Bring on Summer

WOW!! 2 months have gone by since my last update, well I guess that's a good thing.  Means I didn't have tons to report.  Boring can be good......and today is an exceptional lazy day.
Last nite Av and I stayed up late, until 1am, as she is leaving at 2am over nite tonight for a DC/New York trip with her social studies teacher and 40 some other students.  I have to say I'm SO Jealous that she is going.  All of her site seeing ventures are on my bucket list.  I can't wait to hear about her trip when she gets back at the end of the week.  This is the first time for her flying (well she was an infant her first time) so she is excited and I am nervous, lol.  I would have LOVED to go as a chaperone.  Even though I have been kidding her and giving her a hard time about her NOT wanting me to go along, I know that my body would NOT be able to handle the fun filled hard core 4 day schedule .  MS really SUCKS!!  As I said the first day starts at 2am and once they get there it's GO TIME to fit as much in as they can.  They will be on the road by 6am and walking miles n miles n miles everyday and getting back to the hotel late at night.  Just enough time to crash, reboot to do it all over again.  They are going to the Arlington Cemetery, the Lone Solider, White House, Statue of Liberty, 9/11, Central Park, shopping in Time Square, see the Broadway show "Wicked", and many other stops along the way.  I hope it's a trip of life time for her, I know it would be for me, especially to go without parents at her age.

I can't believe that I now have a high schooler!!  Yeap, I'm in major denial!  Wasn't it just last year she was in preschool??  The 'ol saying is so true, it's over with in a blink of an eye.  I BLINKED and my baby is now a freshman.  I am SO PROUD of her !  For the last 3 years she's had straight A's while having a VERY FULL after school activity schedule and she also received high honor awards!  Now that she's a freshman, next year will also be her first year of diving for the High School.  I know we ~ coaches, parents, and classmates are looking forward to watching her dive at the high school level.  She has her mind set to crush the current school records and get to state her first year.

Next weekend Av n I are heading over to Indy for 2 days to watch the Olympic dive trials.  It's not that far and what an experience to watch.  We will see the Women and Men 3 meter synchro and 10 meter platform events.  I am hoping for a good time!  Av competed in Minneapolis for Dive Regionals and placed into Zones for both events the 1M and 3M, so the beginning of June we will be heading over to Columbia, MO for Zones.  Once again her summer is filled with trips, camps, and fun.  The last day of school was Thursday and this Monday she's off to the DC/New York trip, end of June she spends a week in Iowa for a dive camp, over the 4th spending 3 days with her boyfriends family up north, mid June is a week long Brigade camp, and if she should place in Nationals from Zones she has the opportunity of going to Moultrie, GA the first 2 weeks in August.  She has some decisions to make if she wants to go to Nationals this year.....her coach will not be able to attend do to a family wedding, it's an outdoors venue with not shelter and she doesn't like diving outdoors, plus if it rains....they still dive (what a safety concern on my part in addition to being outside in the HOT heat n sunshine all day which means Danny and I will not be able to attend).  She's work very hard to be where she is now so the decision will be up to her if she wants to pass this year.  This would be the year to skip as the next years it will be more crucial for her to BE THERE.  Av also has a few families that have been hiring her for babysitting and she's booking many of her free days with them.  Then summer.....is over for her has high school dive season starts the 2nd week of August already.  It will definitely go by fast!!
We had some great end of school year fun ~ Av and I got to march in the Memorial Day parade for Memorial Day which starts in downtown Menasha and goes to downtown Neenah.

After the parade Danny, Emma, myself and another band mom took ALL the uniforms to the laundromat to be cleaned.  Once they were smelling and looking good again we took them back to school so they are ready to go for next year.  Danny enjoyed being out and about for the day.  I think his favorite was watching all the kids walking the hallways when school was let out.  He just loves all the commotion ..... would be going into to 7th grade next year so this school is where he would have been going too :(

I coordinated the 8th grade end of year dance.  What a great time it was!!  I wasn't sure how it was going to go, but I got many great reviews from parents, students, and teachers.   Here's some of our decorations and fun

Unfortunately before heading over to set up for the dance I headed over to say my final good byes to our dear friend Nick.  His passing was sudden and unexpected, he had a shunt malfunction while at school.  He is a true hero and gave the ultimate gift of organ donation..... he was able to donate his corneas, kidneys, and heart. Nick was a great friend of ours, we are blessed to have hung out with him and made some wonderful memories.  Until we meet again sweet Nick.....

 Nick and his awesome Momma at our pool party

 Nick, his brother Raymond with Momma and Papa

 3 Musketeers!!

We've packed lots of fun in the last few days already ~
Boating, tubing and wake boarding

 Hide everything white.....nothing is safe!!!  Tiedye

 I have found some time to sit back relax and smell the amazing Lilacs in the backyard

 Av got a new bike so she has been biking around town

 We went to the ball diamond to watch Av's boyfriend Plaaaaaaaaaay Ball

 Stopped to enjoy the beautiful double rainbow ~

Went to Ms Emma's Bridal Shower

Got to celebrate Ms Aleana's daughters first bday

Danny has been pretty good lately.  He went down to CHOW for the day to have a bronc done in hopes they could figure out this extra fluid his been hanging onto in/around his right lung since November.  Unfortunately they didn't find any answers for us.  Once his Pulmnologist returns back to the office I'll have to a pick her brain as to what the next step may be.  

 Yeap still has significant temp issues

 Ms Emma came with us to when Danny had his Bronc done.

 I have to say it was one of the quickest turn arounds for surgery.....in and out the same day ~ unheard of for Danny in the same day and we did it in matter of a few hours.

He has been experiencing more neuro's lately and I haven't put my finger on as to why.  He continues to stump me and physicians......he's lucky he's so darn cute!!  We are on the look out for another nurse to come hang out with him as another nurse is leaving.  We are very sad that she is leaving, but we are happy for her next adventures.

Very exciting that Danny got a new van to cruise the town in ~

 Danny watched our good friend Calico paint pin-stripping on

 When out n about we don't need to worry about bad weather and bugs with his new tent

 A boy and his pups

 Yes he's always on the move!!

 Hot tubbing it

Danny's runner Ms Annie continues to send him wonderful medals from her races :)

 It's time to GO RACING!!  Race season is upon us ~ if you're ever looking for something to do Saturday evenings....stop on out to WIR in Kaukauna.  Av and I went out the first day of racing in hopes to send Dan some good luck

 Helping Dad stage the car

Burn out!

Hot Diggity ~

We are gardeners this year again.  Dan planted a FULL garden with 2 rows snap peas, 24 tomato plants, 2 zucchini, yellow squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, 6 green peppers, rhubarb, 12 strawberries, 2 cucumbers, 3 pickling cucumbers, 2 acorn squash, 2 rows sweet corn, 3 klorabi, and a variety of 8 different HOT peppers.  Bring on harvest time.....I see alot of canning in my future!

Thanks for stopping by to check on us!  I hope you all have a safe, healthy, and happy summer!