Last Days of Summer

Here's how we spent our last, precious days of summer vacation:

1.  We ate ice cream (see above picture).  Because ice cream makes everything a little bit sweeter, and there's nothing more delicious on a hot summer day.  

2.  We went to our first Winston-Salem Dash game.  It's just as close as the Greensboro Grasshoppers stadium (but in the opposite direction), so we've decided that we can be fans of both minor league teams!  We had seats in the first row right behind the dugout, and both kids got a ball (tossed to them by the players), so the game was a major success.  Leah was happy to pose with the mascot, Dash, and the weather was perfect for baseball.   The icing on the cake for L&L was that we bought the family package which included Dash hats, and the kids wore them all night.  When I woke up the next morning, I found the children sitting on the couch... wearing their beloved Dash hats. It's really the little things...

3.  Celebrations:  The last week of summer included our wedding anniversary (Lucky #13), and we went out to dinner with the kiddos to celebrate.  They made us this card, and it may be my favorite thing ever.  Love, love, love this so much!

Our celebrations continued as our beloved Winnie turned 12 on August 27.  We sang to her, made Winnie "pupcakes" (apple slices with peanut butter and kibbles), and gave her presents.  She may not be a young puppy anymore, but she still loves being with her humans more than anything in the world.  Here we are playing the Game of Life, and Miss Winnie plopped right down next to us to join in on the fun.  She really does think that she is a person:

At one point, Winnie inched her way up so that half of her body was on top of the game board.  We giggled and had to shift her backward a bit.  We love our birthday girl so much and it is a such a joy to share "Life" with her (every single day).

4.  Made the most of our final few lazy summer days together.  I found Luke on our screened porch one afternoon shortly after we returned home from the pool.  The roads in our neighborhood were being paved, and my big boy was quietly watching.  I got a lump in my throat remembering how at one time, when he was much littler, that 'struction vehicles were the center of his world:

And speaking of getting choked up...

Look how little they seem!  We found out teacher assignments on Thursday morning via robocall, and went to Open House that afternoon.  There are so many emotions here.  I can't even begin.

We rode bikes to the Town Park on Friday, our last official weekday of summer break.  The sky was cloudless and brilliant blue, and as they pedaled ahead of me, I savored the moment and said a little prayer for my babies, who are growing up.

 5.  Annual Church Picnic:  This may not seem like a big deal, but when you are in charge of the games, relay races, photo booth, and corn hole tournament (AND it happens to fall on the day before school begins), you breathe a sigh of relief when it's over and thank God for a beautiful, sunny day, and a successful afternoon of old fashioned fun.

Water Balloon Toss.

Sack Races. 

  

Someone loved the props (and getting his picture taken).

WEMSERF = Worship, Education, Mission, Service, Fellowship.

Apparently campaigning to be the young face of Fountain of Life.

And then, on Sunday night, there was this.  We read The Night Before Kindergarten, gave extra kisses and hugs, and snuggled until she fell asleep.  It was the perfect way to end our summer together before embarking on a new adventure in the morning.  Sweet dreams, darling Kindergarten girl!

Vacation Part 3: Funland and Beyond!

As I mentioned in my previous post, we spend the mornings at the beach during our family vacation week at Rehoboth, Beach, DE, but that doesn't mean that the fun is limited to the a.m.!  The afternoons and evenings are filled with some of our favorite activities, and Funland lives up to its name every summer and is one of the best parts of vacation!  There are classic kiddie rides, which we basically had to beg Leah to ride this year (sniff!), although it IS fun for the kids to be "helpers" and escort the littler cousins on these attractions:

L&L taking Emmett for a helicopter ride!

Skee Ball was a family favorite, and all of the arcade games are fun for the kids.  Thankfully, we didn't win another life-sized stuffed animal this summer (like last year's giant fox, Silver Goblet), but brought home a wide assortment of more manageable small stuffed prizes as a result of playing games at Funland:

The children returned to familiar Funland favorites as well as new thrill seeking rides this summer.  All 6 cousins rode the Graviton together again this year, and compared notes about being "stuck to the wall" when the floor dropped out from beneath them.  Leah tried the Sea Dragon (aka Pirate Ship) for the first time, and loved it!  Thank you, dear Maya, for keeping my baby safe on this ride that makes Luke and me "lose our stomachs"...

Luke tried the Superflip for the first time, which looks absolutely dreadful, but he said he liked it.  Again, so thankful to have older cousins that willingly ride these horrific super fun rides in my place.  

Crazy Daizy Cousins (teacups).

Leah and Maddie (the kindergarten girls!) on the Paratroopers.

On the Boardwalk beside Funland.

There's also tons of fun at the beach house thanks to Bean's never ending stash of games, puzzles, and books.  The Beach Fairy magically visits several times each week, too, and sends the kids on a scavenger hunt with clues which results in bags filled with toys and goodies for the kids.  Luke was amazed this year and exclaimed, "How did the Beach Fairy know that I like Pokemon cards?!"  There are also multi-player games of Minecraft between Luke and Gabe, which may be Luke's very favorite thing in the whole wide world:

Minecraft Boys.

There were evening treats on the Boardwalk, and a family game of baseball that will go down in the history books.  We played Kids vs. Adults, and sweet Leah surprised everyone with her alter-ego, "The Eliminator", who was a fierce competitor and spared no mercy for her opponents!



We also made an after-dinner visit to the playground and turtle pond, where there were dozens of box turtles and a few huge snapping turtles who eagerly ate our bread:

Such a great group we have, and so many great memories of our fun-filled week together!

Vacation Part 2: The Beach

Part 2 of our August vacation was Winterhoff Family Beach Week at Rehoboth Beach, DE.  We had amazing weather this year and avoided the mid-Atlantic heat wave of the past few weeks- hooray!.  The waves were perfect for boogie boarding and swimming, and all of the cousins continue to be beach lovers. This year, there were 30 extended family members among three different houses.  We always enjoy tallying that total each summer, and this gang keeps growing!  We went to the beach each morning and spread out our chairs, umbrellas, and sand toys, while the kids raced to the ocean's edge and leapt into the water.  We have awesome daddies/uncles/grandfathers who swim in the ocean with the children, while the moms/aunts/grandmothers have the tough job of sitting and chatting (and passing out the occasional snack or two!).  

 

There were games of bocce ball, pickle, and "chase the sea gull" in the sand.  Tickle crabs were caught, magic mountains created, and giant holes dug.  

As the children get older, there's more of an opportunity to remember how to relax in beach chairs, while the kids entertain themselves in the sand near us. (Note: This is still the exception and not the rule, because when Uncle Bob saw Mark and me, he shouted, "Quick, someone take a picture!  There are parents of young children sitting together alone!")

The best part of the beach is family.  This may be my favorite picture of the week.  Love our Winterhoff Boys!

Mommy still gets away with coordinating outfits/beach-themed attire, and this picture only cost me 50 cents, but is priceless to me.  I have no shame in admitting that I bribed the kids and told them that I'd give them each a quarter to play games at Funland if they posed for a quick photo:

Morning donuts on the boardwalk are such an ingrained beach tradition, and Donut Day continues to be one of the highlights of the week.  What other time can you match your cousins, team up on Girls Day and Boys Day, and jump off a lifeguard stand?  I love these pictures of Poppy's every single year, which speak for themselves: 

Crab Night is also a favorite beach tradition, and each year, the number of crab lovers in our family grows:

We love our Rehoboth beach week, and it's such a wonderful gift that we treasure each year!