Washington DC Day #1

We arrived in time today to meet Brett for lunch at We, The Pizza.  It was great to catch up with him and the food was as good as we remembered.  After visiting for awhile we all piled into the Pilot and drove to Mount Vernon.  It was hotter than last year, but thankfully less crowded.  The tour was the same as we remembered, but we were glad to have taken it.  Doug, Brett, Cam and Meg also walked down to the Potomac.  I opted out of that hike and instead hung out in the shaded area of the slave memorial.

Once we left the Washingtons' home we went to the Pentagon City Mall.  We didn't buy anything, but it was a nice break from the heat.  It dropped from 100 to 95 by the time we reached Arlington National Cemetery.  I made it to the Kennedy graves, but decided from there to wait on everyone else.  It was just to hot and hilly for a long walk for me.  Doug and Cam made it to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Brett met them at the grave of Joe Louis and Meg stayed with me resting in the shade.

We picked Bonefish Grill for dinner and everyone found something delicious on the menu.  The wait was long, but our waiter was funny so we didn't mine.  We also found a nail in our back tire when we drove into the parking lot which answered why our tire pressure light had come on.  Doug talked to a 24 hour repair service.  They met him in the lot while we waited for our food and within ten minutes the tire was repaired.  It was close to 8 by the time we left Arlington.  We decided that it was a good time for a night walk around the monuments.  We didn't make it to all of them, but we were able to visit FDR's, Martin Luther King Jr's, the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Wall before calling it a night.  It was an exhausting day, but a great start to a DC visit.  

Another Friday, Another Day of Packing

I woke up early this morning to make sure that Cam was ready to play golf with my Dad.  They wanted to get in eighteen holes before it became too hot.  I thought beating the projected heat wave was a good idea myself and headed out the door to get in enough steps that I could make 10,000 before we left this afternoon.  Although the heat index wasn't supposed to reach 100 degrees until later in the day, it was definitely hot this morning when I was walking.  Therefore, I decided to stay in Woodland Acres for this hike.  It was nicely shaded and I had over 6500 steps before I reached my front door.  I was pretty excited when I weighed in this morning as well.  I had officially lost over sixteen pounds which was half way to my second weight goal all in a month's time.

The rest of the day was spent much as last Friday - packing, laundry, watering plants, and running errands.  Cal came home from work in the middle of the day.  He said that it was definitely hot at the golf course.  He finished helping Vicky with some projects around the home and then went to visit Hannah Marie before she left for a graduation party in Michigan.  He had to work all weekend, so he didn't seem to mind that everyone would be gone for the next couple of days.  He planned on driving the CR-V until we get back since the truck does not have air conditioning.  Cam made it home in time to pack before we left.  He was pleased with his golf round.  Meg also spent time packing, but did have time to finish her SAT practice for the week, read, play the piano and FaceTime Jackie.

The Pilot was cleaned and packed when Doug arrived at 4:30.  The drive was an easy one through Ohio.  The mountains of Pennsylvania always make me nervous, but the weather was clear which made it easier.  We drove until close to midnight.  Sundance TV was having a Law & Order marathon which we were able to watch with the DirectTv app.  That made the trip seem to fly by.  Meg and Cal have stated that we are lame for watching it, but it was entertaining.  Cam, however, appreciates our current obsession with it.

An Extra Week Off

Earlier this spring we found out that Bethany had decided to take a second moratorium week off this summer.  When they discussed it in the fall they weren't sure what week made the most sense.  In the end they picked the week before the mandatory July 4th week chosen by the IHSAA.  This meant that Meg had this week off to relax and hang with her friends.  She made the most of it.  On Tuesday she went to Jackie's to go shopping at University Park Mall and then spend the night.  They also caught up with Biz and Alistair.  Wednesday she left Jackie's and drove to Michigan to hang out with Liam at his lake home.  Today she invited friends over for karaoke, basketball, a trip to the beach, ice cream at Joe's and a drive around town.  I was glad that she was able to make the most of her time off.  School schedules just came out and the first day will be here soon enough.  It was nice to have an extra week just to enjoy summer.

Who Needs a Putter, When You Have a Driver??

Today Cameron had a golf tournament at Erskine Golf Course in South Bend.  The weather was once again dreary and cool for June.  It didn't seem to bother Cameron.  He was worried about the lesson he had yesterday, however, especially since the golf pro changed his entire swing.  He struggled with it a little, but looked very good on the front despite the change finishing with a 38.  The back was longer and a little more challenging, but Cam hung in there shooting a 43 putting him in a third place tie once again.

The playoff started on number 17, a par three hole.  Cam hit his tee ball well, pin high, but a little to the right placing him in a bunker.  Cam has not been a fan of the sand trap this summer, but didn't look like it today.  He hit a beautiful shot within two feet of the hole.  His opponent struggled and found himself at the same distance putting for bogey.  I felt confident that Cam would sink the putt, but noticed that he kept going back to his bag.  As I was still standing by the tee I wasn't sure what he was doing, but soon enough he had sunk the putt and was shaking his opponent's hand.  The boys following him cheered and I noticed he was laughing with Grandpa on the walk back up the fairway.  That's when I was let in on the secret.  Cameron had left his putter by the door of the clubhouse and instead had to use his driver on the green.  I couldn't believe it, but was happy that it worked for him.  Soon enough he was wearing a third place medal around his neck and had the best golf story ever to share with the rest of his family.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Brett sent me a link today stating that the American Children's Librarian Association voted unanimously to take Laura Ingalls Wilder's name off of their highest children's author award.  They stated that they did this because of her stereotypical portrayal of other races in her Little House on the Prairie series.  I had to read that statement over and over again to fully understand what it was saying.  I have read Wilder's series multiple times over the years starting when I was in first grade.  She was by far my favorite author growing up and I had encouraged Meg to read her books when she was in elementary as well.  I could not fathom how anyone could accuse Laura Ingalls of being a racist.  She wrote about what she lived at that time period.  Her vivid descriptions of being a pioneer made me wish that I had lived during that era when I was a child.  From her writings I understood that there was an Indian country and that families on the prairie had to be cautious when building homes in the west.  There were raids, but there were also relationships built.  Wilder wrote in detail about the Indian trail and watching the tribes walk by all while wishing she had her own papoose.  My heart broke as a little girl when the Ingalls family had to leave their favored home with real glass windows because the western territories redrew their borders and their prairie home was across the line in Indian territory.

The children's association obviously did not understand that children could actually relate to stories set in a different time period.  "Wilder's work is considered "controversial," because of how she speaks of her family's fear of Native American attacks, and her era-specific views on blacks. Intellectuals and historians might teach Wilder's works in the context of her upbringing, but, apparently, children's librarians are incapable of the same level of nuance."  This statement does a disservice to students and teachers everywhere.  An eight year old may not understand race relationships, but they do not base their opinions on a favored childhood book.  They can actually understand that the world was a different place one hundred and fifty years ago.  I know that because I have discussed the Little House on the Prairie series with my own daughter and many of my students.  They understand that blacks were treated differently during Wilder's lifetime in the same manner that they understand that the threat of locusts, prairie fires and harsh winter's have changed over that same time period.

It took me quite some time to get over the frustration I felt with this group.  Ultimately, it won't change my opinion of the Little House series.  The best part about reading those books was that I could learn about history without reading a history book.  It was the same reason why Jane Austen later became my favorite author, and why I tend to only read fiction set in other centuries.  In fact I just finished Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest."  Not only was it well written, but it also gave me into an insight into Wilde's impression of love and marriage in the late 1800s Europe along with other social themes of the time.  Just as with Laura Ingalls Wilder I do not judge any authors' opinions of long ago based on today's knowledge.  If I did I would miss some wonderful works like "Les Miserables", "The Phantom of the Opera," "Ethan Frome" and so many more.

Zoo Day

Every summer Cam, Meg and I take a day trip to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.  Normally, we wait until late July, but with a two week sport moratorium this year we decided to move up our visit to today.  We were surprised by all of the cars in the parking lot when we arrived, but thankful that the zoo was not too crowded.  For the first time ever we altered our normal trek through the zoo by heading straight to the sea lions so that we could watch them be fed.  It was a fun demonstration.

Once the sea lion chat was over we walked to our normal path stopping first in Africa for a ride on the Skyfari and to feed the giraffe.  Our next visit was to Asia.  We enjoyed watching the baby orangutan swinging on the ropes and refueled with lunch at their cafe.  In Australia we took a turn on the log flume ride while being on the "look out" for crocodiles.  Cam and I also walked through the bird sanctuary and got a picture of him touching a sting ray.  The geese slowed down our train ride, but we had fun just the same.  Meg opted out of the children's farm, but Cam got some great video of the chickens for her to view.  Today was the perfect zoo day for the three of us.  Not only was the weather beautiful, but we enjoyed our day together as well.

Back Home Again!

It was hard after a fantastic weekend in Bloomington to head home.  After Cam and Doug played tennis, a visit to Parce's and lunch at Oliver Winery we knew that it was time to go.   It was strange this morning knowing that this was our last time at Parce's apartment.  It has been a lot of fun visiting him on our frequent trips and we appreciated him letting us stay there many times over the last four years. While driving back we did make plans to return next month and stay at Brett's .  There were several plays at through IU's summer theater that I was interested in attending and Doug was up trying a few more of Bloomington's fabulous restaurants.  

Cal was asleep when we got home.  He has worked the past three nights from 6 a.m. to 2 and was thankful to have tomorrow off until I reminded him about his dentist appointment in the morning!!  Doug started mowing once we got the van unloaded, but Cal decided that he wanted to do it instead.  Thus, he was able to get a few other projects done instead while I unpacked.  Cam left with my Mom to play golf.  It was crowded, but they were able to get in nine holes.  Doug said that he would walk up to Huntington's for dinner with me.  I was glad to do it as I needed the steps.  The walk back up the hill at the high school was a challenge, but I did get my 10,000 steps in before the evening was over.  We relaxed by a bonfire when we got home, ready for some down time.  Cal and Cam got in a game of badminton before it got too dark and Meg joined us for some conversation before she headed up.  It was a nice way to end a fun packed weekend.

Taste of Bloomington

Today was the 36th annual Taste of Bloomington and our third trip to the festival.  It was just as much fun as last year and as an added bonus this year Cameron was able to use his Kona Ice cup from the last one for a discount on refills.  The food was delicious.  I had grilled shrimp and corn on the cob!  Cam loved the ribeye sandwich.  Meg liked Taste of India’s buttered chicken and Doug said his favorite was the crawfish etouffee!  Parce joined us at the Taste as well which made for additional fun.  We also ran into Cal's friend Mark and the Boatrwights enjoying the sights and sounds of the Taste.  My favorite part was the Hairbangers Ball concert even though Meg and Cam were horrified by my "singing."

Taste wasn't all we had time for today.  We started our day at the Art Fair on the Square where Meg and I found some nice jewelry and Cam purchased new prints for his room and a Taste of Bloomington shirt.  Lunch was at Noodles & Company.  Afterward Cam learned how to hula hoop in People's Park.  Meg didn't even need a refresher course and joined her brother for awhile.  It was so nice that they cleaned up the park so that it could be put to good use.  Once they finished in the park Doug and Cam played nine holes at Cascades along with Parce.  Cam was proud of his 42 as he shot 48 two weeks ago.  Meg and I used the time to go to College Mall.  She was able to then take a nap while I unpacked the last few items in Brett's new apartment and hung his posters.   Doug and Cam made it back in time to see Germany beat Sweden on a last second indirect kick.  With all of the activity plus Taste of Bloomington we were ready for bed early tonight, happy with the day we had spent B-Town.

Headed to Bloomington

I spent the majority of the day getting ready for our weekend in Bloomington.  This will be the third year in a row that Doug, Meg, Cam and I have attended Taste of Bloomington.  I did have time to get in my 10,000 steps before we left.  I also was pleased to see that I had met my first weight goal - down 14 pounds.  I actually met that a week early as I had planned to lose it before we left for DC next weekend.  I even bought zero and low point snacks for the trip down hoping to stay in my point range even with all of the delicious food to try.

I tried to talk Cal into going with us, but he has to work tomorrow.  He also worked this morning from 6 a.m. to 2.  Once he got home he fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up until we pulled into B-Town.  He said he didn't sleep well last night.  I was sure that he had a lot of on his mind.  He did make it down for a late dinner at Grandma's and to start Godfather 2 which they were happy about.

Meg and Cam had picked Mother Bear's for dinner well before we left Syracuse.  Brett and Cal never want to go, so it was the perfect time to eat there.  The pizza was good as always.  Our next stop was Brett's apartment.  The air conditioning wasn't in yet, but with the cool, rainy weather it didn't matter.  Doug and Cam walked to Pizza Express for breadsticks and we ended our night by watching Miss Congeniality.  It was a perfect start to an IU weekend.

Sad News

Cal heard this afternoon that one of his friends from high school committed suicide today.  He was completely taken off guard by the news as Hunter had spent the weekend at his house in Bloomington over Little 500 week.  Cal asked me why someone would even consider taking their own life.  That was a tough question to answer as none of us really know what someone in that situation was thinking.  I felt awful all night thinking about his family.  His Dad had died in January after a long bout with cancer.  It sure seemed like a lot for one family to have to deal with.

This wasn't the first time that Cal had asked some tough questions that we just couldn't answer.  He's had one friend die of cancer, known four young adults that had been involved in murders, and now has lost four classmates to suicide.  With this one being closest to his friend group it will be a harder for everyone to move past.  Ultimately, they will, just hope and pray that it was the last one.

An Active Day

Cal and Cam both had golf tournaments today and were happy with their results.  Cam started off slow, but rebounded well once he birdied number eight.  Another birdie on the back nine with a chip in put him at 87 and in third place.  He was definitely happy and Mom and I were impressed as they played off the whites today at Meadow Valley.  Cal played with Dad today representing the town of Syracuse in the chamber outing.  They faired even better with a 22 under, first place finish.  Cal was pleased with the win and his eagle on seven.

Meg arrived home tonight in time to hear all of their golf stories.  She added in her own basketball stories to the mix and for the next hour or so our house was filled with the Heinisch children's tales of the past few days.  Meg was happy to be home so that she could rest, and also pleased with how camp went.  The basketball was secondary to the dance-offs, ice cream runs and "beach" attire.  She did make it to dinner with Cam, Doug and I before meeting up with Gabby and Kat at Joe's, but once she got back she headed to bed ready to catch up on her sleep.

A Manicure for the Pigs

Today Cam, Mom and I took the guinea pigs to the veterinarian's for a "manicure."  When we first got Cosmo and Apollo we were told that they would never need their nails trimmed as they would naturally wear them down.  After a couple of months we realized that this was not the case.  Since that time period we have taken two pigs in for a trim every three months or so.  We have always gotten a few comments while we were in the waiting room.  Most start with "Wow!  Those are some big guinea pigs."  They definitely could pass as baby groundhogs if spotted outside.

Today the pigs were pretty calm while on the medical table.  I was glad that we took Grandma Jane along.  She was able to hold them since Meg was still at camp.  Cosmo and Apollo would hide for the rest of the day once we returned.  Rizzo and Atmo seemed to handle it a little better.  Maybe it's because they share the same cage, but within a couple of minutes of our return they were already squealing for carrots.  I did notice when we changed their cage later in the day that they didn't move much away from it, huddled together in a corner.  Not sure if they were traumatized from their trip to the vet or just being their normal timid selves.  Either way, Cam and I got a kick out of watching them.  Glad we decided to add them to the Heinisch home a year ago.  It would be strangely quiet without them.

Rooms Are Done!!

The first project of my unofficial retirement from teaching was completed today when Cam and I finished cleaning out, dusting and organizing his bed room.  I was not sure that Cameron was excited about it, but I definitely was.  Now that his and Meg's room are done, I can now just help them maintain them and we should not have such a big project going forward.  It wasn't all bad for Cam as he did find a lot of missing items, and tonight he and Cal were able to use his room to play a round of Tiger Woods golf on the PS2.  He also played 18 holes of golf in the morning and two matches at tennis tonight.  Thus, the day wasn't a total loss.

Personally, with the heat today I thought it was actually nice to be inside.  Cal didn't think so at first and offered to help outside.  He was able to trim my bushes before it became too hot even for him.  With all of the cleaning and then driving the Bethany tennis team to Westview tonight I finally felt like a stay-at-home Mom again.  Maybe there will be a time when I tire of projects around the home and hanging out with the Heinisch children, but not that I see anytime soon.

Happy Father's Day!!

It was a quiet Father's Day at the Heinisch home today.  Cal had to work and Meg left for basketball camp in Vincennes at 7 a.m. this morning.  Even though it was only Doug, Cam and I for the majority of the day it was still a nice celebration of Doug's life as a father.  We went to see The Incredibles 2, watched World Cup soccer, and stayed on top of the US Open scores.  My parents came up later in the day for dinner and Cal and HM got here in time for some badminton.  Doug appreciated his typical Father's Day gifts - a Lincoln book, beer with a new mug and salsa.

Although Brett was busy in DC, he found time to call to wish Doug a happy day and wrote a nice post on Facebook honoring his father and grandfathers.  I know that all four of the Heinisch children think the world of their father.  They all like to tease him about being cheap or giving them "throw up" lectures, but each one has told me how much they appreciate the support he has shown them over the years.  I could not ask for a more patient, supportive, and hard working father for my children.  Doug has proven his loyalty and devotion to our family time and time again.  He has been the best role model that any child could ask for and we all feel blessed to have him in our lives.  On this day and everyday I wish Doug all the best that the world could offer him.

Two Weeks In and I'm Loving Summer

Today was the second week of my unofficial retirement from teaching, and I enjoyed it immensely.  We all had a productive, fun and carefree seven days.  Cal finished summer school and started working at Tippy again.  Cam found success in both tennis and golf plus a couple of games of badminton.  Meg participated in soccer, tennis and basketball enjoying her teammates and their camaraderie.  She also found time to study for the SAT, read for AP Literature, and finally catch up with Liam after his two week trip to Ireland.   We heard little from Brett this week as he kept extremely busy on the hill.  From his texts and posts on social media we know that he thoroughly loved going to the congressional baseball game even if the Democrats destroyed the Republicans.  Doug made headway on several projects at work.  He also joined me on my healthy eating journey.  It has been a nice change from our old eating habits and we both found success.  I was also happy to report that I had walked 1 over 10,000 steps a day since I started tracking again on June 4th.  Overall, it has been a wonderful start to the rest of my life and I was thankful to celebrate tonight with dinner at Kelly Jae's with Doug.

Team Bonding

Earlier in the week KP asked Meg if she'd be willing to host a team bonding even at our home in celebration of the end of team camp.  Meg was excited to have everyone over and agreed immediately.  Thus, today at 4:30 about a dozen high school girls and their coach arrived right after practice.  The team spent their time before dinner playing corn hole and competing at Just Dance.  It was fun to listen to their laughter.  Once Doug got home he baked macaroni and cheese plus grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for them. Although there were plenty of desserts here, Meg and Grace wanted everyone to try Joe's, so after dinner they headed that way.  Ice cream reviews were positive upon their return and they spent the rest of the evening in the basement playing Head Bands, ping pong and pool.

KP appreciated us opening our home to the team and we were glad to do so.  Just a short year ago we put Meg on a bus to Vincennes with a group that she did not know.  It was a challenging week for her.  She felt rusty at basketball and out of place with the girls.  So much has changed for her in that time period. Her basketball skills have returned, but more importantly Meg has made friendships that will last a lifetime.  She feels supported and an important part of the Bethany community.  It was awesome to be a part of that this evening.

Cleaning Day

Everyone was busy for most of the day today which left me alone all afternoon and a good portion of the evening.  Cam had a physical this morning, but once that was over he went with Grandpa Cutes to play golf at South Shore as it was a trade day.  It wasn't his best round of the week, but they were able to work on straightening his driver.  Meg and Jackie left right after lunch to go to a viewing for the mother of one of the managers on the basketball team.  It was a nice thought to have their team show support together.  Once that was over they had team camp and then 7 v 7 soccer.  The girls played Wawasee tonight.  Meg was happy with how it went especially since they won.  Northridge was another story, but that was to be expected.  Cal came home today from Bloomington.  He was happy that he'll be here the rest of the summer.  He spent his afternoon at HM's.  Doug made time to go to Meg's soccer game after work and then went to County Council.  It was well after 8:30 when he arrived.

With the house quiet except for the piano turner I decided to get some long needed cleaning done.  Doors, windows, deck and the backyard funiture were first on my agenda.  I even had time to get some laundry done and the garage and porch swept before everyone arrived.  It felt strange to have so much time to myself.  I will have to get used to that once summer ends, but with all of the projects that I have in mind, I should be able to keep busy just like today.

Another Day, Another Tournament

Third day of the same routine - up early in the morning. eighteen holes of golf,  score of 91.  I felt that this course was the most difficult.  Cam said that it was yesterday at Eagle Glen.  Either way a 91 on Meshingomesia was impressive, especially since he was the youngest one in his division.  Put that with the hills and tight fairways, Grandma and I were both proud of his sixth place finish.  Our trip today was the longest at an hour and a half, but we were still home well before 3:00 p.m.

Meg was at basketball when we arrived.  I got Cameron and I something to eat, fixed our long standing plumbing issue, folded a load of laundry and headed to bed.  We had tickets to see Mama Mia at Amish Acres tonight and I knew that if I didn't get a nap, I would never make the 8 p.m. curtain call.  Jackie and Meg arrived shortly after I fell asleep.  They were both excited to see the musical as they had heard plenty of good reviews about it.  Mom and Dad went with us.  I had tried to watch the movie once and really didn't like it.  The musical was a lot better and left us all singing ABBA songs on the way home.

Golf, Basketball and Soccer

Today was almost an exact repeat of yesterday except that we added in soccer and took out tennis.  This time Cameron played in an Indiana Junior tournament at Eagle Glen.  It had a lot more penalty opportunities than yesterday's match, but his score remained the same at 91.  He was pleased as were Mom, Dad and I.  I appreciated them riding along.  This provided us with an opportunity to have a cart to keep our umbrellas and drinks in as well as a place to sit when my back got tired of standing.

We were done with golf quite a bit earlier than yesterday's round.  Cam was happy with his 11th place finish as there were 23 players in the thirteen to fifteen year old division.  On the way home we stopped at Dunham's Sports.  The shoes that went through the water yesterday did not survive the round today.  Age, water and drying them caused the soles to come unglued and by the end of the the fourth hole he was flapping pretty loudly.  Grandpa offered to switch him shoes at the turn, but Cam didn't want to jinx his round.  Doug and Cal both suggested duct tape to hold them together, which Cam would have agreed to had we brought some.  Thankfully, Dunham's had a pair of Callaways that he liked and that fit, so he shouldn't have the same problem tomorrow.

Meg spent her afternoon at basketball team camp.  Afterward she and Jackie came here to get something to eat before heading to Bethany for soccer open field.  Meg seemed pleased with both.  She has taken her role as a senior leader seriously, although she has not been ready to talk about this being her last summer of high school sports.

Golf, Tennis & Basketball

Today was an active one in the Heinisch home.  Cam started it off with a golf tournament at South Bend Country Club.  I thought it was only a nine hole event as it was that way last year, but it was actually eighteen.  Cam didn't mind and played well for his first tournament of the year shooting a 91 which tied him for third place.  He and Dad had a lot to talk about on the way home, but overall he was pleased.  There was only one harrowing moment for me.  That occurred when he walked through water in the fairway up to his shins completely soaking his socks and shoes.  I was sure I had seen that move years ago when I walked these tournaments with Cal.

We made it home at 4:30 which was just before Meg got back from her first day of basketball team camp.  She said that it was intense with a lot of drills, but overall it went well.  She and Cam had a snack and rested for about forty-five minutes before we headed back to Goshen for their Monday night tennis league.  Cam's coach, Matt, had asked him last week during Bright Time Camp if he'd be interested in filling in if they did not have enough high schoolers.  I wasn't sure how it would go for him playing against upperclassmen, but he did very well.  His partner was an incoming Freshmen and although they lost, they made a challenging match for their opponents.  Meg played tonight as well and was outstanding especially since her legs were cramping up from running at basketball camp today.  We all went to Buffalo Wild Wings tonight to relax after a full day of sports activity.

Congratulations Hannah-Marie

 

Today we all enjoyed Hannah-Marie's graduation open house.  Cal had come up Friday night so that he could attend it as well.  It was fun to see all of her pictures.  There were a lot of memories on those boards.  She was worried about the weather, but the rain did not detract her visitors from attending.  The house, tent and backyard were packed with well-wishers.  The food was plentiful and we appreciated visiting with HM's family.  Cal stayed long after it was over to help clean up and watch her open her gifts.  She liked her IU shorts, shirt and wallet that we gave her and appreciated the money she received.  We were happy that we were able to support her today.  Hannah-Marie has become a staple at the Heinisch home these past three years and we were proud of all of her high school accomplishments.  Can't wait to hear about her new life as a Hoosier.

Woodard Strong

Today Meg and I made time to participate in the Relay for Life walk in memory of Mr. Woodard.  It was held at Center Lake Park and Paula was in charge of our portion.  We wore our red #woodardstrong shirts and walked with several other Milford staff members.  Meg and I spent an hour on the track, listened to music, watched Paula dance to ACDC and put an Aquaman sticker in tribute to Grandma Heinisch on the Super Hero memory board.  I was glad that Meg went along with me.  She got a kick out of seeing Mrs. Skow and enjoyed reminiscing about her time in Mr. Woodard's class and in his driver's ed car.  It was sad to think about him being gone, but we were definitely glad to have participated in today's event.

Bright Time

Today was bittersweet.  It was the last day for Bright Time and the last one for Cameron forever as a camper.  I was sad to think about it being over, but so happy that Cameron first tried Bright Time Camp seven years ago.  It was what drew him to Bethany as a student and eventually changed the path of Meg and Cameron's education for the better.  This summer Cam chose four camps - The Escape Room, Chess, Tennis and A-Mazing Math.  He would have added a fifth, but Sphero robotics was canceled due to a technical issue.  Meg only participated in Bright Time as a camper one year, but she thoroughly enjoyed helping the soccer sessions this year and was sad to see it end as well.

This morning the Escape Room class invited the parents to visit during the last half hour to try out our skills at solving puzzles.  It was a lot of fun looking for clues, solving puzzles, and opening boxes to "save the planet."  The parents beat the students in "escaping," but one of their clues was hidden in a more challenging spot than ours.

Cam came home today with a packet from math, a tie for first in the chess tournament and a lot of stories from tennis.  He said that tennis has not typically been his favorite session in the past, but this year it definitely was.  For me it was a lot of work getting him there back and fourth four times a day for the past five days, but I would never complain.  Knowing how much Bright Time has meant to Cameron over the years made it well worth it.  I was happy to hear him already talking about which sessions he would want to help with next summer.

The Pilot

Doug and I finally decided to upgrade his vehicle.  We had talked about it for months and looked at several different options including a new Silverado.  In the end we decided upon a 2018 Honda Pilot. We test drove one last week and thought it would be the perfect fit for our family.  It had passenger room for eight, so we would be able to take family trips with it.  That was a priority as the van was closing in on 150,000 miles and long distance vacations made me nervous with that kind of wear and tear on it.  Knowing that this may eventually become my vehicle, I really wanted heated, leather seats which the Pilot offered.  It also had an upgrade on the CR-V's audio system which Doug would definitely put to good use. We agreed on a price and settled on Forest Green as an exterior color.

Although Doug was happy with his new purchase, no one was more thrilled then Meg.  Since Doug had a new vehicle to drive, Cal wanted the Silverado back and Brett needed use of the Civic, she would now be able to use the CR-V daily.  It came with a lecture of keeping it in better shape than the truck, which she gladly agreed to do.  The Heinisch family once again will have five vehicles in the driveway this summer, but at least now everyone will have one to drive.

Meg's Room

On Sunday Meg decided that she would clean out her room this week.  Thus, when she got home from Bloomington she started by pulling everything out of of her closet.  I was able to get the rest out Monday and last night she sorted through it all.  Today was my day to help again and when I first walked upstairs this afternoon, I was a little overwhelmed with all that we had to do.  After an hour or so I felt better about it as I was able to hang up her clothes and organize her shelves before she got home from piano.  Meg was available tonight, so with the closet done we moved on to the bathroom.  It was a lot of work today from the both of us, but by the time we quit for the night I felt a lot better about our timeframe.

Originally, Meg's room wasn't the project that I would have chosen this week as I had filled the exercise room with all of my teaching material and knew that needed put away.  I was happy tonight that Meg pushed us to start.  Her room was probably the biggest project of the summer and getting it done first made sense.  Meg loves to have friends over and already has plans with Aaron on Saturday to watch movies in her room.  We should be ready for him.

CPR

I dropped Cam off at Bethany this morning for Bright Time Camp and headed to the American Red Cross in Goshen.  I had to attend a skills class to complete my CPR certification in order to renew my teacher's license.  I had already taken the online portion which I found pretty easy.  This was the fifth or sixth time that I had had to take a CPR class and I had organized the 6th graders CPR class the past two years.  In saying that I was still nervous.  I always feel kind of stupid shaking a half-body mannequin dummy and yelling "Are you OK?"  The instructor this time was awesome, however, and within an hour I was certified to give CPR, administer the Heimlich and stop someone from bleeding to death.  I was relieved it was over and happy to have my certificate in hand.  As soon as Cam and I got home I uploaded it into the Indiana Department of Education license renewal website.  I am doubtful that I will need my license, but will have it for five more years if I chose to teach again.

Summer Vacation

Even though the weather today did not feel quite like summer, our activities sure did.  Cam started Bright Time camp this morning.  This year he chose Escape Room, Chess, Tennis and Amaze-ing Math.  I ran back and forth to Bethany three times today, but didn't mind as that gave me a chance to hear all about his sessions.  He had a lot of fun in each one and learned quite a bit as well.  He can now play the Calculus students' favorite game - Sets.  Cam was home for lunch, but that was about it. As soon as camp was over he went golfing with Grandma Jane.  Doug and I then played our favorite math game with him Quixx before he headed to bed.

Meg was also involved with Bright Time camp today.  She volunteered to help Hank with the elementary soccer sessions.  She had fun and was able to see a few of her friends as well.  After soccer she went to tennis open gym.  She was the only girl, but she didn't mind.  Once it was over she ran home to change for her night out with Aaron.  They went to Elkhart to Olive Garden and then did a little shopping afterward.  They wanted me to take their pictures first.  They did look very cute!

Meg had been cleaning out her room on Sunday night.  I was finally able to help with some of that process today.  Our goal was to be done by the time Cal finished summer school as we were using his room as a holding tank for her clothes.  I believe we will make our deadline.  I was also able to start my leg exercises today.  I have made that my number one priority as I love to walk and need to strengthen my legs before I do any of that long distance.  Doug worked late tonight and got home at 7.  Since he doesn't have to be in quite so early he has been staying up later with all of us.  We really appreciate that about his new position.  Today may have not been the most exciting first day of summer vacation for others, but for me it was perfect.  It was exactly what I wanted to be doing and what I had planned on when daydreaming about the end of the school year.

A Fantastic Weekend

Doug, Cal and Cam had an 8:30 tee time at Cascades this morning.   They had a lot of fun.  Everyone was happy with their score, although Cal's sand wedge did not survive the nine.  We were up when Cam and Doug arrived.  I had almost everything packed, but there was still a little bit to do.  We did a walk through of Brett's old apartment before leaving.  Everyone agreed that it was cleaned and all items were moved out.  Therefore all we had to do was drop off the keys to #110 on our way to Kirkwood.

It was quite a bit cooler than it was yesterday which we all appreciated.  Nineties in early June after a cold Spring has taken some time to get adjusted to.  We stopped in several shops along Kirkwood.  Meg found a pair of IU shorts that she really liked, but other than that we mostly did some window shopping.  Four of us chose Noodles & Company for our lunch.  Doug decided that he would finish off the leftovers instead and Cal opted for Subway.

We spent the rest of our time at Oliver Winery.  Cal had been at Kelley while we were checking out of Brett's apartment studying for his test tomorrow.  He will be extremely glad when it is over.  Only two more weeks of summer school and then he'll get a two month break.  We were glad that he met us for a picnic.  The Heinisch children always have fun when they are all together.

Cal headed back to Bloomington when we left the winery for the airport.  Brett had a 5:30 flight to D.C.  It ended up being delayed, but overall it went well and he was able to make it back before 8.  As soon as we got home I unpacked and started the laundry.  Cam and Grandpa made a beeline for the golf course while Meg went to Grandma's for dinner. Doug and I even had time to go out after he mowed.  It had been a fantastic weekend.  We were sad to see it end.

B-Town

We really appreciated all of the hard work that Brett and Cal put into moving yesterday.  With that and Doug's ability to help them quite a bit after dinner last night the apartment move was 90% of the way done when we woke up this morning.  Doug was able to jog and do some cleaning before we left for the farmer's market at 10.  Meg decided not to join us, but everyone else was ready to walk through the produce booths while enjoying breakfast.  Parce made it back from Columbus in time to see us before we left.

After the farmer's market we picked up Meg and headed to the mall.  Brett and I needed a few items from Target and everyone else had stores to stop in.  Cam and Cal found a Pomeranian at the pet store that they were sure that we needed.  Brett saw a pair of We Bare Bears pants that he thought Meg or Cam would like.  Meg browsed at American Eagle before joining Doug and I at Yankee Candle.  I was thrilled to use both of my coupons on their 75% off sale day.  I ended up stocking my candle supply and saved quite a bit at the same time.

We picked Parce up for lunch after shopping.  Doug wanted to try Big Woods Brewery.  It was one of his favorites in Nashville, Indiana and they had just opened a sight in Bloomington.  The service was strange, but the food was delicious.  Parce filled us in on his trip to England, Paris and New Amsterdam which sounded fascinating.  He decided to sit out of mini-golf, so we dropped him back off with the leftovers before heading to Ellettsville.  It was hot, but we all had a great time.  Cal was the big winner, but it was close until the last few holes.

Meg opted out of Solo - A Star Wars Story and went back to Brett's apartment.  Doug, the boys and I all enjoyed the movie much more than we thought we would as the reviews and box office receipts had been low.  After the film Cal went to Kelley to study and we helped Brett finish his move and cleaning.  I was glad that we were able to set up his internet router and television this weekend as well.  Tomorrow we will have to drop off the keys to #110, but overall he should only have to do some minor organizing in August when he returns.  

We drove to Parce's, helped him take his groceries up to his apartment and then walked to Samira's for dinner.  We had tried several times to eat there, but it was always closed or too crowded for us to get in.  The theme was based on Afghanistan dishes and everyone was happy to try their eggplant appetizer before ordering.  All main dishes were delicious and for the second meal today Brett had lamb.  We got ice cream for dessert and took a walk at Brett's apartment before retiring for the evening.   It was a wonderful family day in B-Town.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

I woke up this morning and the first thought that went through my head was, "Wow, I don't have to make lesson plans for my classes."  Although a strange feeling in all honesty it was a relief as today was the perfect one to return to my role as a stay at home mom.  I got up early to make sure Brett was up.  He had to catch a 5:45 a.m. train to the Baltimore airport.  I knew he wouldn't need me to be his alarm clock and wasn't surprised when he answered my 4:30 a.m. text immediately.  

Since I couldn't fall back asleep right away I decided to throw in a load of laundry.  I just started to nod back off when Doug stepped into the shower a little before 6.  I was back up at 8 a.m. to get Meg and Jackie on the road to Bethany.  KP invited the basketball team to go high rope climbing with her today and the girls couldn't wait.  There was a slight glitch in the waiver signing, but we got it figured out in enough time for them to stop and get a drink before they caught the bus.  I woke Cam up next as he had made plans to go golfing with my parents this morning.  

I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon picking up the house, feeding the pigs, doing laundry, running errands and packing for our trip to Bloomington.  Brett checked in once his shuttle arrived at IU.  He picked up his key to his new apartment, made sure it was in order and started moving some of his possession upstairs.  Meg and Cam were back in plenty of time to help me load the van before Doug got home from work.  While we were driving down Brett and Cal texted me to let me know that they had moved quite a bit into Brett's new place.  We were impressed by how much they were able to accomplish.  We took them to B.J.'s for dinner.  It has quickly become a family favorite.  Once we got back we all chipped in to move and unpack as much as possible tonight.  I really liked Brett's new apartment.  It is in the same building, but feels roomier, has more light, provides a better view and has new cabinets.  It was almost midnight by the time we went to bed, but it had been a great first day of my new life.