Auburn Football Camp -- War Eagle!

Our first sleep away camp experience for Ford can officially be checked off the "to do" list! When we found out a few months ago that Auburn hosts a 3 day, 2 night football camp on campus, Ford immediately decided he MUST go. I was a bit concerned because he would not no anyone, anyone at all. But he was ok with that . . . it was Auburn, his beloved Tigers and he had to go. So for his one camp of the summer, he enjoyed a little time on the Plains!

No trip to Auburn would be complete without a little "Momma's Love", so we started with lunch before registration! He looks sad in the picture but it was just my bad timing -- he was smiling a second before I snapped! He actually walked right up to a boy in Momma Goldberg's and asked if he was going to camp. The boy was and they introduced themselves . . . turns out Noah didn't know anyone either and guess what?!

They decided to be roommates! Here they are all settled in their dorm room!

This picture was taken as I was pulling away . . . Ford's room was 4th floor far right of this picture. :(

A picture of Ford's picture with Coach Chizik and the National Championship trophy! So cool!!

When I picked up Ford on Wednesday, I surprised him by bringing Lil! He ran right past me when he saw her and gave her a giant hug. I don't think I got mine until we got to Athens around 5pm that night!!! Ford was STARVING when we picked him up so we headed straight to Cheeburger, Cheeburger for burgers, onion rings and milkshakes!!

And then we needed a little Toomer's Lemonade to wash it all down . . .

And finally, a quick look at the poisoned trees at Toomer's Corner before hopping back in the car to drop Lil in Birmingham and head North to Athens for a quick overnight before returning to St. Louis.

Kentucky Lake!

My kids, especially Virginia and Jeb, were made for the great outdoors! Ford likes to observe nature from a distance, but Virginia and Jeb, they prefer up close and personal! We had been at the lake less than an hour when Virginia captured her first toad. Not long after she was chasing a lizard. Lightning bugs and cicadas and crickets too! Ford loves a boat ride and so does Jeb, but they prefer slow leisurely tubing rides. Virginia, on the other hand, has a need for speed -- she requests to be pulled at warp speed and won't ride with the slow kids because it is "boring". This means my whole body aches after my time on the tube at "warp speed". :) We are thankful to sweet friends for having us back for a 2nd wonderful weekend at their lake house. They are amazing hosts and so fun to spend time with!!

All the kids enjoying the tube . . . Virginia is the one up on her knees. By the end of the weekend she was standing on the tube "surfing".

Eyes are shut because of the bright sun but love their smiles!!
All 4 tubing again . . . Jeb tended to put his head down and take little naps while tubing!
My sweet big boy!
Ford and Burke . . . love that her mouth is wide open. Hoping it is joy not terror! :)
My precious baby . . . he loved riding around and especially the snacks Mer and Mrs. Trish packed!!
And he loved water gun fights off the back of the boat . . .
Ford enjoyed kayaking too . . . he is quite good at it now!
An awesome weekend that would have been perfect if only Brent had been able to enjoy it with us! :(

It is POOL TIME!!!

So happy to be back at Shaw Park pool for the summer! And this year, even Jeb is an awesome swimmer!!!

Root, root, root for the Cardinals!

On Memorial Day, we were invited to enjoy a Cardinals game with friends . . . in a box. There is just no better way to see a game! Free food, great seats, a private potty and great friends made for a wonderful day!

We arrived early (no surprise there!) and Ford and Brent tried to get a ball during batting practice.

Luke, Ben and Ford . . .
Our fabulous view!

Citygarden ROCKS!

Oh Citygarden, why did it take us so long to meet??!! This summer, the kids are only doing one camp each. It just so happens, Jeb and Virginia both chose swim camp and it is this week. Ford chose football camp at Auburn and it is next week. That leaves us a WHOLE lot of summer to hang out. We love our pool, Shaw Park, and we spend long afternoons hanging there with our friends. But I felt like the kids needed a little something else. So . . . we decided that we would create a list of places/things we wanted to see/do in and around St. Louis and choose one for each week of the summer! Many of the things on our list are free (other than the crazy high gas to get there!). Our first stop on this summer journey, Citygarden. We have been wanting to go since it opened and just now made it downtown. We will definitely be back! An amazing park with art, beautiful flowers and water features -- and the kids can play and climb on most everything!!

Let me preface these pictures by saying that the high last Friday was 61 degrees. It was a bit chilly for water but they LOVED it!

Citygarden, we will be back soon! The kids already asked to return it to our "must do" list!

School's Out for Summer . . . woohoo!

We made it through another school year! I can't believe that next year, all three kiddos will be hopping on the same bus and heading to the same school. Yikes! I think I will actually be quite sad to see my baby go . . . in the fall, Ford will be in 4th grade, Virginia will be in 2nd grade and Jeb will start kindergarten! Where has the time gone??!!

Bus stop on the last day of school . . . we were missing two kids. The kindergarten kids wore white, 1st grade wore green, 2nd grade wore blue, 3rd grade wore red (which was so hard for my Auburn boy! Thank goodness for a red Cardinals t-shirt from the Easter bunny!!), 4th grade wore orange and I'm not sure about 5th grade since Patrick wasn't at the bus stop! The kids were having a end of school picnic to celebrate the end of school.

Ford and Virginia were a little sad to say goodbye to 1st and 3rd grade thanks to some super amazing teachers -- Mrs. Donnelly and Miss Finan!!!
Virginia with Robin, Allie and Emma -- snow cones at the picnic!
And it is an end of preschool for the Baloghs. After 4 years at Salem, there are no more little Baloghs to hop out in the carpool line. :( I have loved this precious place and all the amazing teachers that have loved Virginia and Jeb. It was such a warm, nurturing, sweet place and I knew when I dropped them that they were having a fun day. We will definitely miss this place . . . thanks to Mrs. Deiffenbach and Mrs. Steinhoff for a great last year of preschool!