Mid Summer fun!

As we get settled into our home this summer, not too much has been happening in terms of sickness or issues with Kenny (thank God). We've been trying to keep the summer going with a trip to Alabama to see family and the home days for our new city...which just so happen to be right at the end of the street of ours...literally...in our side yard.

Here is my hubby and our nephew who owns a Kettle Corn/chocolate factory...

 The four younger kids going on rides...

 Kenny and Kay...

 Kenny was a little scared at first, but then enjoyed the ride...

 Kenny and Gina. Believe it or not, this ride went fast! Poor Kenny held Gina's arm the whole ride!

 The fun house is always fun...

 ok...another one of Kenny's favorites that went a little bit too fast for him...he was holding onto Gina for dear life!

 

 Kenny and his Grandpa...unbeknown to eachother...put on the same type of shirt for the day.

So that was the fun filled Home Days, since then, we have been visiting cousins and making the most of the rain we've been getting and welcoming home my nephew who came home on leave from the Army...

Here is my oldest getting ready to go on the makeshift slip & slide...

 the little ones even got in on the action...

 

 They all thought it would help with the sliding...garbage bags with dish soap on them... 

 haahaa...maybe this should be Pintrested under "fun times in the rain...or in the hills ;) )

We all had a really fun time. Great food and lots of laughs..its always fun with our family!

 

And finally, I've been working really hard on the gardens...veggie and flower...around the house. Believe it or not, after 19 years of trying my hardest to grow zucchini at our old house, I am finally growing them here at our new house!!! I am beyond ecstatic!

 

We are going to be having more tomatoes than we'll know what to do with...yummmmmy...

 

 Our broccoli has small heads on them...woot woot!

 The cabbage as well...we started to have a little issue with bugs and critters eating them...but with some pest control spray and some netting...I think were good... 

 

 

 our brussel sprouts have teenie tiny brussel sprouts emerging

...hopefully we'll have a good amount of them for Thanksgiving dinner...

Peppers are growing...

we'll have an over abundant amount of tomatoes of all kinds...

all the cool weather crops are really starting to take off...

 some flowers from the front yard. Forget-me-nots and purple daisies...

 

 the front yard perennials are really starting to fill out...

 

 

 And for todays harvest...our first crop of beans and come gourmet cucumbers along with regular salad ones...

 

I've always loved to garden...thanks to my Grandpa and my dad. So to teach my kids how to get their hands dirty and to reap the benefits of the hard work of planting...seeing their eyes when they come running in the house with a cucumber or tomato, really makes me smile. Life is good.

Our youngest child turns 6...

It feels like just yesterday that I gave birth to Gina. It has been a blur due to the fact that much of the time was taken up by caring for Kenny...but I am so grateful to God for blessing us with our Gina. She truly is a gift from God. She's a smart, caring, and funny little girl who loves to dress in her brothers clothes, not afraid to show her rough and tumble side...which includes Spider-Man, army guys and (as she calls them..and now we all call them...) Nurdle Turtles (aka: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). 

Happy Birthday Gina...my beautiful angel sent down from Heaven. 

A picture worth thousand words

For the last two months, Kenny has been playing baseball with other kids with disabilities

Today was NEO Challenger Baseballs All Star game and awards cookout. Todays game was, shall I say...a little soggy, but we got the whole game in!

Kenny is playing with his "buddies" in the center.

  

 

 

 Kenny drinking a cup of water...

 Well, hello there Kenny!

 A quick "knuckles" then off to play ball!

 Up to bat!

 We decided to let Kenny try to hit the ball by himself!

 

 The pitcher was awesome and threw it right at his bat. Making it look and feel like Kenny hit the ball! Here he is at first base!

 Just as The Angels finished batting, it started to downpour...and hard! We had quite a long walk to the car, so needless to say, we were SOAKED, but we had fun! #whatmemoriesaremadeof

 

We ended up going home to get dried up before the awards cookout...

 

 

 Kenny even tried to eat ice-cream!!!

 

 

 

 

 He received an award, a baseball hat and a baseball. I never thought I'd see this little boy of ours act as normal as possible...playing ball! Its such a HUGE deal for us all. To see him love being a typical kid and getting an award for playing baseball like his big brother and daddy...melts my heart! I mean...look at that smile on his face!!!

 These two young adults were helpers...also known as buddies. They helped the kids bat, run, catch...just be there for them to assist with everything. Very caring and loving people who took time and volunteered their free time to work with these kids of various degrees of disabilities.

 And finally...Kenny's coaches...awesome.

The whole experience of NEO Challenger Baseball was one that I am beyond grateful for. Who knew that when my husband did all the signs for them when they had their big event in our town...that years later, our son would be part of that whole organization. I am without words on how grateful I am. God willing, next year he'll be back for another season!