Camping, Swimming and a Wedding!

If August was a little hum drum for you (or short, according to my Mother), then September should be right down your alley.  The first weekend of the month (actual Labor Day and not the fake variety) finds Jim and Ben off doing a one-night camping trip with the Boy/Girl Scout troop.  We went as a family last year, and after discovering the only bathroom facilities were "primitive" the girls and I decided to forgo the trip this year.  So off they went. 

The men said they had a great time and did all sorts of manly things.  The girls and I did girly stuff and had indoor plumbing.  You had me at indoor plumbing! No, seriously, it was good for Jim and Ben to have some male bonding time since WTI is starting on Labor Day and your daddy will become a phantom until Halloween.  

Once the men returned, it was time for Daddy to disappear.  The children had been begging me to take them to a local water park.  On Labor Day? Am I out of my mind?  Apparently, because we went.  Surprisingly there was NO ONE there.  I mean there may have been 20 cars in the parking lot.  So maybe Labor Day is the day to go.  We were able to talk one other family into meeting us there and the kids ran and ran and ran for 4 hours straight! It was awesome! 

The very next weekend the kids and I went to Tuscon for a swim meet.  Even though we took the months of September and October off from swimming so Lucy and Ben could play flag football we were still able to sign up as an "unattached" swim team and compete.  My reasoning was the kids were in pretty good swimming shape and might qualify for regionals early.  I still don't really know what that means but the coaches say it is important so that is enough for me.  That and Jim will be working all weekend and several of our friends are going, so we are IN!

Everyone did extremely well!  I mean we had a couple of DQ's and one missed event, but all in all I am happy with their performance.  Everyone improved on their times and we even competed in some new events.  Ben absolutely killed it in every event except one.  Since he was swimming in a underpopulated age group, he placed in several events and scored 2 points for our unattached team! In fact, he scored all of our team's points.  I jokingly told one of our coaches that we were branching off and forming our own swim club.  She laughed but not as hard as I did.  Ha Ha Ha

Of course it wasn't all fun and games.  I somehow managed to lock my keys in the car.  AGAIN.  I have done this WAY more times then I care to remember or admit.  Sigh.  I called Jim and he calmly and wisely called USAA and a locksmith was there within 30 minutes.  Thank goodness the keys were in the car.  My biggest worry was they weren't in the car at all and then I would really be in trouble.  I had a plan if that was the case, but luckily they were under a towel on the floorboard.  WHEW!  I have implemented a fail safe to hopefully keep this from every happening again.  Fingers Crossed.  

Go Ben Go!

He seems to be happy with his time

Lucy ready for the backstroke

Perfect form Lilly

Not all the fun happened in the pool

We are now up to the third weekend in the month and that means we are flying cross country to attend Aunt Kaki's wedding!!  We got to travel Daddy-style this time and took advantage of his lounge access!  Now we know why he doesn't complain when he has to fly across country.  We may have created a monster - or three!

We didn't make to Virginia until midnight even though it was only nine for us, it was still a long long day.  I was certain the kids would not be up for the early bridal luncheon but I was wrong.  Bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Lots of family and extended family time for the whole weekend!  The wedding itself was extremely beautiful and all the cousins did a wonderful job! Jim says it was the best weekend of the past decade...high praise!

All we are missing is the groom

Gigi getting some Lucy love

Ben and Lucy cutting a rug!

And fun.  Soo much fun!  My mom and sister were able to come up and join us for the wedding so it was double the family fun!  I am extremely grateful for the brief time I got to see them. 

Since we have basically been running non-stop since the beginning of the month, we decided to take the last couple of weeks to just decompress - yeah right! With Jim's job is full crazy mode, and the kids extra-curricular activities steering the schedule I am a glorified Uber driver sans the paycheck.  Wish I could give you an update on Lilly's leg, but we are still a few weeks until her appointment in October.  The good news is it still apparently only bothers Jim and me. Lilly is unfazed.