial hesitation on all parts, the kids really look
forward to it. Tomorrow is the last day. If Keaton passes 3rd, and
Cooper passes 1st, and if they would let Colton up to level 1 (he is
young for it, but I think he would do fine) I might sign them up for the next
session if there are still open spots available. Gray doesn’t really want the
kids in classes these last weeks of summer, so that we can pick up and go
camping mid-week or whatnot, but if the kids end up missing a class or two,
that will be ok. So I should be making that decision tomorrow after getting
reports from their teachers and seeing if there are even any open spots. We’d
be ok whichever way.
Cooper participated in a little basketball clinic (three
days and hour each) and did well. I took the kids out for some miniature golf,
which went ok, the kids weren’t too into it (it was hot) and the game went by
very fast.
Last Tuesday we FINALLY took the boys to see ‘Transformers
2" which Landon had been dying to see forever. Callahan and Keaton decided
to go too. I probably enjoyed it more with them there (seeing them laugh at
things I probably wouldn’t have laughed at myself). Wednesday we had Back to
School night, which was pretty chaotic! The power was also out that night for
several hours and that was pretty miserable! The house got so hot without air
conditioning. I did manage to rig an Ipod so the kids could watch a show (small
screen!). It did come back on in the night, just enough for me to get up and
turn all the lights and such off, then it went off again until morning.
Gray and I celebrated our 17th wedding
anniversary (a day late, due to back2school and the power outage) by going to
Ruby River. The traffic was terrific ... a concert there at the soccer stadium.
We went out to the parent’s pool for the 24th.
The kids had a lot of fun there. Thanks Mom and Dad! Grayson bought a new road
bike and wanted to try it out, so he rode there and back! He did a 50 miler
with his boss over the weekend, and they have a 100 miler coming up. Plus Gray
is running the Provo Half Marathon August 8th. He’s quite the man!
Gray and Landon have been at scout camp this week. Both were
excited to go. They are pretty out of touch, I haven’t heard from them since
they left Monday morning. Gray should be coming back sometime tomorrow, Landon
on Saturday.
Without Landon, I had to take all the kids to Callahan’s basketball
practice. But, there is a daycare there, and I was able to drop the babies off
to play. Keaton was bored, so I ended up dropping him off in the daycare too
(just an hour). I got my 45min/3miles in. I called a babysitter yesterday and
had her tend the kids while I went up to the Olympic Oval to jog the track
there. I’ve been wanting to get back and check on the ice (last time we went,
the large, outer rink wasn’t up and we just had to skate on the smaller oval,
which wasn’t as fun). The big section was all iced up again. The Olympic team
was working out on the short track (smaller rink) and a group was jumping,
doing plyometrics in one section. Again,
I did my 45min (3 miles) and then headed out. As I was walking to the car a guy
jogged past ... It was Apollo Anton Ohno. I don’t know that I’d actually
recognize any of the other skaters, but Apollo is more distinctive looking and
has always gotten a lot of press. Upon a recommendation by Gray, I stopped and
noticed the licence plates of the cars in the lot ... New York, Florida,
Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Nevada, California,
Montana ... even Alaska (and I’m sure I forgot a few states I saw). They come
from all over to train!
I took my remaining four boys to NickelMania (you pay to get
in, I had a coupon so it was just $1 each person) and then the games run on
nickels (a bit of a misrepresentation as many of the games required two, three
or four nickels) but the boys had a fun time.
Yesterday I took the boys to the temple open house. Landon
and Gray had already been (Landon with the youth and Gray before or after he
filled a shift as a volunteer). It was quite busy, LOTS of stairs. Cooper got a
little stressed (he’s my homebody) but was quite happy with a cookie afterward.
Speaking of cookies .... have you all heard of the
“Skookie”? It’s a little cast iron skillet, you put the cookie dough in, bake
it, top with ice cream and chocolate syrup ... it’s SO yummy. It isn’t new,
I’ve seen them around, but Gray got it into his head last Friday to get us one.
I know it seems like you wouldn’t need the skillet, just make cookies and top
with ice cream if you want, but something about it makes it so good. We’ve
tried the mix it came with, a dry mix from the store, the refrigerated cookie
dough from the store, homemade dough ... it’s all good (yes, we’ve made
multiple skookies since Friday). Even you gluten free people could get a gluten
free cookie or brownie mix. It’s just yummy, and fun, as it’s communal, we all
gather around one to eat.
So that’s basically what’s been going on over here!
Jen and da boys
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