...to plan, prepare, attend...

...the end of year activities.

While life here on the blog has been quiet...I can assure you life at the Crow house has not been.

The end-of-school-year activity fairies have been busy creating activities, field trips, class picnics, field days, outdoor fun days (not to be confused with field days), and sporting banquets for us to participate in.

Multiply those things times four.

Meanwhile, I have been day-dreaming about the start of summer vacation.  I have been creating chore-lists, activity lists, and project lists.  It's going to be so lovely and relaxing...drinking coffee, catching up, and my house is going to be so tidy.

I also have visions of preparing farm fresh veggies and fruits for dinner al fresco, riding our bikes to the local pool, picnics at the park, perusing at the Art Fair....

In the meantime, the kids are in school thru the 12th and I am in school thru the 18th.  We'll muster through the last of the homework, bring popsicles to the picnics, attend Will's 5th grade graduation ceremony, and try to fit in playdates, playground fun, and softball and baseball practices.

And I'll try to share a few Kodak moments when I get the opportunity to sit and reflect.

...to enjoy the beginnings

...of the end-of-the-year madness

One of the benefits that I have had working part-time this year is that I can swap my work days to do special activities with the kids.

Today I had the opportunity to go on a walking tour of Ann Arbor fields with Will's class.

We walked 7.5 miles.  All over the city.

We went to:

The Farmer's Market via
Nickel's Arcade

Our chaos through Nickel's Arcade

A science presentation

A photo from the beginning of a wonderful science presentation

The Business School
The Law Quad
The Art Museum

swinging on a sculpture at the Art Museum

Next was a soccer scrimmage.

There are two, first grade soccer teams at Burns Park.  I am the coach of one of the teams and many of Abbey's friends are on the other team.  We decided we would host a 'friendly' scrimmage in lieu of our last practice.

I was worried about this event...because Abbey was worried about this event.  The girls on my team have come a really long way.  They run after the ball.  They are more aggressive.  They take chances.  They play hard.  I try to be diligent about making sure every girls gets to play nearly every position each game.  They are awesome in my eyes.  I love watching them improve each game.  But they haven't won very many.  

And her friends' team hadn't lost a soccer game yet.  Eek.

Our team played one of their best games yet this evening.  They took chances.  Passed the ball a few times.  Ran hard.  Our goalies had several saves.  The other team played well too.  At the end of the third quarter...the score was tied.  It was shortly after 5:00, the time when our practices were supposed to be over.  So...we called the game.  

It was a tie.

Phew.

I think all the girls were pretty pleased.

I can't think of a better ending for a 'friendly' scrimmage.

Except of course to finish off with a pizza party to celebrate the season.

I think she was pretty happy.

...to watch them play

...soccer, soccer, soccer, and baseball.

Our weekend was full of activities and it was the first time in a long time that I had to try to juggle the madness on my own.

Here in AA, much like in our former Army communities, neighbors and friends are always willing to pitch in.  Audrey attended her game with her friend Clara and then was invited to stay for a playdate until I returned from the other two girls' games.

I wasn't able to take very many photos of the activities this weekend...

Abbey was watching Isabella play in one of the rare moments this weekend when the sun was shining...

Isabella enjoyed her last soccer game of the season and played in spite of not feeling very well again the few days previous to her game.   But these two coaches were the kind of coaches you WANT to play for.  They were kind, well-spoken, demanding, and they really cared for the team.

Isabella enjoyed playing for the Strikers...

And they were a really nice group of girls.

It takes a special person to coach middle school girls...and these two guys did a stand-up job.

Not only did they send out a team Mother's Day photo earlier in the season but they also handed out personalized medals to each of the girls.  AND they baked chocolate chip cookies for them...in the shapes of each of the girls' initials.  

AND at the beginning of the season they bought the girls their soccer socks with their team name on it.

We were so pleased to hear they are going to coach again in the fall...in spite of the fact that the head coach's daughter is moving up to high school.  Isabella reported she "is definitely playing in the fall". I am so glad that I 'highly encouraged' her to play this season.  Turns out:

#itsamiracle  

#she-enjoys-raising-her-heart-rate-after-all

The rest of the day I watched Will play two baseball games between the rainstorms.  

You can't tell from the photo, but it was a downpour at this moment.

Bernie enjoyed the day of darting between games...he didn't seem to mind the mud and rain either.

one wet pup

Thanks to my darling cousin and her husband, I didn't even have to entertain the girls.  The tournament wasn't too far from their home and they brought the girls back to their house to play and hang out.  I was able actually to watch both games; uninterrupted too.  Too bad they didn't win either of their games.  

Bernie didn't care if they won or lost...He was just happy to be included.

...to enjoy a lemonade stand

...one that I didn't have to run!

This young lady and her three friends have been planning a lemonade stand since April.  Each day she would come home from school and give me additional details about this plan.  These details became increasingly elaborate.

• There was a plan to have a chef (little Olive).
• There were to be walkie-talkie's to radio the prep staff.
• There was a driver (driving his little electric car) to drive the goods from the kitchen (at the back door) to the front yard.
• There was a raffle to meet the chef.  
• Facepainting.  By real artists.
• Oh yes...and there was to be food.  Cookies and fruit.

Charley and Abbey.  Two of the four masterminds.  Charley's mom earned her mom-of-the-year badge for this event.  Not only did she agree and coordinate this event, but she went above and beyond in setting up and carrying out all of several of the important details.

Chef Olive.

Advertiser and sous chef Sylvia.

Their stand was a happening place.

The face painting was a hit.

And we even topped the event off with the release of our butterflies.

They were amazing to watch...

And a couple of them even stopped to smell the flowers.

The event was a success.  The kids really enjoyed their entrepreneurial event.  They are already planning another one.  I told Abbey that we are busy that weekend.    

...to enjoy a few activities

...over the weekend...

This weekend proved to be no more relaxing than last weekend.  But it sure was full of activity, fun, and exercise!

Isabella had a soccer practice.
The family participated in the Burns Park Run.  Mark is going to help chair the event next year so he was busy shadowing this year's event organizers.

The rest of us participated in the running portions.

Isabella, Abbey, and Audrey all did the fun run.

Will and I both ran the 5K and while I didn't break any PR's Will beat his time from a few weeks ago by 5 minutes!

The girls and I attended a local community theatre production The Little Mermaid.

Will played five baseball games this weekend.

Here are a few fun photos from the weekend...

How cute is this kid?

How about this little guy?

Like father like son.

Thanks for coming Mimi and Richard.

Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa.

Thanks for coming big and little sisters.

And thanks for coming Papa (not pictured).

After announcing their boredom...the little girls finally found a place to entertain themselves...

And Isabella enjoyed the peace by herself.

As for Will, his team came away with second place in the tournament!

And Mark is now home recovering from two solid days of being on his feet morning till night.

...to go to Abbey's bridging ceremony

...how can it be that she is already a Brownie?

Can you see her tiny picture in the photo below?  I have had a hard time locating other early photos of her in Daisies.

You can see just how small Audrey was...and charming too?  :)

The photo of Isabella is perhaps the most representative of how young they were nearly two years ago...

I think she has had a lot of fun in Daisies.

Here is a photo of our new troop here in Ann Arbor.  I am so glad that Abbey and Audrey got to overlap together for these few months!

There she goes...over the bridge.  On to...Brownies.

...to get some photos from our weekend

...but our schedule was a little over the top.

*Five soccer games
*A baseball practice
*A bowling birthday party for all the kids and Mom
*Soccer practice for Isabella
*Sleepovers
*And a half-marathon for Mark

I forgot to take photos.  Actually I forgot to even grab my camera.

I did however, remember to feed the children and get each of them to each of their respective events.  That counts for something right?

These are a few moments I captured with my phone.

Mark went to stay at our friends' house in Toledo on Saturday evening and the girl's and I enjoyed a girl's night.  Movie.  Popcorn.  And selfie to commemorate the evening.

Sunday morning we were getting ready for the birthday-party-soccer-games-events.  And Audrey came down ready with barely a reminder to get ready.

Well, that girl certainly has her own sense of style.  Her leopard long-sleeved (the only requirement I mentioned to her because it was freezing outside) shirt is actually a long-sleeved dress complimented by bright pink sweatpants.  

I think her teammates were able to locate her.

My bowling dates.

Isabella disguised as a GIANT Oriole.

Next weekend I'll be sure to remember my camera.