On being Courageous

So in gymnastics you have these lovely beasts called Mental Blocks, pretty much an irrational fear of doing a skill you are physically capable of doing.

So at Gym Plus we have this amazing coach who has the girls write journals each week. She also does the best messy buns according to Roe. This last week they had to study up on a Mental Blocks handout as well as do a journal entry.  Their "WOW" (word of the week) was Courage.

I don't read Roe's journal entries it is between her and Jeryka I am just excited that she is writing this summer, we didn't do much of this in 4th grade.

They also wrote out their fears and negative feelings on helium balloons and let them go.
Hmmm, I might need to do this.

It just so happens that Roe is attempting to get her beam series, I don't know why this would be scary;) she has several beam kisses that probably don't help her confidence. So she is struggling with the mental blocks in a big way, and of course I have to document it.

Celebrating getting over her fears and conquering a skill. 

Thank you Jeryka for showing Monroe what courage truly looks like & we are in this battle with you as you start chemo this week, win this round Coach!

CWS

 
The big boys road tripped it to the College World Series last week in Omaha. I love watching baseball and wouldn't have minded joining but I Im fine with waiting for a girls trip;) So thankful for friends with have lots of boys who are friends with mine as well as some great hubbies too.

 The boys did some shopping and watched Texas Tech vs Ole Miss (I think)

 I don't think any balls would get by with this glove.

Meanwhile, back at mama's

 We spent Father's day afternoon at the farm, it is gorgeously green right now!

 We had to ge a photo in front of Say rock,  for our 15th anniversary

 Grandma & King helping Grandpa drive the new/old Gator

 This is Stubby, he has gotten so big!

 Xander & Monroe got some driving lessons from Grandpa, I really need help with cartin kids around.

Little Apple Invitational

Such a great turnout and weekend for the Marlins hosted swim meet last weekend.

Xander had some great events & races. Freestyle, his favorite.

Butterfly, fun to watch, but looks so hard!

Breaststroke,  his most improved

Backstroke, he was struggling with going straight and didn't beat his best time but got first in this event in his age group.

 Xander with swimming studs Egan & Charles.

 When Kira came, he took 5 and 7 seconds off his best times in the 2 races, what a great cheerleader, gets it from her mom Im sure:)

missed Grandma in this pic

trying to recruit the 2 girls on the left to the swim team

Not so lazy days of summer

Our summer is cruisin by and filled with family, friends & an entertaining 3 year old!

Im not sure if Kingston or the girls are enjoying dressing him up more

Snuggles from Kenzie, I love that he is starting to want to love on other people besides me lately.

Xander has been enjoying STEM this summer and got to have Angie last week. He and the family have become quite the geocachers lately.

Trav & Xan geocaching at Varsity

I should have taken a pre-sale pic, the first half went in the first hour on Friday. This we got rid of the second half, kids kept the cash register and the painted table (both Miller hand me downs) woot woot!

Yay, haven't been able to park in the garage for months, (I should be embarrassed by this, but it is true)

Thankful for my sister and friends who take my kids boating, we can't even keep up with our yard let alone a boat!

Our neighborhood is always full of kids passing by, coming and staying over, I love it (this pic should fall under lazy days of summer)

We have only been to the pool twice this year and it was a success. I have either had to work or it has been raining on the rest of the days, hopefully more pool days to come.

Overcomer

Would love continued hope & prayer for Miss Jeryka to heal her from this nasty cancer you would never know she has because she has been so beautifully full of life this last few months off chemo. 

Jeryka our gym owner, inspiration, amazing coach, with her staff & 2 photobombers?

Prayers that full brain radiation will get rid of the spots in her brain & whatever chemo regimen is decided will also bring her back healed and  as feisty as she has been, 

we love you Jeryka!

I feel like every time I hear this song God is speaking to me about Jeryka, yep an overcomer for sure!

Meet me in St Louis

 Trav's parents treated us to a weekend getaway in St Louis, we are truly spoiled by them. Kingston & his bestie Grandpa Im sure talking farm equipment.

Says Nashville met us there which is about the halfway point, and pretty easy to drive over for a long weekend. Everyone made it up in the arch except me and King entertained ourselves down in the museum & gift shop.

A breakfast buffet, pop machine and pool right outside our room, what more could the kids ask for?

I definitely have thrill seekers for children, they love amusement parks & roller coasters, we hit six flags the first day.

The log ride, you will get wet!

A ride for the whole family, the ferris wheel!

Jude did the big roller coasters with the exception of a few he wasn't tall enough for, thankfully there was plenty for the littler ones to do. They rode this Sylvester ride over and over.

We ate at the Brew House across from the Cardinals stadium Sat night, definitely got some good sized brewskys here.

Kingstons pretend ride up in the arch.

We had heard a lot about the city museum & now I see what the rage is about, it is pretty amazing, a very easy place to lose your children with minimal staff supervision.

I love the lady/girl with the knee pads, she came prepared.

Indoor/outdoor slides,  to run, climb up, slide, roll down. I am quite surprised we came out with no injuries.

Lots of outdoor eating establishments, love this with crazy kids.

The BIG ball pit with all 6 kids hidden in there somewhere.

crazy drivers Addie & Roe

 love getting together with these two, even though it is not enough, Happy 10th Anniversary!

and these 2, love them!